Last updated: August 2026
Mac Observatory makes four macOS apps: Laminar, Strata, Meridian, and Transit. This page covers the commitments that apply to all of them, and shows exactly what each one sends over the network. Each app also has its own detailed policy, linked below.
What applies to every app
- No accounts. Nothing to sign up for, nothing to sign in to.
- No analytics or telemetry. No usage tracking, no crash reporting service, no advertising identifiers, no tracking across apps or websites.
- No third-party SDKs for analytics, advertising, or crash reporting in any app.
- No servers of ours. Mac Observatory operates no service that receives your data. There is nowhere for it to go.
- Your imaging data stays on your Mac, with one narrow exception described below.
- Every app runs in the macOS App Sandbox and can only reach folders you grant access to.
- Purchases go through Apple. We never see your payment details.
What leaves your Mac
| App | What is sent | To whom |
|---|---|---|
| Strata | Nothing. Strata makes no network connections at all, and its sandbox permissions do not allow outbound connections. | Nobody |
| Laminar | Approximate location, for weather and seeing forecasts. No image or video data, ever. | Open-Meteo, 7Timer |
| Transit | Observing site coordinates, for weather and seeing forecasts. Satellite catalogue numbers for orbital data. Solar activity requests carry no location or identifying information at all. | Open-Meteo, MET Norway, 7Timer, CelesTrak, NOAA SWPC |
| Meridian | Sky coordinates for map tiles. If you turn on cloud plate solving, a reduced-resolution copy of an image. Your location is never sent. | CDS Strasbourg, Astrometry.net |
The one exception worth reading twice
Meridian can send a copy of your image to a third party, and it is the only app that does.
If you turn on cloud plate solving, Meridian uploads a reduced-resolution copy of your image (downscaled to at most 2000 pixels, stretched for visibility, encoded as a JPEG) to the Astrometry.net API so it can work out where the image points. Your original file, its FITS headers, its filename, and your location are not sent.
Cloud solving is off by default, and it is used only when a local solve fails. While it runs, the app shows the solve status in the interface. If you never enable it, no image data ever leaves your Mac.
Location
Laminar and Transit send coordinates to weather services so they can return a forecast for your area. Both request a deliberately coarse fix, and you can deny location access or enter your observing site manually instead.
Meridian requests location too, but only uses it on your Mac to calculate what is visible from your site. It is never transmitted.
Strata does not request location at all.
Apple services
Some apps rely on Apple system services that carry their own network traffic: Core Location for location fixes, Apple's geocoder to turn coordinates into a place name for display, and StoreKit for App Store purchases. These are governed by Apple's privacy policy.
Children's privacy
Mac Observatory apps do not knowingly collect any personal information from children under 13. No app requires an account or collects personal data beyond what is described here.
Per-app policies
Each app's own policy covers its specifics in full detail:
Changes to this policy
If we make material changes, we will update the "Last updated" date above and, for significant changes, note them in the app or on the website.
Contact
Email: support@macobservatory.com
Website: macobservatory.com
Developer: Andrew Burwell, Mac Observatory