What information should I include with my submission?

In the cover letter give your complete contact information (full name, mailing address, daytime and evening phone numbers, fax number, and e-mail address), as well as the details of your imaging setup (kind of telescope, camera, film, or filters used, as well as exposure times and any special techniques involved — tricolor, mosaic, multiple exposure, negative stacking). For convenience, use our image submission form.

Label each slide frame, print, negative sleeve, diskette, or CD clearly with your name and phone number.

Indicate in your letter whether you'd like to have the materials returned. Returns will be expedited if you supply us with a self-addressed, stamped envelope (SASE) or mailer of appropriate size and with sufficient return postage. Submissions not accompanied by an SASE or postage-paid mailer will take much longer to return.

Where should I send my pictures?

Sean Walker, Assistant Editor
Sky & Telescope
90 Sherman St.
Cambridge, MA 02140 U.S.A.

If you want to e-mail low-resolution digital files to our Gallery or Skyscapes departments, send them to gallery (at) SkyandTelescope.com.

How will I know if my images have been received?

A postcard will be mailed to you acknowledging that your submission was received and is being evaluated. If you supply an e-mail address, we will notify you accordingly.

As much as possible, we would like to acknowledge submissions individually. However, during special events such as eclipses or comet apparitions, personal replies are not always possible due to the great volume of incoming mail. If you need prompt confirmation, use a shipping service that gives proof of delivery. Inquiries by phone are discouraged.

Will Sky Publishing pay me for my picture(s)?

Generally, yes. Except for those featured in Gallery and Skyscapes, almost all amateur astro images used in the magazine are paid for according to the size at which they are reproduced. A copy of our payment rates is available upon request. Payment is initiated upon publication of the picture(s).

Astro imagers whose work is featured in Gallery and Skyscapes at any size will receive a $50 Sky Publishing gift certificate.

What else do I get for the use of my images?

You will get credit for each picture in the caption or credit line, as well as two complimentary copies of the issue in which your picture appears.

What happens if my materials get lost or damaged?

Sky Publishing is not responsible for unsolicited submissions that get lost or damaged in the mail.

For solicited submissions, the company only accepts financial responsibility for lost or damaged original materials where a reasonable value has been predetermined and agreed upon by the photographer (or his/her agent) and Sky Publishing, and where the agreed-upon value is recorded in a letter of agreement signed by both parties.

By receiving submissions, Sky Publishing does not automatically accept or agree to the conditions and stipulations printed on delivery memos, packing slips, and related correspondence, unless such terms have been prearranged, executed in writing, and signed by the photographer (or his/her agent) and Sky Publishing prior to the shipment of the said materials.

Sky Publishing tries to do its best to safeguard all submissions. However, due to the large volume of mail we receive each day, we cannot guarantee that no loss or damage will occur. However, such incidents are certainly the exception rather than the rule.