This is a 2 panel mosaic shot in January 2021 on one of the few clear nights since before Christmas. I knew that to get an image I really liked with the equipment I have, I would have to do a mosaic. I learned a lot from the other mosaic projects I have tried, so this one went fairly easily. Making this an HOO palette also was a learning experience; I haven't been able to get the colors I would like to see. But thanks to some advice from here and CN, I think I am getting there, at least for my own tastes.

It is pleasantly surprising how well the L-eNhance filter performs. It may not have the narrowest bandpasses, but I think it does pretty well. My main interest is in broadband imaging, I think because I like the "natural" colours you get, as if you had Hubble optics for eyes! But it is nice to be able to get useable images when the Moon is around, since we get so few good imaging nights as it is.

To selectively increase colour saturation, I have been using the ColorMask script in PI. That, on a starless image from Starnet++ seems to be working for me. I will keep researching and trying different approaches.

I have used the full frame images to create my mosaic panels, without a flattener. I am keen to try another mosaic with the Hotech flattener that has arrived to see how much if any difference is noticeable in the stars along the seams. Sadly, it will have to wait not just for clear skies but for the return of the objective for my scope from AstroPhysics. I noticed a significant asymmetric flare developing over a short period of time, with aberrant diffraction rings inside and out of focus that the folks there said they would be able to put right again. We'll see then if the Hotech does the trick or if I "need" to spring for the AP version.

Working on improving guiding performance, I have paid closer attention to scope/mount balance. I have also been able to get Celestron's PECTool to work to load a PEC curve averaged over 5 cycles that seems to have helped. I also have started using PHD's multistar guiding, and trying its Dec backlash compensation settings. I didn't do any of this iteratively--maybe when it's warm and a full Moon, I will see what effect each component has, but for now I am happy that on any given night, when I would guess my total RMS error might range from 1.2 to 1.7, it now seems to be more like 0.8-1 arc sec. I am a happy guy seeing those numbers; but at the same time I have this problem with the objective, so I am not sure what actual impact there will be on the final outcome. Take your time, but hurry up, Roland!