content: Oh, I think Slimgur deleted the EXIF data.  It was taken with a Nikon D3300 with the 18-55mm kit lens on a tripod.    15 second exposure    34mm @ F4,5   ISO 800.   Here are my Lightroom settings. If I had more time to prepare and time for trial and error (In this case the clouds forced me to set up and snap within a few minutes), I would probably try a shorter exposure with higher ISO. There are the usual tips: Aperture should be open. On a crop sensor your maximum exposure time should be (300 divided by your focal length) to avoid star trails. Bump the ISO as needed. I'd say the most important thing is to get a decently stable tripod and turn off vibration reduction/image stabilization. Use timed shutter (Start timer, step away from the camera) or a remote to avoid vibrations. These days, it's ridiculously cheap to start taking pictures so the conditions around you matter more than the exact lens. I expect to get decent results with my 'crappy' kit lens when I go outside of the city, but I'll also make sure to post comparison with a decent prime.