The most dramatic astrophotography does not necessarily involve a telescope. But you do need an SLR camera capable of taking time exposures without draining the battery, a wide angle lens,  a tripod and a good film, such as Kodak Elite Chrome 200 or Fuji 400.

The stars rotate around the northern polar axis above the domes of New Mexico Skies on May 28, 2003 near Cloudcroft, New Mexico. The three-hour exposure was made with a 24mm Nilkkor lens set at f/5.6, using Kodak Elite Chrome 200 slide film, processed normally, at ISO 200. The red streaks along the driveway are from people walking with red flashlights. The red color preserves night vision at this inn that caters to stargazers. The location, on a mountain ridge 7300 feet above sea level, offers some of the darkest clearest skies in the continental US.

Read my Travel Section story on New Mexico Skies in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Racine, Wis.