What's wrong with this shot?

[Newtophoto]

I'm assuming I should have used a tripod for this shot. I like the overall effect but something about it makes my eyes hurt. Too blurry? I tried all kinds of sharpening, unsharp mask etc. Nothing seems to help. The clouds were moving very fast across the sky, could that have caused the out-of-focusness(<-new word:lol:). What do you think?
http://i553.photobucket.com/albums/jj397/rick0980/IMG_1320copy.jpg

[RiKaN HaVoK]

no tripod could of have been the case but I think you over exposed the shoot period. When you shoot the moon you have to severely underexpose the moon to get a good clean picture .. it also seem to me that you crop it a lot (is that the case)?

then after that everything extra you did just worsen the picture

example - Not the best becaue I'm also new but I took this at 5pm and it was still light outside - the sky was bright blue!

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3500/3259254982_5128f81bf1.jpg?v=0

Settings used was
Iso 100
f/11
Shutter 1/100
Manual

[Newtophoto]

I wasn't trying to properly expose the moon at all. I know how to do that. I actually over-exposed the moon and then brought it back down in PP. I was trying to catch the clouds around the moon. I cropped the picture enough to remove the black around the clouds.

This is the original JPG right out of the camera. No cropping, PP, or noise reduction.http://i553.photobucket.com/albums/jj397/rick0980/IMG_1320.jpg

[RiKaN HaVoK]

I figure that's what you was trying to do but wasnt sure - I cant help you on that one man -I think a tripod def would of have help in that case ... @ 1/6 and 171mm I def think that's the case ..

[mpistone]

Yep, 1/6s is way too long for this shot handheld, even with IS. Either grab a tripod or bump the iso. If it's windy you should expose to get the clouds to look the way you want, but certainly go with a tripod next time!

[ClickPix]

Had the same problem shooting the moon tonight with no tripod.