Contact

Astronomy Authority serves as a reference destination for astronomy questions, coverage of the night sky, and the science behind what's visible overhead. This page explains how to reach the editorial team, what geographic scope the site covers, what to include when sending a message, and what kind of response timeline is realistic. It's a short read — but the details here make the difference between a message that gets a useful reply and one that disappears into the void (the metaphorical kind, not the interstellar kind).

How to reach this office

The primary contact method for Astronomy Authority is the web-based message form accessible from this page. There is no public telephone line or postal address for editorial inquiries. Messages submitted through the form route directly to the editorial team responsible for site content, factual corrections, and topic coverage decisions.

For media or republication inquiries — someone wanting to cite, excerpt, or reference content from this site in a publication or broadcast — the same contact form handles those as well. Flag the message type clearly in the subject line.

Social channel messages are not monitored for editorial purposes. The only channel that receives editorial attention is the form submission route described above.

Service area covered

Astronomy Authority operates with national scope across the United States. Content is written for a US-based general audience, with celestial event timing referenced to North American observation windows and sky conditions relevant to mid-latitude locations — roughly 25°N to 50°N, which covers the continental 48 states.

That said, the night sky doesn't observe national borders, and the underlying science applies globally. A reader in the UK or Australia asking a question about a specific celestial object or phenomenon will get the same factual treatment as one in Minnesota. Geographic scope matters most for event-specific content — meteor shower peak times, eclipse paths, planetary visibility windows — where local horizon and time zone affect practical observing.

For content that applies to the broader scope of astronomy topics, the geographic constraint largely falls away.

What to include in your message

A message that includes the right information gets a faster, more useful response. Here's what actually helps:

1. The specific topic or page. A URL or a clear description of the content in question is more useful than a general subject area. "The page on how asteroid classification works" is more actionable than "a question about space rocks."
2. The nature of the inquiry. Is it a factual correction? A question that wasn't answered in the FAQ? A suggestion for a topic that seems missing? These route differently and benefit from being labeled upfront.
3. A source, if relevant. For factual corrections especially — naming a published paper, a NASA release, or a peer-reviewed source strengthens the case considerably. Assertions without evidence get lower priority than those with a named reference attached.
4. Contact information that works. An email address that actually receives replies. A surprising number of messages come in with address errors that make follow-up impossible.

What doesn't need to be included: extensive background on the sender, lengthy context about why astronomy matters, or lengthy apologies for asking. The shorter and more specific the message, the better.

A useful contrast: "I think your page on lunar phases has an error — it says the synodic period is 30 days, but the actual value is approximately 29.5 days per NASA's lunar calendar documentation" is exactly the kind of message that gets a fast, substantive response. Compare that to "I had a question about the moon" — technically a message, but one that requires three follow-up exchanges before it becomes answerable.

Response expectations

Editorial messages receive a response within 3 to 5 business days under normal conditions. During periods of high inquiry volume — which tend to cluster around major celestial events like total solar eclipses or close planetary approaches — that window may extend to 7 business days.

Factual correction requests that arrive with a credible named source are prioritized. If a submitted correction checks out against a verifiable public source (NASA, the International Astronomical Union, the Minor Planet Center, or peer-reviewed literature), the relevant page gets updated and the submitter receives confirmation.

Not every message receives a substantive reply. Messages asking for personalized observing schedules, telescope purchasing advice, or requests for original research fall outside the editorial scope. The how to get help for astronomy page covers resources better suited for those kinds of questions.

A few things that do not receive responses:

• Unsolicited advertising, sponsorship, or link placement requests
• Requests to remove accurately sourced factual content
• Messages with no identifiable question or inquiry

The site exists to give accurate, specific information about astronomy to readers who find that information useful. The contact function exists to keep that information accurate — not to serve as a general inbox for the internet.