Digital Camera question

I've recently acquired the Nikon Coolpix 2200 digital camera, which is
more of a toy, but I was wondering whether this little thingy can be
used to take some wide field shots though my binoculars.

I've read almost the entire manual and nowhere did I find a mode which
allows the thing's shutter to STAY open for more than about 2-3 seconds.

It has a "nighttime mode" but I've tried a couple of shots and could not
capture anything in the sky. It has a short .mpeg mode, but I couldn't
capture anything dark.

If I could convince its shutter to stay open for longer periods, I might
have a chance at a couple of really bright objects, like the Lagoon or
Andromeda, but I cannot see how. Any ideas?

Thanks much,
--
I. N. Galidakis
http://users.forthnet.gr/ath/jgal/
------------------------------------------
Eventually, _everything_ is understandable

If I could convince its shutter to stay open for longer periods, I might
have a chance at a couple of really bright objects, like the Lagoon or
Andromeda, but I cannot see how. Any ideas?


I looked over the spec's on the Coolpix 2200 and there does not seem to be a
manual mode so I am afraid you are stuck with the night portrait mode.

I believe the maximum possible exposure is around 4 seconds, it may be possible
to take some widefield views of the starfields and possibly capture some bright
stars, maybe the Scorpio's bright stars.

But I think without a manual mode and without the ability to save the images in
an uncompressed format, it is unlikely that you can do more.

With a camera like this, your best bet are objects like the moon and the bright
planets as well as the sun, with an appropriate filter of course.

For anyone looking, in this price range, the Canon A60 offers a fully manual
mode with exposures up to 16 seconds, adjustable ASA to 400 (I think) as well
as manual focusing.

Jon