Public Licensing Policy

on the usage of images, videos and web texts

Photo by Ken Cheung on Unsplash

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The images, videos and web texts on iau.org are released under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license and may on a non-exclusive basis be reproduced without fee, on the conditions outlined below.

Conditions

• The full image, footage or web text credit must be presented in a clear and readable manner to all users, with the wording unaltered (for example: "IAU". The credit should not be hidden or disassociated from the image footage. Links should be active if the credit is online. See the copyright Q&A section on this page for guidance.
• IAU materials may not be used to state or imply the endorsement by IAU or any IAU employee of a commercial product or service;
• We suggest a copy of the product sent to us to be indexed in our archive;
• If an image includes a picture of an identifiable person, using that image for commercial purposes may infringe that person's right of privacy, and separate permission should be obtained from the individual.

Note that this general permission does not extend to use of the IAU's logo, which shall remain protected and may not be used or reproduced without prior and individual written consent of the IAU. Owners of external websites wishing to link to the IAU web site may use the IAU's logo for the link, provided they have obtained prior authorisation from the IAU Press Office and on the condition that such use is clearly identifiable as a web link.

Also note that the music on this site is not released under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license and can generally not be used for non-IAU products.

By reproducing IAU still images, web texts or broadcasting or copying IAU footage, in part or in full, the user acknowledges the terms on which such use is permitted.

Contact

Ramasamy Venugopal
IAU Press and Media Coordinator 

Usage Rights Q&A

We welcome and encourage the use of our images, videos, and texts. In return, we ask for a common-sense approach to attribution: credits must be clear, highly visible, and positioned directly alongside the material. As the ideal placement can change depending on your platform, we have outlined common scenarios and formatting examples in the Q&A below." 

Q: I want to use the footage in a YouTube video. Is it OK just to put the credit in the text description that appears next to the video?
A: No, as this is hidden inside a tab. Also it is not visible if the video is embedded in another website. Please include the full credit ‘burned in’ or overlaid on the video, or clearly visible as a credit at the end.

Q: I am a producer for a TV programme and wish to use your images and footage. Do I need to overlay the credit on the image?
A: You do not need to, provided the credit is clearly visible and reproduced in full at the end of the programme.

Q: I am a picture editor for a newspaper/magazine. Some of your credits are kind of long. Can’t I just use the first part of the credit?
A: No. Please reproduce the credit in full. This should normally be on the page which the picture is presented on, or on the facing page.

Q: I am a picture editor for a News Agency. We prefer to use our own name as credit for the images and not tell anyone from where we got them. Is that ok?
A: No. Please reproduce the credit in full. This should normally be on the page which the picture is presented on, or on the facing page.

Q: I want to use a picture on the cover of a book/magazine. Does the credit have to appear on the cover?
A: No. Provided it is clearly visible and identified as being the credit for the cover image, the credit can appear in another prominent place in your publication. This could, for example, be the back cover, the inside front cover or the editorial page.

Q: Do I need to contact all the people named in the credit line for permission to use an image or video?
A: No. Images and videos published on iau.org are, unless explicitly stated otherwise, cleared for reuse without needing to contact the individuals or organisations listed. Their names must not be removed from the credit, however.

Q: Do I need to send you a physical copy of any products I have made using your imagery or footage?
A: No, an electronic copy (e.g. a photograph or a PDF) is fine.

Q: I would like to digitally alter or manipulate an image. Is this OK?
A: Yes.

Q: Can I just overlay the IAU logo instead of the credit?
A: No. The use of the IAU logo is controlled and it must not be reproduced without permission.

Q: I am an artist and I have produced artwork based on IAU images. Can I sell my artwork for my profit?
A: Yes, artwork you produced based on IAU images may be sold for your own profit as long as you credit clearly and visibly.