Privacy Policy
Last updated: July 8, 2026
AstroOwl ("AstroOwl," "we," "us") is an independently developed astrophotography app. This notice explains what we collect, why, and the choices you have. We keep data collection to a minimum, we don't offer accounts, and we never sell your personal information.
The short version
- On the website, we collect your email address (only if you join the waitlist) and anonymous usage analytics.
- There are no accounts or logins.
- The app runs mostly on your device; it uses your location to calculate the sky and to look up local weather.
- Purchases are handled by the App Store or Google Play — we never see your payment details.
- We never sell your data.
Information we collect
Website — waitlist email
If you join the waitlist, we collect your email address so we can email you about the launch and occasional product updates. This is handled by Kit, our email delivery provider. You can unsubscribe at any time using the link in any email.
Website — analytics & cookies
Our website uses Google Analytics to understand how visitors use the site — for example, which pages are viewed and what device and browser types are common. It sets a cookie and collects information such as your approximate location (estimated from your IP address), device and browser details, and the pages you visit. We use this only in aggregate to improve the site, never to personally identify you. When you first visit, we ask for your consent before any analytics cookie is set (analytics stays off until you accept), and you can change your choice anytime via "Cookie settings" in the footer. You can also opt out at any time by blocking cookies in your browser.
The AstroOwl app
The app handles the following. Most of this stays on your device and is never sent to us:
- Location. With your permission, the app uses your device's location to calculate the position of the sun, moon, Milky Way, and other targets, and to rank the best nights to shoot. This is processed on your device.
- Weather. To show cloud cover and conditions, the app sends your location's coordinates to Open‑Meteo, a weather data service. The coordinates are used only to retrieve a forecast for that location — no identifier goes with them.
- Your plans, recipes, and gear. Anything you create — plans, exposure recipes, camera and lens settings — is stored locally on your device. Because we have no accounts and no cloud, we don't receive or store it.
- Camera control. The app connects to your Sony camera over your local Wi‑Fi to control it and run shooting sequences. Your photos stay on the camera — we don't receive, upload, or store your images.
- Purchases. AstroOwl Pro purchases are processed by the App Store or Google Play — we never see your name, card, or billing details. We use RevenueCat to validate purchases and remember your Pro status; it receives a random anonymous identifier and your purchase history for this app, not your identity.
- Crash reports. If the app crashes, a diagnostic report (device model, OS version, and what the code was doing) is sent to Sentry so we can fix the bug. Reports contain no photos, no location, and nothing you created. This is on by default and you can turn it off anytime in Settings → Privacy → Crash reporting.
- No tracking. The app contains no advertising or analytics SDKs and does not track you across other apps or websites.
How we use your information
- To send you the launch announcement and occasional product updates (only if you joined the waitlist).
- To operate core app features — sky calculations, weather, and camera control.
- To unlock what you've purchased, on every device you use the app on.
- To understand website usage and fix app bugs (analytics and crash reports).
We rely on your consent for the waitlist email, and on our legitimate interest in keeping the product working and improving it for analytics and diagnostics.
Who we share it with
We don't sell your personal information. We share data only with the service providers that help us run AstroOwl:
- Kit — email delivery for waitlist and product-update emails.
- Google Analytics — anonymous website usage statistics (only with your cookie consent).
- Open‑Meteo — weather forecast lookups (receives your coordinates, not your identity).
- GitLab Pages — hosting for this website.
- RevenueCat — purchase validation and Pro status (anonymous identifier and purchase history).
- Sentry — crash reports from the app (only while the Settings toggle is on).
Data retention
We keep your waitlist email until you unsubscribe or ask us to delete it. On‑device app data stays until you delete it or uninstall the app. Purchase records are retained by the app store and RevenueCat for as long as needed to honour your purchase.
Your rights
Depending on where you live — including under the GDPR (EU/UK) and the CCPA (California) — you may have the right to access, correct, delete, or export your personal information, to object to or restrict processing, and to opt out. Because the only personal data we hold is your waitlist email — purchase records live with the app store and RevenueCat under an anonymous identifier — you can exercise most of these immediately by unsubscribing or by emailing hello@astroowl.app. We do not sell personal information and do not use it for automated decision‑making.
Children
AstroOwl is not directed to children under 13 (or under 16 in the EU), and we don't knowingly collect personal information from them. If you believe a child has provided us information, email us and we'll delete it.
International transfers
Our service providers may process data in the United States and other countries. Where required, we rely on appropriate safeguards for those transfers.
Security
We use reasonable measures to protect your information. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, so we can't guarantee absolute security.
Changes to this notice
We may update this notice as the app evolves — for example, when it launches. We'll post the new version here and update the "Last updated" date above.
Contact
Questions or requests? Email hello@astroowl.app.