Yes, we absolutely do! We currently ship to the European Union, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Taiwan.
We are also happy to offer low international shipping rates to keep costs down for our friends abroad.

How shipping works depends on where you are located:

• For customers in the European Union:
  We use the IOSS system to calculate and collect VAT at checkout for orders under €150 (approx. $160 USD). This generally ensures a smooth delivery with no surprise fees!
  Note: If your order total is over €150, we cannot collect the tax at checkout, so you will be responsible for paying VAT and duties directly to the carrier upon delivery.
• For customers in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Taiwan:
  We do not collect import taxes or duties at checkout. Depending on your country's specific regulations and the value of your order, you may be responsible for paying customs duties or taxes directly to the carrier upon delivery.

That's Gilgamesh, legendary king of the city state of Uruk. Back in 2013, I published a book titled Gilgamesh in the 21st Century, in which I used the ancient epic to frame a scientific exploration of mortality. The book cover was designed by renowned Irish artist, Sarah Bracken, whom I am privileged to have as a sister. She used a custom lithograph to produce this wonderful caricature of the old king which was so distinctive that I later used it in the watermarking for the deep space images. We've grown fond of the little guy over the years, so it made sense to incorporate him into our observatory brand.

Absolutely! Choosing the right finish is just as important as the photo itself. I put together a detailed guide that explains the differences between our stunning metal prints and gallery acrylic displays. It also includes details about the options we provide for mounting and displaying our space images.

Check out our complete Print Media & Framing Guide

Yes, absolutely! We are thrilled to offer shipping to our friends in the EU. We are registered for the Import One-Stop Shop (IOSS) system, which generally allows us to calculate and collect VAT at checkout for a smooth delivery experience.

Important Note: This streamlined process only applies to orders with a total value under €150 (approximately $160 USD). If your order exceeds this amount, we cannot collect the VAT at checkout. In that case, you will be responsible for paying any applicable VAT and customs duties directly to the carrier upon delivery.

Absolutely! Sharing the "how-to" of astrophotography and the science behind my images is a huge passion of mine.

I have a long list of video ideas I'm really excited about, including processing tutorials, deep dives on specific celestial objects, and a look at the gear I use in the observatory.

It's a big project to do right, and my main focus this year is getting the website running smoothly. My goal is to start filming and uploading new video content next year. The best way to know when the first one drops is to subscribe to our newsletter!

We work hard to launch your order as quickly as possible!

• In-Stock Items: Items we hold at the observatory (like books, T-shirts, mugs, and stickers) typically ship within 2-3 business days.
• Deep Space Wall Art: Our metal and acrylic prints are custom-made to order by our professional lab. Please allow 4-7 business days for production before these items ship.

Once your package leaves our hands, delivery time depends on your location. (International orders may take a little longer due to customs processing!)

For a full breakdown of processing times and shipping estimates, please see our complete Shipping Policy.

We want you to be 100% happy with your purchase. We gladly accept returns for most new, unopened items within 14 days of delivery.

Please note that custom-made items, like our print-on-demand apparel and special-order prints, have different return policies.

You can find all the details and start a return request on our official Return Policy page.

Yes, this is totally normal! We want you to enjoy your items as soon as possible, so we often ship available items right away.

In-stock goodies (like books, mugs, and T-shirts) ship immediately from the observatory. However, our large metal and acrylic prints are custom made-to-order and require specialized packaging. Because of this, your wall art will always arrive in its own separate box, and may show up a little later than the rest of your order.

I am so thrilled you're interested in the observatory! Because it's located on my private, residential property, it is not open to the public for visits or tours.

The whole mission of this store and my online presence is to bring the cosmos to you. The best way to "visit" is to subscribe to our newsletter where I share all the images and techniques from the dome!

You bet they are! Every deep space photograph you see on this site is 100% real, captured and processed by me from my backyard in California. These objects are thousands or even millions of light-years away, and it's my passion to bring them to life. You can learn more about the telescopes, cameras, and techniques I use in the News & Info section of our website. You can also browse through my entire image collection, and download full-resolution versions for free! Each entry in our deep space catalog is accompanied by a caption that provides a detailed account of the astronomy behind the image.

What a fantastic idea! I absolutely love hearing what people are excited about in the night sky.

While I can't make any promises—what I can image on any given night depends a lot on the season, the Moon, and the object's position—I am always open to new ideas. It's a huge universe, and it's great to know what you'd like to see me capture next.

If you have a suggestion for a target, or any other specific question, the best way to let me know is by using the form on our Contact Us page. I read every message.

Who knows, your suggestion might just become the next big print in the shop!

That's fantastic! Welcome to one of the most rewarding (and challenging!) hobbies in the world.

My passion for education is a huge reason I started this website. While I'm a one-person business and can't offer personal, one-on-one training, I'm always happy to try and answer a specific question if I can.

I'd also encourage you to check out our News & Info section, where I often post about my techniques and equipment. I'm also planning to add a lot of "how-to" videos to my YouTube channel in the future, which will cover many common beginner questions.

If you have a specific question after checking those out, feel free to send it over via our Contact Us page, and I'll do my best to point you in the right direction!

To ensure accurate tracking and delivery, we can only ship to one address per order. If you are sending cosmic gifts to friends in different places, please place a separate order for each shipping address.

No. We know many of our orders are gifts! We use "blind shipping" for all our products, meaning the packing slip lists the items but excludes the prices.

Absolutely! We are passionate about science education. If you are a teacher, lecturer, or student and would like to use a digital version of an image for a non-commercial educational presentation, please contact us. We generally grant permission for free, as long as the Bracken Observatory watermark remains visible and credit is given.

You will notice a small watermark in the corner of our online images. Unlike government-funded projects (like Hubble or JWST) which are public domain, Bracken Observatory is a privately funded endeavor. The watermark ensures that if an image is shared online, people can identify where it came from.

No. NASA images are funded by tax dollars and are in the public domain. The images on this site are the result of hundreds of hours of private investment in equipment, capture, and processing time at Bracken Observatory. Therefore, they are copyrighted works.

Yes. If you would like to use one of our deep-space images for a commercial product, publication, or media project, please reach out via our Contact page to discuss licensing rates.

Bracken Observatory is a labor of love. All proceeds from the shop go directly back into maintaining the observatory, upgrading cameras and telescopes, and keeping the lights on so we can continue to capture and share the wonders of the universe with you.