Privacy Policy
Effective: October 2026
What we collect
Very little. Standard server logs (IP address, user agent, pages requested) are kept briefly for security and debugging. The contact form stores what you type plus an optional email. The signup form stores your email address, used only for the updates you asked for; every message will include an unsubscribe route, and you can request deletion at any time via the contact form.
What stays in your browser
Your language choice (cookie), your light/dark preference and Guided/Expert view (local storage), and your ★ saved objects (local storage) never leave your device — we cannot see your collection.
Ask the Atlas
Questions you submit are processed by our AI provider (Anthropic) to generate the answer, along with the site data needed to answer; they are rate-limited per IP and not used to build profiles of you.
Advertising and cookies
If advertising (Google AdSense) is enabled on this site, Google and its partners may use advertising cookies to serve and measure ads, including ads based on your prior visits to this site and to other sites on the internet; you can opt out of personalized advertising in Google’s Ads Settings, and EU/UK/CH visitors will receive any legally required consent prompts. The Site also uses Google Analytics 4 under Consent Mode to measure, in aggregate, which pages are useful: advertising signals default to denied, and analytics measurement is the only tracking that runs by default. Beyond advertising, analytics, and the preference storage above, the Site sets no other cookies.
Children
The Astronomer’s Atlas is a general-audience educational publication and is not directed primarily to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. Children under 13 should not submit an email address, contact form, newsletter signup, or other personal information without the involvement of a parent or guardian. If we learn that we have collected personal information from a child under 13, we will delete it.
Your choices
Clear your browser storage to reset preferences and saved objects; use the contact form for access or deletion requests regarding anything you have submitted.