Start private conversations, handle message requests, use group chats, share attachments and work with the floating chat interface.
Messages are Astro Corner’s private conversation area. You can use the full Messages page for longer conversations or the optional floating chat dock for quick exchanges while you browse.
Direct messages and requests
Start a direct conversation with another member from Messages or supported profile/chat shortcuts. Depending on the relationship between the two accounts, a new conversation can arrive as a message request before it becomes a normal chat.
The Requests area lets you decide whether to accept an incoming conversation rather than forcing every new sender straight into your main inbox.
Group conversations
Create a group chat when several astronomers need a private conversation—for example, a small observing trip, imaging collaboration or equipment discussion.
Group conversations have a name and member list. If you create a group, the available group controls let you keep membership and ownership organised.
Attachments and message controls
Where enabled by the composer, messages can include supported attachments. Conversation controls also include options such as muting a conversation and removing/unsending your own messages where the current interface offers them.
Use the full Messages page when you need the most context around members, attachments or conversation settings.
Floating chat
If Floating Chat is enabled in your preferences, the Chats button opens a compact roster and pop-out conversation windows. This lets you continue a private conversation without leaving an object, project, community or feed page.
Presence indicators are privacy-aware. A visible online/recent state is only shown according to the member’s presence preferences.
Trading Post listing conversations are kept separate from ordinary DMs so buying/selling context does not get mixed into your normal private chats.
Live updates and typing indicators
Open conversations refresh automatically while they are active, so new messages arrive without a manual page reload. When the conversation is in view, incoming messages are kept in view automatically.
Typing indicators are shared between supported web/mobile chat surfaces and expire automatically so a stale “typing…” state cannot remain forever after a connection is lost.
Unread chat badges
Private-message unread counts belong to Messages and the floating Chats button rather than the general Notifications centre. Opening the relevant conversation advances its read state and clears the corresponding chat count.
Direct messages and requests
Start a direct conversation with another member from Messages or supported profile/chat shortcuts. Depending on the relationship between the two accounts, a new conversation can arrive as a message request before it becomes a normal chat.
The Requests area lets you decide whether to accept an incoming conversation rather than forcing every new sender straight into your main inbox.
Group conversations
Create a group chat when several astronomers need a private conversation—for example, a small observing trip, imaging collaboration or equipment discussion.
Group conversations have a name and member list. If you create a group, the available group controls let you keep membership and ownership organised.
Attachments and message controls
Where enabled by the composer, messages can include supported attachments. Conversation controls also include options such as muting a conversation and removing/unsending your own messages where the current interface offers them.
Use the full Messages page when you need the most context around members, attachments or conversation settings.
Floating chat
If Floating Chat is enabled in your preferences, the Chats button opens a compact roster and pop-out conversation windows. This lets you continue a private conversation without leaving an object, project, community or feed page.
Presence indicators are privacy-aware. A visible online/recent state is only shown according to the member’s presence preferences.
Trading Post listing conversations are kept separate from ordinary DMs so buying/selling context does not get mixed into your normal private chats.
Live updates and typing indicators
Open conversations refresh automatically while they are active, so new messages arrive without a manual page reload. When the conversation is in view, incoming messages are kept in view automatically.
Typing indicators are shared between supported web/mobile chat surfaces and expire automatically so a stale “typing…” state cannot remain forever after a connection is lost.
Unread chat badges
Private-message unread counts belong to Messages and the floating Chats button rather than the general Notifications centre. Opening the relevant conversation advances its read state and clears the corresponding chat count.