Celestron Partners with Astrophotographer and PGA Golfer Jimmy Walker

PGA Golfer and three-time tournament winner uses Celestron telescopes to capture dazzling images of distant galaxies.

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Feb 13, 2014, 08:00 ET

TORRANCE, Calif., Feb. 13, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- With three PGA Tour wins in less than six months, Jimmy Walker is a rising star in the golf world. But when he's not on the green, Walker is also an acclaimed astrophotographer. Now, Celestron is thrilled to announce a special partnership with Jimmy Walker to enable him to create even more beautiful images of the universe's most captivating objects. Celestron's sponsorship includes observatory-grade astronomical equipment installed at a dark-sky site in New Mexico.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140213/LA64375)

Celestron Partners with Astrophotographer and PGA Golfer Jimmy Walker. (PRNewsFoto/Celestron) (PRNewsFoto/CELESTRON)

"As a kid, I remember having a telescope and looking at the Moon, Saturn and Jupiter. My fascination started with looking up," Walker recalls. "From there, it evolved to attaching a camera and taking long exposures."

Since Walker is on the road with his family for much of the year, the Celestron CGE Pro 1400 HD telescope is placed at a remote location that Walker can access via the Internet. Whether he's at home in Dallas or at a tour event, Walker can control his telescope and conduct imaging sessions. The telescope then relays the raw images back to Walker, who applies his artistic touch in post-processing.

Walker is a fierce competitor on and off the golf course. His three recent wins at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, Fry's Open and Sony Open have landed him in first place in the Ryder Cup standings. Walker is also slated to appear in his first Master's tournament later this year. He brings the same tenacity to his astroimaging, becoming a respected imager within two years of first attaching a camera to his Celestron C-11 telescope. His photos have been featured on NASA's prestigious Astronomy Photo of the Day blog and showcased in various astronomy-related publications.

Celestron will kick off its new partnership with Walker at the upcoming Northern Trust Open, February 12-16 in Pacific Palisades, Calif. There, golf enthusiasts will have an opportunity to meet Walker for an evening under the stars and receive a signed astroimage. Fans are also invited to visit the Celestron booth at The Grove on the 14th hole to explore Celestron's innovative products and look through award-winning Granite binoculars, used by tour officials.

For more information on Jimmy's Northern Trust Open appearance and to view Walker's latest astroimages, visit www.celestron.com/jimmywalker and follow Celestron on Facebook.

About Celestron
Celestron is a leading designer, manufacturer, and importer of high-quality optical products including computerized and non-computerized telescopes and related accessories, GPS devices, binoculars, spotting scopes, and microscopes. Since manufacturing its first telescope in 1960, Celestron has grown to become the world's #1 telescope maker, and enjoys brand-name recognition among serious amateur astronomers for superior optics, outstanding design, and innovative technology. Celestron's extraordinary products continue to receive numerous industry and consumer media accolades, adding to an already impressive list that includes awards for product innovation from Reader's Digest, Popular Science, PC Magazine, Popular Mechanics, the Consumer Electronics Association, and more. Celestron is a privately-held company with corporate offices and manufacturing facilities in Torrance, California.

SOURCE Celestron