Being an astronomy teacher, I am always asked how to take great astrophotos. I really have no idea, but I am always willing to learn. The only option I have to take dark sky images is my favorite camera, and the greatest camera ever built, a Pentax K1000. I love that thing, and it takes amazing photos, but being that it uses film, and my inability to wait patiently for results, I never considered using it for night sky applications. Digital is the way to go, but the teacher part of my title means that I can't drop $1000 on that specific application. I started reading forums about point and shoot cameras that take great images in the dark. The Panasonic LX series seemed to be a stand out. My price range under $100, and Ebay came through. I picked up a loved (aka beat) but functional LX3 body, with a clean lens for $80 after shipping. Here are the first few shots.
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| A random tree 60 minutes after sunset |
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| Zoomed in on Orion |
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| Constellation of Taurus |
