'astrophotographic' originates from Modern English as a compound of the prefix 'astro-' (from Greek 'astron') and 'photographic' (from 'photograph'), where 'astron' meant 'star' and 'photos' meant 'light' while 'graphos' meant 'to write/draw'.

'photograph' came into English via Greek 'photos' + 'graphos' through French/Latin forms; 'photographic' was formed from 'photograph', and later the combining form 'astro-' (from Greek) was attached to create 'astrophotographic' (used in contexts of 19th–20th century developments in astronomical photography).

Initially the elements meant 'star' and 'light-writing/drawing'; over time the compound came to specifically mean 'relating to the photographing of celestial bodies' in modern usage.