Can I take photos through my telescope?

I have an orion starblast altazimuth reflector telescope. I also have a SLR film camera (nikon F4).

Here are links to both products.

http://www.amazon.com/...B00D12U1IK

http://en.wikipedia.org/...i/Nikon_F4

Is it possible to take space photographs with these items? If so, what do I need?

Well, …, I have to agree with Geoff. Yes, you can take photos with that scope but only with great difficulty. I own a larger dobsonian scope and it is very difficult to use for astrophotography. So I mainly stick to my SCT for that.

Sure, you can buy adapters that will adapt your camera o the focuser of the Orion but ten you you need to guide and maintain focus and at that you'll only be able to do short exposure work as the scope is not tilted wrt to your current longitude. Pick up a copy of "Astrophotograpphy for DSLR's - Robert Reeves". This book will give you lots of info on how to use a DLSR for Astrophotography.

Not without a lot of difficulty and extra equipment. Your telescope is designed for visual observing, and lacks the motor drive for astronomical photography. Its mount, while suitable for visual observing, can't handle the weight of a professional film camera like the Nikon. Basically, you would need to remount the tube of your telescope on an equatorial mount heavy enough to handle the combined weight of telescope and camera. Coupling the camera to the telescope will be difficult. You can get a T-adapter to fit the camera into the eyepiece holder on the telescope, but it will not reach focus. You will probably need to shorten the tube of the telescope in order to move its focal point high enough to reach the film plane.

I'd suggest that you do some reading on astrophotography to understand how it works, and what sort of equipment is required. Sad to say, film cameras are pretty much history in astrophotography because digital cameras are just so much superior in every way.

Your telescope does not have a drive and it is not an equatorial mount. That puts you in a difficult position. As earth rotates the object that your want to photograph also moves in the frame. So you can't take long exposures without getting a trace. However do not despair. You can still get good pictures with it. Your Nikon F4 is too heavy for this telescope and will create terrible imbalance on your telescope. Moreover film will not work because even fast films still need really long exposures. Film suffers what is called as reciprocity failure. CCD replaced film in astroimaging long time ago as a superior alternative.

I would like you to read the book "Astrophotography for the Amateur" by Michael Covington. It tells you all about astro-photography, tricks that are involved, etc. You will then understand what is needed.

As I said, your telescope is not very suitable for taking pictures of dark sky objects. However there's work around. You could use a webcam such as Logitech QuickCam or Philips Toucam Pro with a suitable adapter. That can get you started with picture taking of bright objects like the moon. Since your telescope does not have a clock drive you can overcome that by taking videos and using certain software. You can download software like Astrostack. You will then take videos of objects like Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. Astrostack software will process your videos. It will take frame by frame and combine them to give you very good to decent results. Astrostack has the trial period and it will ask you to pay once the trial period is over. There are a few other freeware software for similar stacking.

Search the web and you will find a tonne of information on easy astroimaging