You want cheap astro photography. Try this
First download free programs PHD and DSS and get the hang of operating them.
Next download TheGimp for processing your pictures (unless you already have photo shop).
Use a cheap digital camera that can give multiple time exposures time exposures.
Place camera on the ground pointing high in the sky. Take 40 or 50 frames at 20 second length with a 50mm lens setting. Cover the lens and take a batch of similar exposures to be used as darks.
Stack the pictures in DSS and stretch (process) in TheGimp and see what you can get.
I saw this done last Saturday night and the results are surprising!
When you have mastered the art of processing etc. Try piggybacking the camera on a polar mounted tracking scope. This will allow longer exposures say 50/60 secs and also (optical) zooming the camera to take a smaller field on subjects you like to select.
Master this and then you will be hooked and the price of real equipment will no longer matter because you will just have to have it.
Barry
