Jabbing causes the shutter to move and will result in blurry pictures. And look for streaks of colour in flowing and moving water. When using flash, make sure there isn't a mirror or window right behind your subject. The flash can bounce back and make a ugly reflection in your picture. This will ensure that the subject gets the proper exposure.
Dead batteries are the most common cause of camera failure.
This will ensure good quality pictures. When choosing a pair of binoculars for night star gazing you will need an objective lens diameter of 40mm to 50mm. For example 8x40 or 7x50 models would be suitable for this purpose. Put the numbers on your photofinishing envelopes. It makes life a lot easier later when trying to sort out your photos to put in an album.