Privacy

Milky Way Forecast works without an account. We collect only what's needed to make your forecast and, if you sign in, to keep your places in sync. We don't sell data, show ads, or track you across other apps and websites.

Your location

To make a forecast we send the coordinates of the place you're looking at to our server. If you choose “Use my location”, your browser or phone shares your position only after you allow it; you can always search for a place instead. The website rounds your position to about 100 meters. The apps ask for your location only while you're using them, never in the background.

Your selected place is remembered on your device (in a cookie on the website, and in the app's storage, which its widgets also read), so the forecast opens where you left it. It isn't stored on our server unless you save it to an account.

Who else sees what

Our server does the lookups, so these services see our server's requests, not your device:

• Open-Meteo gets the coordinates of places we forecast, to return weather and cloud cover.
• Photon (komoot) gets the text you type in place search, and coordinates when we name a spot, to find places.

These you reach directly, when you choose to:

• Apple or Google, if you sign in with them. They tell us your name, your email (Apple can hide it behind a relay address) and an account ID.
• Map tiles for the Explore map come from OpenFreeMap (base map) and our own server (sky brightness). Your device asks for the tiles of the area you're viewing.
• Your phone's map service turns coordinates into place names: in the iPhone app, Apple's map service names your current location; in the Android app, Android's built-in geocoder (usually Google's) handles place search and names.
• Maps apps (Apple Maps or Google Maps) open when you tap Directions, with the destination filled in.

Accounts, saved places and alerts

If you create an account we store your name, your email, a hashed password (or your Apple or Google account ID if you sign in with them), the places you save, and your alert settings. We use them to sync your places across the website and apps and to send the alerts you turn on. Alert emails are sent through Mandrill (Mailchimp). Alerts in the apps are scheduled on your phone.

Analytics

Website: we use Google Analytics and Microsoft Clarity to see which pages help people and where the site is confusing. They set cookies and record how pages are used.

Apps: the iPhone and Android apps contain no analytics, advertising or tracking code.

Server logs

Like any website, our server logs requests, including your IP address and the address requested, which can include a place's coordinates. We use the logs to keep the service running and secure, and delete them after 14 days.

Support messages

If you contact us through the support page or an app, we receive your email address, your message, and the device or browser it came from, and use them only to reply.

Deleting your data

You can delete your account, and every place saved to it, at any time: on the website from the Account page, and in the apps from Settings, then Account, then Delete account. Deleting the app, or clearing your browser's site data, removes everything stored on your device.

Children

Milky Way Forecast isn't directed at children under 13, and we don't knowingly collect their personal information.

Changes and contact

If this policy changes, we'll update this page and its date. Questions or requests: use the support page. Milky Way Forecast is made by Craig Vander Galien.