Astrophotography is a combination of two popular hobbies and therefore attracts two kinds of people, photographers who are new to astronomy and amateur astronomers who are new to photography.

One of the best ways to get more information about astronomy is to read the major magazines – Astronomy, Astronomy Now, Sky & Telescope, and the journals of the main amateur societies. You can find these magazines, as well as a wide selection of books, at public or university libraries.

You can often locate other amateur astronomers through a nearby planetarium, science museum, or college or university astronomy department.

Getting information about photography is considerably easier, since any good camera shop or bookseller can supply books, and local clubs are abundant; many of them have darkrooms for members to use.

The manufacturers and dealers listed here are known to me personally or by reputation. Many others are equally good and can be located through ads in astronomy and photography magazines.

Organizations

American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO), 25 Birch Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, U.S.A., http://www.aavso.org.

Association of Lunar & Planetary Observers (ALPO), c/o Mr. H. D. Jamieson, P.O. Box 171302, Memphis, TN 38187, U.S.A., http://www.lpl.arizona.edu/ alpo.

Astronomical Society of New South Wales, GPO Box 1123, Sydney 1043, NSW, Australia, http://www.ozemail.com.au/~asnsw. (One of several regional societies in Australia.)

Astronomical Society of Southern Africa, PO Box 9, Observatory 7935, South Africa, http ://www.saao.ac.za.

British Astronomical Association (BAA), Burlington House, Piccadilly, London W1V 9AG, U.K., http:// www.ast.cam.ac.uk/˜baa.

(Has members all over the world; publishes useful Handbook and Journal.)

International Dark-Sky Association (IDSA), 3545 N.