If you cant face a Nikon, the Fuji S3 has superb high ISO noise performance and also has the 'high dynamic range' function which come to think of it would be just what you would need with bright objects against a dark sky, means a greater range between comlpete black and complete white so you wont burn out the surface of the moon for example. The only drawbacks are its slooownesssssss and massive file sizes in 'High Dynamic Range' mode.