Last updated: 3 November 2026
This policy explains the cookies and browser storage used by Meshtitsa Observatory’s website and observing tools.
Sign-in cookies
Public pages can be read without signing in. The site has one sign-in, the Sign in button in the page header: signing in once opens every protected tool you have access to, and signing out — there or in any tool — ends it everywhere. A cookie carries a random session identifier so the server can recognise your signed-in session; passwords are not stored in cookies.
| Name | Purpose | Lifetime |
|---|---|---|
ain_session_* | Your sign-in, sent only to each protected tool (each tool has its own cookie path) and to the sign-in page (ain_session_site). | Browser session; the server session expires after 30 minutes of inactivity. |
ain_session_owner | The same sign-in for the telescope view and the owner’s sky-condition alarm. | Browser session; 30 minutes of inactivity on the server. |
ua_session_30m | The same sign-in for the administration pages. | Browser session; 30 minutes of inactivity on the server. |
ua_audit_hide | The administrator’s “Hide users” choice in the audit viewer. | One year, until the field is emptied. |
ain_nav_user, ain_nav_apps | Show your name beside Sign out and, in the menu, the tools you may open. They hold only your username and the names of those tools, no session data; every tool still checks your access itself. | 30 minutes, renewed on each signed-in page; cleared at sign-out. |
The sign-in cookies are marked Secure, HttpOnly and SameSite=Strict; ain_nav_user and ain_nav_apps are Secure and SameSite=Strict but readable by the page’s script, which needs them for the header and the menu. Signing out clears all of them and ends the session. Browser session-restore settings may preserve session cookies, but an expired server session cannot be used to sign in.
Browser storage for tool features
Some tools also use local storage or session storage. These are separate from cookies: they remain in your browser and are used for the features below.
| Name | Purpose | Lifetime |
|---|---|---|
ainPlanList | The observing-plan list while you use Observation Planner. | Session storage, normally until the tab is closed. |
cloudwatcher-alarm-enabled | Remembers the owner’s choice to enable the sound alarm. | Local storage; removed when disabled or when site data is cleared. |
cloudwatcher-owner-ok, mount-figure | A recent owner-status check and the last mount drawing while the live panel refreshes. | Session storage; refreshed by the live panel. |
tp-camera-v2, tp-grid | The telescope viewer’s camera position and sky-grid setting. | Local storage, until changed or site data is cleared. |
audit-ptr:* | Temporary IP-to-hostname lookup results in the administrator’s audit viewer. | Session storage; successful results are reused for one hour, unsuccessful results for five minutes. |
Our own application code does not set advertising or analytics cookies. Sign-in cookies serve the protected tool you request; they are not used to track visits across other websites.
External services
Some pages include content from external services. Loading those pages can send technical connection information to those providers, which apply their own privacy and cookie policies.
The site loads its existing typefaces from Google Fonts. Some tools load JavaScript libraries from a CDN, and the home page displays the INDIGO logo from the INDIGO website. Those requests disclose technical connection information, including your IP address, to the respective providers. They are distinct from the observatory’s sign-in cookies.
PayPal is an external link, not an embedded payment widget. Its own policies apply if you follow the donation link.
Your controls
- Sign out (in the page header or in any tool) to end your session everywhere.
- Use your browser’s privacy settings to inspect, block or delete cookies and site storage for
meshtitsaobservatory.net. - Clearing site storage resets local preferences. Blocking sign-in cookies prevents protected tools from keeping you signed in.
Cookie deletion does not delete records already stored on the server, such as saved observing data or security audit events. For questions about this site or its data, contact nikola.antonov@iaps.institute.