Terms of Service

Welcome to Saturn Rings Observatory. By accessing and using this website, you agree to comply with and be bound by the following terms and conditions. Please read them carefully before using our services.

Acceptance of Terms

By accessing, browsing, or using the Saturn Rings Observatory website ("Site"), you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms of Service and our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with these terms, please discontinue use of the Site immediately.

Use of the Website

Permitted Use

You may use this Site for lawful purposes only, including:

• Accessing research articles and educational materials
• Requesting information or data for academic research
• Collaborating on scientific projects with proper authorization
• Citing our content in academic or educational contexts with appropriate attribution

Prohibited Use

You agree NOT to:

• Use the Site for any illegal or unauthorized purpose
• Violate any laws in your jurisdiction (including but not limited to copyright laws)
• Transmit any harmful or malicious code, viruses, or disruptive materials
• Attempt to gain unauthorized access to any portion of the Site or its systems
• Reproduce, modify, distribute, or commercially exploit content without permission
• Use automated systems (bots, scrapers) to access the Site without authorization
• Impersonate any person or entity, or falsely state or misrepresent your affiliation
• Interfere with or disrupt the Site's servers or networks

Intellectual Property Rights

Copyright and Ownership

Unless otherwise stated, Saturn Rings Observatory and/or its licensors own the intellectual property rights for all material on this website. All intellectual property rights are reserved.

Content Licensing

Our research articles, blog posts, and educational materials are generally available under Creative Commons Attribution licenses (CC BY or CC BY-NC-SA), unless otherwise specified. This typically allows you to:

• Share and redistribute the material in any medium or format
• Adapt, remix, transform, and build upon the material

Under the following conditions:

• Attribution: You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made
• Non-Commercial (where applicable): Some content may restrict commercial use

Third-Party Content

Some materials on our Site may incorporate data from NASA/JPL, ESA, and other space agencies, which may have different licensing terms. When using such content, you must comply with the original source's terms.

User-Generated Content

If you submit comments, questions, or other content to our Site (via contact forms, forums, or other means):

• You grant us a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to use, reproduce, and publish such content
• You represent that you own or have rights to the content you submit
• You agree that your content does not violate any third-party rights
• We reserve the right to remove any content at our discretion

Data Access and Research Collaboration

Access to certain datasets, computational tools, or collaborative opportunities may require:

• Registration and account creation
• Acceptance of additional terms and data use agreements
• Institutional verification for academic researchers
• Proper citation and acknowledgment in resulting publications

Misuse of provided data or resources may result in termination of access privileges.

Accuracy and Reliability

Scientific Information

While we strive for accuracy and scientific rigor in all our content:

• Scientific understanding evolves, and information may become outdated
• Content represents our current best understanding but is not infallible
• We make no warranties about the completeness, reliability, or accuracy of information
• Users should critically evaluate all information and consult primary sources

Website Availability

We do not guarantee uninterrupted or error-free operation of the Site. We may suspend, withdraw, or modify services without notice for maintenance, updates, or other reasons.

External Links

Our Site contains links to external websites including NASA, JPL, research institutions, and educational resources. We are not responsible for:

• The content of external sites
• Privacy practices of linked websites
• Accuracy or reliability of external information

Links are provided for convenience and do not constitute endorsement.

Disclaimer of Warranties

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW:

• The Site and all content are provided "AS IS" without warranties of any kind
• We disclaim all warranties, express or implied, including merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose
• We do not warrant that the Site will be secure, error-free, or free from viruses
• We do not guarantee accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of any information

Limitation of Liability

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, Saturn Rings Observatory and its team members shall not be liable for:

• Any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages
• Loss of profits, data, or other intangible losses
• Damages resulting from your use or inability to use the Site
• Damages resulting from unauthorized access to our servers
• Errors or omissions in any content
• Any conduct of third parties

Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Saturn Rings Observatory, its affiliates, and team members from any claims, damages, losses, liabilities, and expenses (including legal fees) arising from:

• Your use of the Site
• Your violation of these Terms
• Your violation of any third-party rights
• Your user-generated content

Changes to Terms

We reserve the right to modify these Terms of Service at any time. Changes will be effective immediately upon posting to the Site with an updated "Last updated" date. Continued use of the Site after changes constitutes acceptance of the modified terms.

Governing Law

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of California, United States, without regard to its conflict of law provisions.

Dispute Resolution

Any disputes arising from these Terms or use of the Site shall be resolved through:

1. Good faith negotiation between the parties
2. If negotiation fails, binding arbitration in Pasadena, California
3. Small claims court for disputes within its jurisdiction

Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found to be unenforceable or invalid, that provision shall be limited or eliminated to the minimum extent necessary, and the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect.

Entire Agreement

These Terms of Service, together with our Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and Saturn Rings Observatory regarding use of the Site.

Contact Information

Questions about these Terms of Service should be directed to:

Saturn Rings Observatory
254 Observatory Lane
Pasadena, CA 91101, USA
Email: info@saturnringsobservatory.org
Phone: +1 (626) 487-3940