Frequently asked questions

Purchasing a full astrophotography setup allows for hands-on observation and usage, giving a tangible sense of ownership. The trade-off is the substantial initial financial investment and the physical effort required to transport heavy equipment to dark sky locations, which also demands time and energy. However, for those with a private observatory or a suitable backyard, the hassle of travel can be avoided, and efficiency can be high. In such cases, the only limiting factors are likely to be the clear sky rates, seeing, and SQM(how dark the sky background is).

On the other hand, renting remote telescopes has its advantages. You naturally benefit from the best shooting environments since observatories are often located in areas with minimal light pollution, high clear sky rates, and excellent atmospheric stability. At night, you can simply turn on your computer or even your smartphone to capture images, saving the travel time. Within the same timeframe, you can spend more time imaging, potentially increasing your output of work. The downside is that you don’t “own” the telescope—you’re renting it.

Some people prefer the feeling of ownership, considering the economic perspective that if they lose interest in astrophotography, they can resell the equipment and recoup some funds. Others value the acquisition of more data in a dark, stable environment, allowing for higher quality DSO (Deep Sky Object) captures, especially when adding details to previous works to enhance their quality. Purchasing an equivalent full set of equipment can be too costly and inefficient if usage is low.

Another approach is to have your own equipment hosted at an observatory, which saves the time and effort of traveling to dark sites and improves shooting efficiency with optimal conditions. The economic downside is the initial investment in the equipment plus the annual fees for hosting it at the observatory.

Which approach do you like better?

Generally, only two steps:

• Download the TeamViewer client, fill out the booking form with your TeamViewer ID, that’s it. It’s a third-party software and required to access the mini PC fixed on the remote telescope, and it’s free for you.
• In the mini PC, we’ve installed the SGP(Sequence Generator Pro) for automated imaging, it’s optional and you can also use other imaging software that you are familiar with, such as TheSkyX, MDL, etc.

We also prepared the Remote Telescope Manual to help you use the remote telescope easily before booking any service. If you determine to try FREE, please read it first, doing so will help maximize your valuable imaging time.

• Data synchronization to the Google Drive is automatic and transparent to users, but it is essential to ensure that your data is stored in the directory mentioned above.
• Generally, data synchronization will be completed within three hours after the end of each service session.
• Your data will be only shared to the sign-up email address.
• After ensuring that the data is synchronized to the cloud on the next day after the service ends, we will delete the local data unless you’re willing to share. Cloud-based data will be deleted 30 days after synchronization to provide ample time for you to download your data.

• The observatory roof typically opens one hour before the daily service, which starts at 21:00 (local time) and 13:00 (UTC), allowing you to familiarize yourself with the system or perform setup tasks.
• The observatory roof typically closes one hour after the daily service ends at 06:00(local) 22:00(utc) the next day, allowing time for clients to capture twilight flat fields, process acquired data, or schedule subsequent tasks. Please be aware of the operational time window for the remote telescope service and plan your tasks accordingly to avoid data loss.
• Occasionally, the observatory site may experience prolonged heavy rainfall, high humidity, thunderstorms, or lightning, which usually occurs during the local summer season. In such cases, to ensure the safety of the observatory equipment and prevent damage due to humidity or lightning, the local staff will temporarily shutdown (cut off power to) the mounts, cameras, mini-PCs and the entire observatory. We will promptly email all clients currently using the remote telescopes to notify them of this mandatory closure.

• We have on-site technical personnel available to respond to your urgent and temporary on-site hardware and software support needs, including but not limited to:
• Unexplained hardware connection failures
• Guiding failures
• Polar axis re-calibration
• Local staff works during the following time slots:
• Gemini Observatory: 14:00-00:00 (local time), 06:00-16:00 (UTC).
• You can text or email us, send requests to get local support during their working hours, or contact us to schedule local support in advance.

• You can check the realtime monitoring data of Gemini Observatory on this AMM page.
• This page automatically refreshes every 10 minutes, displaying the latest status of the observatory (open or closed), local meteorological conditions - cloud cover, humidity, wind speed, etc., and astronomical observation conditions - seeing, SQM, lunar phase, astronomical twilight, etc.

The Setup & Tech-Support fee is the nominal fee to cover the costs associated with preparing and maintaining the equipment for use, which includes:

1. Initial Setup: The labor and expertise required to set up the telescope and other hardware, e.g. system balance, polar alignment, cable management etc; preparation for all software needed ensuring it’s calibrated and ready for use, which includes installing necessary drivers and imaging software, configuring auto-focus settings, meridian flip settings, and other related tasks. These preparations are crucial as they ensure the software is properly set up and functional, saving substantial time that would otherwise be spent on troubleshooting and testing.
2. Unlimited Technical Support: Ongoing assistance with any technical issues or questions that arise during the use of the equipment, e.g. flat-box preparation, unexpected connection failure etc.
3. Training: Providing the necessary instructions on how to better use the equipment effectively.

This fee ensures that the equipment you use is always in top condition and that help is available when you need it, allowing you to focus on your astrophotography or stargazing experience.

To minimize the effects of light pollution from distant villages and obstructions from observatory walls, it is recommended to image targets that are at least 25 degrees above the horizon.

