I am a beginner photographer and only bought my first DSLR a couple years ago after a trip to the Grand Canyon and saw the Milky Way for the first time in southern Utah. It was so beautiful that I challenged myself to learn how to use a camera to take pictures of it. Long exposure photography of the night sky was a high bar to set for a beginner. Since the moon and cloudy nights can limit opportunities I have been learning to appreciate and explore other aspects of photography.