These are the best Nikon lenses for astrophotography, chosen for how they combine fast apertures, disciplined off-axis control (low sagittal coma/astigmatism), neutral color, and reliable focusing ergonomics across modern Z bodies and adaptable F-mount classics—so star fields stay round to the corners and the Milky Way pops with clean contrast. Night work is about three levers: speed to keep ISO sane, edge cleanliness so points don’t sprout wings, and handling you can set by feel in the dark (long, smooth focus throws or precise AF that won’t hunt), plus coatings that resist veiling flare from airglow and low sun. On Z full-frame, start with the NIKKOR Z 20mm f/1.8 S—the WB-neutral, coma-disciplined Milky Way staple with crisp corners by f/2–2.2—and add the Z 24mm f/1.8 S and Z 35mm f/1.8 S for blue-hour city-astro, tracked mosaics, and constellation frames with tidy off-axis stars; when you need speed across a zoom, the Z 14–24mm f/2.8 S is the flagship ultra-wide (filterable rear, excellent coma control at 14–18mm), while the compact Z 17–28mm f/2.8 is the travel-light alternative for night streets and core-over-land arches. Third-party Z primes expand the envelope: Laowa 15mm f/2 Zero-D (Z) brings fast, rectilinear corners with minimal coma and front-filter friendliness; Laowa 12mm f/2.8 Zero-D (F/Z) delivers dramatic sweep for tracked skies; Sigma’s F-mount Art primes (14mm f/1.8, 20/1.4, 24/1.4, 28/1.4) adapted via FTZ remain class leaders for star shape and speed—the 14/1.8 Art in particular is a Milky Way icon if you’ll carry the weight. For tele-astro on a tracker, the Samyang/Rokinon 135mm f/2 (F or Z) is a cult classic for nebulae and star fields with round points and low LoCA; Nikon’s own Z 85mm f/1.8 S and Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena make gorgeous constellation portraits and Milky Way foreground compressions with controlled cat’s-eye highlights; macro-clean optics like the Z MC 105mm f/2.8 VR S double nicely for sharp star-field mosaics when stopped a touch. DX shooters should anchor with fast, wide Z-mount options: Viltrox 13mm f/1.4 (Z) is the APS-C astro hero, the NIKKOR Z DX 24mm f/1.7 works as a bright ~35mm-equiv night normal, and compact Laowa/TTArtisan 9–11mm f/2.8 class primes cover ultrawide frames; for zoom convenience, the Z DX 12–28mm PZ VR isn’t fast but is handy for timelapse and city-astro when you can lean on longer exposures or stacking. Adapting F glass via FTZ unlocks proven legends: AF-S 14–24mm f/2.8G (the original night workhorse—use a square holder), AF-S 20mm f/1.8G (light, clean corners stopped a hair), AF-S 24/1.8G and 28/1.8G for wider tracked tiles, and bargains like the Samyang 14/2.8 or 14/2.4 XP that still deliver excellent star shapes when carefully focused. Image priorities that make these “best” after dark are consistent: low sagittal coma/astigmatism for round off-axis points, restrained longitudinal CA so bright stars stay white, coatings that resist moon halos and resort lights, minimal focus shift, and tactile focus behavior with a repeatable hard-infinity “touch-and-back-off” point; filter friendliness (front or rear) helps with soft diffusion or mild haze control, but be cautious with broadband “light-pollution” filters which can skew color. Technique multiplies results—use magnified live view on a bright star, roll to hard infinity then micro-back off, start around f/1.4–f/2.8 at 15–25s following the NPF rule, and consider a lightweight tracker to drop ISO or extend to 60–120s for cleaner constellations; carry a slim dew heater, tape the focus ring after confirming, shoot a lower-ISO land plate to blend with a higher-ISO sky, and lock exposure/WB for pans and mosaics; for city-astro, shield the front element from stray lights and favor lenses with good flare discipline at mid-stops for sunstars and night architecture. Practical kit recipes are simple: on Z FX, pair 20/1.8 S with 14–24/2.8 S (add Laowa 15/2 or Sigma 14/1.8 via FTZ when speed and width matter most) and keep 35/1.8 S for tracked panels; on Z DX, run Viltrox 13/1.4 + Z DX 24/1.7 and add a compact 9–11mm f/2.8 for sweep; on F via FTZ, build 14–24/2.8G + 20/1.8G (sprinkle in Sigma 24/1.4 or 14/1.8 Art for maximum speed) and add Samyang 135/2 for tele-astro. Whether you’re shooting core-over-desert arches, aurora above coastal stacks, city-astro with pin-straight lines, or tracked mosaics under alpine skies, the best Nikon astro lenses deliver speed, edge cleanliness, and night-friendly ergonomics that turn clear nights into crisp, cinematic images.