The Image Data is sourced monthly from our remote telescope according to our Imaging Plan. We store and offer it at a minimal cost to anyone in need, helping us offset equipment and observatory expenses. However, the specific image data you’re looking for might not always be available.

If you need specific object data or longer exposures that our Image Data doesn’t provide, or if you want exclusive data ownership, then our Customized Imaging is right for you.

- Ownership: The data ownership is exclusively yours. After imaging completion, we will only share the data with you and will not offer it for sale.

- Submit Your Requirements: Detail your imaging preferences with the form. Upon payment completion, our professionals will handle the imaging as per your needs.

- Track Your Progress: Stay updated on your imaging requests via the “My/Imaging Request” page.

- Secure Storage and Sharing: Your images will be securely stored on Google Drive and will be shared with your designated account.

- Pricing: The charges for imaging requests are determined by multiplying the minute rate with the actual exposure time. Should weather or lunar phases affect the imaging, we’ll reschedule accordingly. Remember: frames under a minute, like a 30-second exposure, are charged as one minute.

- Cancellation & Refunds: Cancel anytime before imaging starts to get a full refund. If you cancel post-initiation, your refund equals the un-imaged duration times the per-minute rate. However, post-completion cancellations aren’t entertained. Refund processing takes 3-5 business days, contingent on third-party processing times.

Telescope rentals: you can ask to cancel at any time from My Subscriptions → Request cancellation. We stop the remaining monthly payments; the payment already made is not refunded, and your rental runs to the last day it covers. If you cancel before your start date, we refund the first payment, including the setup fee, in full. Once your rental has started, the one-time Setup & Tech-Support fee is not refunded.

Customized imaging requests: cancel before imaging starts for a full refund. After imaging has started, we refund the exposure time not yet imaged. No refund once all frames are complete. To cancel, email contact@omiastro.com with your request number.

Data subscriptions: the 3-month term can be cancelled at any time. The 6- and 12-month terms can be cancelled once all their payments are made; to stop earlier, use Ask to stop early on My Subscriptions.

Refunds go back to the original payment method and usually appear within 3–5 business days. Full details are in our Refund Policy and Subscription Policy.

We accept Credit/Debit Cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, and Affirm (Buy Now, Pay Later). Installment plans are available via Affirm at checkout. Sales tax is calculated based on your shipping address (California orders include state and district tax). Orders can be modified or canceled before shipment. For shipped orders, see our Refund Policy. If you don’t receive an order confirmation, check your spam folder or email us at contact@omiastro.com.

1. How long will my order take to arrive?
   → Orders usually ship within 1–3 business days. Within the U.S., standard delivery usually takes 3–7 business days after the order ships. If an item is temporarily out of stock at our U.S. warehouse, the order may be fulfilled from our overseas inventory, with delivery to the U.S. typically taking 2–3 weeks.
2. Do you ship outside the U.S.?
   → Yes — to Australia, Chile, Peru, the United Kingdom and most of Europe. International shipping is calculated at checkout from live carrier rates; import duties and taxes are paid by the recipient.
3. How can I track my shipment?
   → Once your order ships, you will receive a tracking number via email.
4. What should I do if my package arrives damaged?
   → Please contact us immediately with photos of the package and product; we’ll assist with replacement or insurance claim.

Full details are in our Shipping Policy.

You can return unused items within 30 days of delivery. For defective products or errors on our part, we cover return shipping. Otherwise, return shipping is your responsibility. Used or open-box items are final sale unless defective on arrival. Most products include a manufacturer’s warranty. We assist with warranty-related issues during the first year, helping you communicate with the appropriate service channels. Full details are in our Refund Policy.

1. How do OMI Credits work?
   → You earn 2 credits for every $1 you spend. On My Wallet, redeem them for a discount code to use at checkout; 100 credits are worth $1.
2. Do credits expire?
   → No. Credits in your balance never expire. A discount code made from them is valid for 12 months.

See OMI Credits and section 12 of our Terms of Service.

1. Are all products brand new?
   → Yes, unless explicitly marked as “Used”, “Returned” or “Open Box.”
2. Do you test products before shipping?
   → All high-end instruments are inspected for packaging, optical, and mechanical integrity before dispatch. However, we do not perform functional testing on every product. If you experience any functional issues, please contact the manufacturer directly for assistance under their warranty, and we can assist you to do so.
3. Can I request specific serial numbers or versions?
   → You may include a request in your order note; we’ll accommodate if available.
4. How can I get product support or advice?
   → You can reach our technical support team via contact@omiastro.com.

1. How do I create an account?
   → Click “Log In” or “Sign Up” on the top-right corner and follow the instructions.
2. I forgot my password. What should I do?
   → Use the “Forgot Password” link on the login page to reset it.
3. How can I contact customer service?
   → We prefer contact us via email: contact@omiastro.com
   Business hours: Monday–Friday, 10 AM – 6 PM (Pacific Time). Email inquiries are typically responded to within 1–2 business days.

1. Do you offer educational or institutional discounts?
   → Yes, please contact us for academic or bulk purchase quotes.
2. Are prices in USD?
   → All prices on this site are displayed in U.S. Dollars.