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Account creation

Ways to sign in, what we ask for when you sign up, and how your data is handled.

Written By StellarDock Support

Last updated 9 days ago

Creating a StellarDock account takes less than a minute. This page explains how you can sign in, what we ask for, why, and how we handle your data — so you know exactly what you're signing up for.

Two ways to sign in

You can access StellarDock in one of two ways. Both give you the same access to the platform — the difference is how you sign in and where your security settings live.

A StellarDock account (email and password)

  • You sign up with your email address and choose a password.

  • Every sign-in is protected by a verification code sent to your email.

  • You can add extra security any time from your account settings: an authenticator app, which replaces the emailed codes with codes generated in the app at sign-in (email codes stay available as a backup), and passkeys (your fingerprint, face, or a security key) to sign in without a password.

Sign in with Google

  • Use your existing Google account — there's no separate StellarDock password to create or remember.

  • Signing in is handled entirely by Google, so it's quick and there's no code to type.

  • Your sign-in security — Google's 2-Step Verification and passkeys — lives in your Google account, not in StellarDock.

Already have a StellarDock account?

If you sign in with Google using the same email address as an existing StellarDock account, the two are connected automatically. You'll land in the same account, and your existing password and security settings stay exactly as they were.

Keeping your account secure

Whichever way you sign in, your account is protected by more than just a password:

  • StellarDock accounts — email verification codes are on by default. Add an authenticator app to get your codes from the app instead (email stays as a backup), or passkeys to sign in without a code at all — all from account settings.

  • Google sign-in — protection comes from your Google account's own security, including 2-Step Verification and passkeys. We recommend turning those on with Google if you haven't already.

Signing in with Google?

StellarDock doesn't hold a password for Google accounts, so the password and two-factor options won't appear in your account settings — those are managed in your Google account instead.

Why we ask for your email address

Your email is used for transactional notifications tied to your account activity:

  • Observation request confirmations and status updates

  • Notifications when your image data is ready to download

  • Any other communication tied to a specific action you've taken on the platform

Note

We do not send marketing emails without your consent. News, updates and promotions are opt-in only, and you can change your preference any time in account settings.

Why we ask for your phone number

Your phone number may be used in the future to:

  • Verify or recover your account

  • Confirm your identity

  • Validate that an observation request is being submitted by a real person

Note

Your phone number is not used for marketing purposes.

Your privacy

We take your privacy seriously. Our policy is straightforward:

  • We do not sell your personal information to anyone.

  • Your data is shared only with Amazon Web Services and Stripe — strictly as required to deliver this service.

  • No personally identifiable information is stored on our own systems; all user data is held on secure infrastructure managed by AWS or Stripe.

  • All financial transactions are handled by Stripe.

Marketing communications

Emails unrelated to your account activity are opt-in only. You can opt in or out at any time from your account settings.