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Sophie,
Would you also use the camera for terrestrial daytime photography?
If it is purely for astrophotography, I would heavily recommend a modified Canon EOS-350D or, if you can stretch the budget, a modified EOS-40D.
The 350D is tried and tested and produces magnificent results. The 40D has the added advantage of LiveView, which will allow you to focus very quickly and easily by chimping on the LCD preview screen. It also has a 14-bit sensor which captures more dynamic range, and is also built a lot sturdier than the older 350D.
If you're intending to use the camera for both terrestrial and astrophotographic purposes, and, if you're an absolute beginner, then, you might want to try the new Canon EOS-500D.
Having said that, you can still use a modified camera (modification involves removing the stock infra-red/ultraviolet block filter and replacing it with a third party filter which allows the hydrogen alpha wavelength of light to pass through to the sensor -- this is the portion of the spectrum that contains all that beautiful red diffuse/emission nebulosity) -- you just need to set your white balance either through a custom setting in the camera (instructions are in the manual) or manually when you post-process your images by using the white balance tool in your chosen software, and clicking on a portion of the image which you think should be white.
I hope this helps. If you have questions, feel free to ask.
Regards,
Humayun
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