Why is registration required?
Since CSOG was first published in the year 2012, the amount of content has grown substantially. CSOG 2.4, published in June 2021, encompasses over 100,000 files for 58 editions in 4 image orientation options.
CSOG was not created out of thin air. Updating CSOG, creating new editions, computers, the website, hosting over 700 gigabytes of content, etc. requires a LOT of time and effort and does bring costs.
Contrary to popular belief, CSOG is not created by a community but is a one man show, by Victor van Wulfen.
While paid registration will not lead to a profit, nor offset more than a fraction of the costs made to create CSOG, support is needed to keep it alive: to update existing content and to allow for future editions to be created.
Support donation
The support donation, through PayPal, is up to those who register, with a minimum of 30 euros (approximately 31 US dollars).
If you feel CSOG is worth more to you, please feel free to express your appreciation and support by means of a higher donation as a CSOG Enthusiast, a CSOG All-nighter or a custom additional donation. This is just your expression of your support, the content you get access to is identical for all support options.
If you believe CSOG should be available for free: Sorry, you ran out of my money.
Registration validity
Registration allows downloading of all CSOG 2.4 content and will be valid until the release of CSOG 3.0, which is expected to be no later than the autumn of 2024.
What do you get in exchange for your support?
Registration will give access to hundreds of gigabytes of CSOG content in 58 separate editions: >40,000 (forty thousand) observing guides and index files, almost 3700 unique tours for 4 different types of telescope controllers and over 500 unique AstroPlanner planfiles. No other publication on visual amateur astronomy comes close to the amount of content and information contained in CSOG.
Registered vs. unregistered
Once downloaded and unzipped, CSOG is thousands of pdf files, AstroPlanner planfiles and tourfiles. There is not much I can do to prevent a registered user from sharing these files with others after downloading.
That being said, I trust you will download and use all CSOG content in good faith. If anyone else takes an interest in your CSOG downloads, please ensure they register. The support fee is modest, especially when considering the content it gains access to.
If you receive CSOG content but are not registered to the CSOG website, please do the honorable thing and register.