DSLR settings for Moon photos

[prova]

finally got the adapter to connect my Nikon D50 to my scope and tonight will be my very first SHOT (excuse the pun) at astrophotography and I'm wondering what basic settings should I have my camera on?

I do have an RA motor drive too

Any tips are appreciated and I promise to post my first pics tomorrow!!

[[1ponders] (Paul)]

Not much to tip about really. The biggest secrets are
- make sure your focus is spot on
- when using a lens don't use your fastest f ratio, stop it down a couple of stops to help deal with lens aberations
- bracket your exposure lengths, ie if 1/240 sec looks ok then run a few at slower and faster exposures JIC. You don't have film to worry about so snap as many as you feel comfortable with.
- if you have luna rate on your scope use it, but the moon will still move out of fov in the dec direction.
- make sure your focus is spot on, focus carefully, use a hartmann mask on a nearby bright star if you can.
- take multiple shots at the same exposures. seeing changes by the fraction of a second so images taken at the same exposure can vary in quality.
- did I say make sure your focus is spot on. Take your time and tweek it. Use a focusing aid on a close star. The best seeing and transparency in the world is wasted if your focus is out and no amount of processing can make up for missed focus.

[rogerco (Roger)]

Your subject heading said the moon. Your exposure values are going to be similar to daytime photogrphy. The usual problem is too much light. You can try moon filters and so on to get contrast. Try when he moon is not full. and look at the edges where the sun is grazing the edges of the craters you get the most interesting shot.

Yes, shot and try, you can always scrap the rubbish. But yes focussing is a problem.

Roger