Terms of use
The terms on which this site is offered.
This site belongs to the Astronomical Society of Nevada, a non-profit astronomical society founded in 1934. Everyone is welcome to read it. By using it you accept the terms below.
We have tried to write these in plain language. If anything here is unclear, please ask us rather than guessing.
What you may do with what is here
Read it, print it, link to it, and share it with anyone you like. Quote it with attribution. Use it in a talk, a class or a club newsletter. None of that needs our permission.
What we ask you not to do is republish substantial parts of this site as though they were yours, or use the society's name, logo or address in advertising, or present our pages inside a frame on another site so that they appear to belong to somebody else.
The photographs
The photographs on this site belong to the people who took them. They are members of the society who were kind enough to share their work, and publishing a picture here does not hand its copyright to us or to anybody else.
If you want to use one, ask. We will pass the request on to the photographer, and most will be pleased to be asked.
Two things follow from putting pictures on a public website, and we would rather say them plainly than leave them to be discovered.
Anything published on the web can be copied. A browser has to download an image in order to show it to you. We cannot prevent that, and neither can anybody else, so we do not pretend to. If a photograph is used somewhere without permission, that is a matter between the photographer and whoever used it; the society is not able to police it and is not responsible for it.
The society may use photographs it has been sent on its own site and in its own materials — as an illustration in an article, at the head of a page, in the newsletter, or on a poster for a public star party. We will credit the photographer whenever we know who they are. We will not sell them, license them to anybody else, or pass them to a third party. If you have sent us a photograph and would rather we did not use it in this way, or would like it taken down, tell us and we will remove it.
Membership and payments
Membership is voluntary and runs for a fixed term from the date it is paid or renewed. Dues are set by the board and are shown on the joining page.
Payments made through this site are handled by PayPal. We do not see or store card numbers, and no payment details are held on our servers. Payments made in person — by cash or cheque at a meeting, for instance — are recorded by the treasurer.
Dues are not generally refundable, but we are a small society run by volunteers rather than a shop: if something has gone wrong, write to us and we will sort it out sensibly.
Membership may be declined or ended by the board. That has to do with conduct, not with opinions about astronomy.
Email and what we send you
If you write to us, we will write back. If you join, we will send you what the society sends its members — a note when your membership is due, and news of what is coming up.
Every message we send has a way to stop receiving them, and it works. You can also write to us at any time and ask to be taken off the list.
What we do with your details is set out separately in our privacy notice.
Star parties, meetings and equipment
The society holds public star parties, members' observing nights and meetings. You come to these at your own risk, and you are responsible for yourself and for anybody in your care.
Observing sites are dark on purpose. That means uneven ground you cannot see, no lighting, often no facilities, and temperatures that fall a long way after sunset. Some sites are a considerable drive from town on unpaved roads. Bring a flashlight — a red one if you have it — and warm clothes, and take care where you put your feet.
Children are welcome and must be supervised by an adult. A telescope in the dark is a trip hazard and an expensive one.
Telescopes and other equipment brought to an event remain the responsibility of their owner. The society does not insure members' equipment and is not responsible for loss or damage to it. If you are invited to look through somebody else's telescope, please treat it as you would want yours treated, and ask before touching anything.
We sometimes lend or demonstrate equipment. Anyone using it does so at their own risk and is responsible for handling it with reasonable care.
Other people's sites
We link to other sites — observatories, weather services, equipment makers, other societies — because we think they are useful. We do not control them and are not responsible for what they say, sell or do. The same goes for anything quoted or recommended in an article: the author is responsible for their own claims, and you should use your own judgement.
What we do not promise
This site is offered as it is. We try to keep it running and accurate, and we cannot guarantee either. Times, dates and locations change — weather changes them most of all — so check before setting out on a long drive. Astronomical figures on this site are calculated and are meant for planning a night's observing, not for anything that depends on precision.
We are not liable for loss or damage arising from the use of this site, or from relying on anything published here. Nothing in these terms limits any liability that cannot lawfully be limited.
Changes
We may change these terms. When we do, the date below changes with them, and the current version is always the one on this page.
Getting in touch
Write to us through the contact page, or to info@astronomynv.org. A real person reads it.
Last reviewed 14 September 2026.