Poor tracking showing as trailed star images in long exposures

• Get an accurate polar alignment
• Generally the better the mount the better the tracking accuracy, get the best mount you can afford
• Use periodic error correction (PEC) training on your mount
• Use shorter exposures and stack them
• Use autoguiding

Dew or ice on cold or damp nights

• Use a dew shield at all times
• Dew heaters
• Hair drier as a temporary measure but don't use directly at optics as there may be dust in the drier and this may get blown onto the optics

Light pollution

• Light pollution filters
• Try narrow band or emission line imaging
• Use a dew shield to cut out some of the glare from the lights

Long cold nights

• Wear warm clothes, work on the multiple layer principle
• Have hot drinks periodically, and don't forget to eat
• Don't sit for too long, get up and walk about

Images come out blurred

• Check the focusing, spend a bit of time getting perfect focus as you can't compensate for poor focus in the processing
• Check for dew or condensation in the optical and imaging train, you may have to use a dew heater by the camera as well as on the telescope
• Check the tracking accuracy, you may need shorter exposures

Images appear noisy

• Not all cameras are created equal, some handle noise better than others, take some dark frames and subtract from images

Limited imaging time especially in the Summer months

• Plan your subjects before you go out
• Decide which telescope camera combination is best suited and get it set up as early as possible

 Windy conditions