Mosaic Question

[tomato]

I’m planning a ridiculously optimistic 12 pane mosaic for when the dark nights return and I have a question regarding how to take the peripheral framing panels. Should I take these with the same duration and number as the ROI panels or can I skimp on the integration times, or perhaps take them when conditions are not ideal (e.g. moonlit nights)?

My gut feel is no, I shouldn’t spoil the ship for a Ha’Porth of tar, but with modern processing techniques to equalise backgrounds etc, I wonder if I could get away with it, UK imaging time being so precious?

[ollypenrice]

Target dependent. If there really is nothing but background and stars in places you could skimp on the time. The trouble is, truly faint-free and fuzzy-free regions are few and far between (strictly they're non existent) and getting a really smooth and consistent background is tricky anyway. Personally I'd avoid the moon for this reason. With our 35 panel Orion Tom and I gave it the full Monty on every one.

Olly