[DobDobDob (Ron)]

Thank you for your replies Ving, Garyh, cometcatcher and 1ponders, you have all been very helpful indeed. I had to slip out and go to work (yes I know, it's just something I have to do occasionally, I hope it doesn't interfere too much with my new found passion of astrophotography). Listen to me, haven't even snapped the shutter once yet and already sounding like a pro, I better get outside and start clicking soon.

I now understand the term piggyback, plus I read the article at: http://www.astronomy.com/asy/default.aspx?c=ss&id=12 it is very good, I have saved it to reread it again later.

Also 1ponders you were correct in your assumption that I have a 18-55 mm zoom lens, there was also a standard 50mm as well. I need to go and buy one of those cable releases, to eliminate a shaky hand. I have a terrific tripod so that not an issue.

Rather than talk about it, I'll keep an eye outside on the sky and if I see even so much as one star (unlikely) between the wall to wall cloud cover, I'll start snapping.

Of course, then it's going to be a whole new learning curve using that program called Raw Shooter which I installed earlier today, it definitely was the right price