Terms of Use
Demonstration Membership
The iTelescope.Net service can be evaluated for free by opening a demonstration membership at: http://go.itelescope.net/register
One account per household only.
iTelescope.Net Points
One point equals $1 USD. Points are consumed based on the amount of imaging time or session time you use on a telescope. Each telescope has an hourly rate in either session or exposure-based rate. https://www.itelescope.net/session-vs-exposure-pricing
Each membership plan has a fixed number of points which is credited to your account every 28 days. Additional points can be purchased at any time.
FREE TELESCOPES
Subscribed members can access the Free Telescope tier at no additional cost. This service includes 30 minutes of imaging session time on selected telescopes. An 18-hour wait between imaging sessions applies before you can use any of the free telescopes and/or Full Moon Happy Hour telescopes (if applicable) again. The 18-hour wait is calculated from the commencement of your imaging session.
FULL MOON HAPPY HOUR
When the moon is above 75% illumination all telescopes become free on the network for Live/On-Demand imaging. Subscribed members can access all telescopes at no additional cost. Imaging sessions are limited to 1 hour. An 18-hour wait between imaging sessions applies before you can use any of the free telescopes and/or Full Moon Happy Hour telescopes again. Please note: that reservations will take precedence over current live/on-demand imaging sessions. All reservation bookings are charged at standard telescope plan rates minus 25%. The 18-hour wait is calculated from the commencement of your imaging session.
WAIT BETWEEN IMAGING SESSIONS / MULTIPLE FREE TELESCOPE USE
The wait between imaging sessions on one telescope system is synchronized across all telescopes on the network. This synchronization occurs after the first image has been taken.
Using multiple free telescopes at the same time, either a telescope on the Free Telescope Tier and/or Full Moon Happy Hour telescopes is strictly prohibited.
In the event that your account has been detected using multiple free telescopes at the same time, all imaging sessions will be aborted and a 72-hour temporary ban will be placed on all free telescopes. During this time, you can still use the telescopes via paid imaging sessions through the reservation system.
Imaging Sessions on hold due to roof closure is considered as a telescope in use. Therefore, in the event that an imaging session is on hold, using another Free Telescope is considered as multiple free telescope use and is strictly prohibited.
TELESCOPE CAMPING
Staying logged in to the Telescope Control User Interface for prolonged periods of time without valid reason or cause is strictly prohibited. Accounts caught violating this policy may be subject to temporary bans, restrictions and even account closure without notice.
ROBOTS
Using robots to access iTelescope’s LaunchPad and/or Telescope Control User Interface is strictly prohibited. Accounts caught violating this policy may be closed without notice.
IMAGING SESSIONS ARE FINAL
Submitting an imaging plan to be executed is final and cannot be changed or aborted once execution has commenced.
If the data obtained during your imaging session is unsatisfactory, please request a refund from the link in your Usage Receipt email. We will be more than happy to oblige.
MOON DISCOUNT
Please visit the moon discount for moon discount information. https://www.itelescope.net/telescope-full-moon
PLAN-1000 is now unlimited
All telescope usage will cost $0 per hour. Plan-1000 now also includes 20 hours of reservation time. You can use any affordable and premium telescopes for on-demand live imaging for a maximum session time of 4 hours. We ask that you wait the following night before using the same live telescope again. Please only use one telescope at a time during any on-demand live imaging. This means you can have a reservation and also image live on-demand on another telescope. The plan also includes. Free telescope range is limited to 30 minutes of session time.
Since all usage is at $0 your account will not be credited with $1000 points as points are no longer used on this plan. You will be able to retain any previous account balance.
SUBSCRIPTION IS REQUIRED TO USE THE NETWORK
In order to access the telescopes you are required to have an active paid-up subscription. Subscriptions start from $40 per 28 days.
Telescope Access
Access to the telescope system is granted via the iTelescope.Net launchpad at http://go.itelescope.net
Access Restrictions
Subscribed members have unrestricted access to all public telescopes as long as your account balance has 10 or more points in credit, otherwise your account may be restricted until the balance is raised above 10 points. This is to ensure you have enough balance to cover any telescope usage fees.
IMAGING SESSIONS IN PROGRESS
A positive account balance is required to maintain Imaging Sessions in progress. In the event of a low account balance (less than 5 points), the Imaging Session will be aborted after the current exposure has been completed.
Account Hibernation
If your account is inactive for more than 90 days, we may remove your account from the remote telescope systems, when your account becomes active again, by login back into the launchpad, your account will be re-activated on the remote telescope systems.
Non SUBSCRIBED MEMBERS
If you cancel your subscription unused points will remain valid in your account for a period of 12 months, after which point they will expire unless you subscribe to a membership plan.
Negative Account Balance
From time to time it maybe possible for scheduled observing plans to run over-time, due to a number of technical reasons outside our direct control. It is the members responsibility to reasonably ensure you have enough points in your account to pay for your intended session. Please promptly remit any outstanding balance on your account.
