Cookie policy
Last updated: 10 November 2026
This Cookie Policy explains which cookies and similar technologies 12astro.com uses, what they do and how you can control them. For how we handle personal data in general, see our Privacy Policy.
What cookies and similar technologies are
Cookies are small text files a website saves in your browser. The site, or a service it uses, can read them again on later visits. Browsers also have local storage, which keeps small pieces of data on your device; unlike cookies, it isn't sent to the server automatically. A service worker is a script that lets the site keep some files in your browser so pages can open without a connection.
We use three kinds:
- Strictly necessary: needed for the site to work and for features you ask for. They don't need your consent.
- Analytics: Google Analytics, only if you allow it.
- Advertising: Google AdSense. Ads are non-personalized unless you allow personalized ads.
Strictly necessary cookies and storage
| Name | Provider | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| astro_sid | 12astro (cookie) | Session and security: keeps you signed in during your visit and protects forms against forged requests (CSRF). Created only when you use a form or sign in. | Until you close your browser |
| astro_rm | 12astro (cookie) | "Remember me": keeps you signed in if you ticked "Remember me". Deleted when you sign out. | 60 days |
| theme | 12astro (cookie) | Remembers whether you chose the light, dark or system theme. | 1 year |
| theme | 12astro (local storage) | The same theme choice, kept on your device. | Until you clear your browser data |
| consent-analytics | 12astro (local storage) | Remembers whether you allowed analytics. | Until you clear your browser data |
| consent-ads | 12astro (local storage) | Remembers whether you allowed personalized ads. | Until you clear your browser data |
| cookie-ok | 12astro (local storage) | Remembers that you closed the cookie notice (shown when the site uses only necessary cookies). | Until you clear your browser data |
| Interface settings | 12astro (local storage) | Remembers some display choices on the site. | Until you clear your browser data |
| Service worker cache | 12astro (browser cache) | Lets the site be installed like an app and open some pages offline. Personal pages, such as your account and saved items, are not cached. | Until updated by the site or you clear your browser data |
Your consent choices are stored on your device only.
Analytics cookies (only with your consent)
We use Google Analytics 4 to understand how the site is used, for example which pages are visited. Google Analytics is not loaded, and sets no cookies, until you allow it. If you later withdraw consent, we delete its cookies and stop loading it. Our Google Analytics account is linked to our AdSense account, so we can see how ads perform in Analytics reports.
| Name | Provider | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| _ga | Google (Google Analytics) | Tells visitors apart with a random ID. | 2 years |
| _ga_<ID> | Google (Google Analytics) | Keeps session state. | 2 years |
Advertising cookies
We show Google AdSense ads to visitors who aren't Star members. We don't show ads on account, sign-in and payment pages. Star members don't see ads at all (see Star membership).
- Without your consent, or if you refuse it: we ask Google for non-personalized ads. These are chosen based on the page you're reading, not on your interests. Google may still use cookies or local storage for them, to limit how often you see the same ad, for aggregate reporting and to fight fraud and abuse. We rely on our legitimate interest in funding the free site through ads for these; personalized advertising cookies are used only with your consent.
- With your consent: Google uses cookies to show ads based on your interests (personalized ads).
| Name | Provider | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| __gads, __gpi | Google (AdSense) | Serving and measuring ads, limiting how often an ad is shown, and personalized ads if you allow them. | 13 months |
| __eoi | Google (AdSense) | Ad security and fraud prevention. | 6 months |
| Other Google advertising cookies | As described in Google's policies (links below). | Set by Google |
The exact cookies Google sets can change. For the current list, see Google's own information linked below.
Visitors in the EU, the UK and Switzerland
If you're in the EU/EEA, the UK or Switzerland, on pages that show ads, Google's certified consent management platform (CMP), which follows the IAB Transparency and Consent Framework (TCF), asks for your consent instead of our own cookie window. In that case Google Analytics also loads only if you give consent in that tool. On pages without ads, and for Star members, our own cookie window asks for your choices.
Google's consent tool stores your choices in its own cookies (FCCDCF, kept for about 13 months, and FCNEC, kept for about 1 year).
Visitors in the United States
Under some US state laws, personalized advertising cookies may count as "selling" or "sharing" personal information. You can refuse personalized ads in our cookie window at any time (see below). In the states where this applies, Google also shows a "Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information" link at the bottom of the page; you can use it to opt out of personalized ads. For more, see "Your US state privacy rights" in our Privacy Policy.
Google's role and policies
Google processes the data from its analytics and advertising cookies. For advertising, Google is an independent controller and decides itself how it uses that data. You can read more in Google's policies:
- How Google uses information from sites that use its services
- How Google uses cookies in advertising
- Google ad settings, where you can manage personalized ads from Google
Your choices
On your first visit, a cookie window asks for your choice:
- Reject all: no analytics, and only non-personalized ads.
- Choose: tick the options you want, "Analytics" and/or "Personalized ads", then select "Save choices".
- Accept all: analytics and personalized ads.
Until you choose, Google Analytics isn't loaded and ads are non-personalized. You can change your mind at any time with the "Cookie preferences" link at the bottom of every page. In the EU, the UK and Switzerland, on pages with ads, this link opens Google's consent tool.
Refusing analytics or personalized ads doesn't limit what you can do on the site.
Managing cookies in your browser
Most browsers let you see, delete and block cookies and site data, usually under privacy or security settings. If you block strictly necessary cookies, some parts of the site, especially sign-in and forms, may not work. Clearing site data also resets your theme and cookie choices, and the cookie window will appear again.
If you allowed push notifications, you can turn them off in your browser's site settings too.
What we don't use
- Social media tracking cookies or pixels.
- Third-party tracking other than the Google analytics and advertising cookies described above.
Our emails contain no tracking images or redirected links, so we don't measure whether they are opened or clicked.
Changes to this policy
We update this policy when the cookies or technologies we use change. If we add a cookie that needs your consent, we'll ask you first.
Contact
Questions about cookies? Email hello@12astro.com or use the contact form.