It could be said, without being sarcastic, that night photography is as different from any other photography as night and day. So many things we've come to rely on (auto focus, light metering) just don't work at night. For example, finding the correct exposure is largely guesswork, and requires a balance between f-stop, shutter speed and ISO to achieve pinpoint stars without a lot of noise from excessive ISO. And, of course, weather plays a part; an overcast night is a night to sleep in.

The moon is even more problematic in that it creates a huge amount of contrast: again, day and night. I try to get close, with neither moon or sky too dominant, and finish processsing in Photoshop.