MINIMUM BILLING FEES and BILLING SURCHARGES
Please visit https://support.itelescope.net/support/solutions/articles/212714-billing-surcharges for more information.
Telescope Availability
Availability is subject to weather conditions, scheduled and unscheduled system maintenance, and reservations. Telescopes are offered on a first-come first-served basis. iTelescope.Net makes every effort make telescope systems available however from time to time we may have to take telescope systems down for servicing.
Progress updates are normally posted on the launchpad.
iTelescope.Net can not guarantee our service will be 100% available and fault-free, due to the technical nature of the remote operation.
Reservations
Telescopes can be reserved four hours before the intended start time. You are required to attach an observing plan to your reservation. If the observatory roof is closed and you have a reservation, the reservation will become active when the roof opens.
Acceptable Use of Resevation System
All members are allowed one reservation each evening for a minimum of 15 minutes per telescope.
All subscription plans now have a maximum number of hours they may reserve at a time across all telescopes following the table below.
Any member found to be cancelling reservations excessively will lead to suspension from the reservation system for a period of time.
Calibration Frames
All image data coming off the network is offered in a uncalibrated and pre-calibrated format. If you wish to use uncalibrated data you can download bias, darks and flat frames from our library located on the FTP server.
You may also take darks and bias data at any time, however you will be charged for this at the nominated hourly rate if the roof is open. You can take bias and darks free of charge if the observatory roof is closed.
Image File Format
All monochromatic CCD images are offered in a 16bit FITS format.
Single Shot Color CCD will be offered in its raw and colour converted 16-FITS format.
16bit TIFF format is available by selecting the TIFF option in the advance mode settings.
Image Processing
Imaging processing and associated software is the responsibility of the member. Please visit our FAQ section and video guides on how to process your images. We are happy to facilitate fee for service image processing support from other members. Please contact us via our support website for this service.
VPHOT
Our telescopes can send your image data directly to the AAVSO VPHOT server for photometric analysis. VPHOT requires AVVSO membership. Once the image data leaves iTelescope.Net, we are no longer in control of that data, please refer to the AAVSO VHOT policy statement.
Complex Observing Plans
If you have a complex observing requirement please contact us via our support website, we will assist you in designing an observing plan. Our system already supports multi targets with multi filters.
Telescope Rates
All telescope rates are published on these two pages:
https://www.itelescope.net/telescope-rates-affordable
https://www.itelescope.net/telescope-rates-premium
Usage Receipts
After each session a detailed usage receipt will be send to you via email, including a breakdown of the fees and charges, jpeg preview images, all sky camera and weather information.
Account Closure
iTelescope reserves the right to close accounts without notice that attempt to hack, abuse or try to circumvent our security systems, including blocking you IP address in our firewall and reporting your electronic identification footprint to your local law enforcement office.
A member can request their account to be closed by sending an email to support@itelescope.net, once the request has been verified.
multiple accounts
iTelescope does not allow more than one account per person, except in the cases of group accounts or where prior approval has been given. We reserve the right to close and refund accounts without notice that attempt to bypass these restrictions.
A member can request their account to be closed by sending an email to support@itelescope.net, the request will be verified and then the account closed.
Newsletter
iTelescope.Net sends out an email newsletter, subscription to our newsletter can be controlled via this website. The newsletter will contain news, updates, events, promotions and discounts from time to time.
Intellectual Property Rights
Members have full intellectual property rights over all data acquired by them when using iTelescope.Net systems. iTelescope.Net will periodically inspect image data coming off the network for the purposed of quality control. iTelescope.Net will not publish or share any of your data without your expressed permission.
Quality of Image Data
iTelescope.Net will refund points on image data you are unsatisfied with, period. A credit request can be made via our support website. We reserve the right to evaluate these requests and may provide you with advice to ensure that future desired results are to your standard.
Customer Service Response Times
Requests made via our support website are typically responded to between 1 and 4 hours of lodging the support request. Most requests are fully resolved between 24 and 72 hours.
Phone Support
At any stage you can request speak to a representative over the phone, please submit a support request asking for someone to call you, please advise us of your preferred contact method, and the best time to call you and the city and country you are calling from. We speak English and German. You can also reach us directly via the contact methods listed here.
Image Data Download
Image data is typically ready for download from our high-speed web server within 5 to 10 mins.
An active subscription and an account balance of zero or greater are required to download your imaging session data.
Image Data Retention
All data is stored on our FTP server for 90 days. It is the members responsibility to download all image data. We will not provide refunds for image data that has been deleted after the 90 day period.
Trading Hours
Customer Support
We have someone on call 24/7 to respond to customer requests when the observatories are open. Please visit the support website at support.itelescope.net or email support@itelescope.net
Head Office and Adminstration
Please email support@itelescope.net to arrange a suitable time for a telephone call appointment.