Getting a nice sharp image of the moon isn't easy unless you have a decent long lens. This is one of my favorites, shot with a Sigma 50-500mm lens. You can click on the photo and scroll down to see the EXIF data. As others have stated above, having a sturdy tripod and remote release play a big role.

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3897/14888018622_5a9d4d1937_b.jpgSuper moon II by David Hart, on Flickr

Keep looking up...

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4783/39987695735_3dc164e6fc_z.jpgDSC_0382 by David Hart, on Flickr

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4784/40173255244_3beb197d7b_z.jpgDSC_0417-2 by David Hart, on Flickr

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3871/32811290693_33ca9e3484_z.jpgStarry night over the bridge. by David Hart, on Flickr

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7677/28426997441_0e9909474b_z.jpgDSC_3624 by David Hart, on Flickr

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8226/28504922725_2633fc7a2c_z.jpgDSC_3561 by David Hart, on Flickr

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4442/36064914810_6a311c124d_z.jpgDSC_8352 by David Hart, on Flickr

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4437/35626805764_8c0bfabb23_z.jpgDSC_8372 by David Hart, on Flickr

Something a little different. An F-22 creates it's own cloud.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4386/36416175856_a0824fb52f_z.jpgDSC_8446-2 by David Hart, on Flickr

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/293/18336309799_85a5078c0d_z.jpgGOPR0924 by David Hart, on Flickr

Ha! Thanks! Travel for work is part of it...

A few more...

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5273/14514096263_b97a2f6def_z.jpgDSC_8417 by David Hart, on Flickr

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7343/16425667736_5f684fa19a_z.jpgDSC_4718 by David Hart, on Flickr

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/298/18993196056_8392605279_z.jpgDSC_4096-Pano-Edit by David Hart, on Flickr

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2868/34130407201_12e308ca67_z.jpgDSC_6140 by David Hart, on Flickr

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4521/38238542352_a1f7971281_z.jpgDSC_6573-Pano by David Hart, on Flickr

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4433/23507338798_4f939b67ec_z.jpgDSC_4207 by David Hart, on Flickr

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4353/36688905243_7f892fd3b6_z.jpgDSC_4256 by David Hart, on Flickr

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4497/37102628800_abf30341fb_z.jpgDSC_4316-Pano by David Hart, on Flickr

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4356/37311665116_81808501be_z.jpgDSC_4440 by David Hart, on Flickr

Look here at some of my photos if you're curious out how it looks down there in March. I took the Milky Way shots between 3am-6am.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/46202366@N07/albums/72157693873825544

Thanks! Bahia Honda is our vacation spot every March since the early 80's. Love it there. Also a great spot to take Milky Way shots.

Thanks! #3 was taken with an iPhone. :) And #11 is one of my favorites as well. Took that in Jamaica. You can definitely see a bird in that shot and that is why it is one of my favorites.

Some of my cloud shots.

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4038/4622173578_f8006dedc1_z.jpgStorm Clouds by David Hart, on Flickr

https://farm7.staticflickr.com/6004/5979412079_780bfc8e9a_z.jpgDSC_0893 by David Hart, on Flickr

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5486/12197322413_a785d792ae_z.jpgiPhone Sunset by David Hart, on Flickr

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5554/14840723785_7020bcb04a_z.jpgDSC_4167 by David Hart, on Flickr

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3838/14838354644_8a16625015_z.jpgDSC_4169 by David Hart, on Flickr

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/650/21044304879_843fc51dc4_z.jpg3 photo pano by David Hart, on Flickr

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/713/31082588353_50f10c8f8b_z.jpgDSC_0121 by David Hart, on Flickr

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4353/37007639836_88c98ef391_z.jpgDSC_1319 by David Hart, on Flickr

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4340/37007638036_4ef8681748_z.jpgDSC_1329 by David Hart, on Flickr

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3840/14329241670_afc34078ba_z.jpgDSC_8441 by David Hart, on Flickr

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5150/5755580249_a2001dd9b8_z.jpgUntitled by David Hart, on Flickr

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8859/18336436729_bf112da218_z.jpgDSC_5047 by David Hart, on Flickr

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/524/17901787503_7ecc361314_z.jpgDSC_6863 by David Hart, on Flickr

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7786/17617244843_249c88674a_z.jpgDSC_9633 by David Hart, on Flickr

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1460/24130376884_45d9d4830c_z.jpgDSC_6350 by David Hart, on Flickr

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/677/21654008072_3fa8553426_z.jpgDJI_0001_2_3_4_5 by David Hart, on Flickr

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1628/26620086906_133333223b_z.jpgDSC_0611 by David Hart, on Flickr

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/284/32687941165_1a65dd35d8_z.jpgDSC_0336 by David Hart, on Flickr

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2834/34178131801_efe3df90f4_z.jpgDSC_0547 by David Hart, on Flickr

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8032/28785270810_9d18074a23_z.jpgDSC_5615-3 by David Hart, on Flickr

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/869/40788440924_61ea8b4386_z.jpgDSC_7757 by David Hart, on Flickr

Dick,
Pretty good for your first attempt. The only thing I would change is to use ISO3200. You are getting too much noise from post processing. Here is a photo I took at ISO3200, f2.8, 20 seconds, on a D500. Also, 20 seconds is fine and you shouldn't get any streaking of the stars at that speed. I'm assuming either VR was turned on (turn this off when using a tripod) or the tripod was not steady enough.

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/802/39987627415_4240364ac6_c.jpgDSC_0418-2 by David Hart, on Flickr

Great spots for photo ops. Stay in the downtown area and you'll be fine. Below are some shots I took in recent years.


Buckingham Fountain.
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/836/28218613827_681efba0fd_c.jpgDSC_0004 by David Hart, on Flickr

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/840/42183126135_206d4697ef_c.jpgDSC_9915-HDR by David Hart, on Flickr

The bean.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7327/28067074265_00bc69cea0_c.jpgDSC_3289-HDR-1 by David Hart, on Flickr

Shots from the architecural boat tour. Highly reccommended.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7628/27786405440_08ac5b72bd_c.jpgDSC_3457 by David Hart, on Flickr

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7321/28066708375_6ec1e0d5e6_c.jpgDSC_3515 by David Hart, on Flickr

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7300/27989488011_c6f1486cb8_c.jpgDSC_3556 by David Hart, on Flickr

The Buckingham Fountain in Chicago this past June. Do these count as sprinkles?

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/836/28218613827_681efba0fd_c.jpgDSC_0004 by David Hart, on Flickr

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/840/42183126135_206d4697ef_c.jpgDSC_9915-HDR by David Hart, on Flickr

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1781/43037175802_458b755dbf_c.jpgDSC_0014 by David Hart, on Flickr

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1762/43037156872_52d4895a18_c.jpgDSC_9979 by David Hart, on Flickr

As some others have stated above, the Nikon 200-500 will definitely give you better results. I purchased this lens earlier this year and was amazed at how sharp it is across it's focal range. I also own the Sigma 50-500. Your skill definitely has a lot to do with getting great photos, but equipment does matter depending on what you are shooting. You know the old saying, you get what you pay for...