David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 612  (2018-06-06)

Notes (S611.2)

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Notes (S612.2)

	Session Aims & Highlights
	- Night Summary Plot
	Operational Issues
	- Critical Issues (0),  Major Issues (3),  Minor Issues (1),  Small Defects (0),  Continuous Improvement (0)
	Light Artifact
	Observing Plan
	Images from 2018-06-06  >>

Session Aims & Highlights (2018-06-06)

Main Aims

 This was a night-time session was to continue formal commissioning of the new Dome Observatory including :

1. TPoint Model.  Sync into TPoint Model that was created from the mapping run in session S611
2. Targets. Acquire images of Jupiter and other summer targets
3. Observing Plan. Test automated acquisition of images of a sequence of targets (Plan) that have been scheduled by a newly developed genetic algorithum optimisation program working with target data held in SQLite.
4. System Stability. Continue checking stability of POTH.Hub (Telescope + Dome) & Observatory Control Software

Equipment & Software

•  12" LX200 and ST-10XME
•  CCDApp2, TheSky6, CCDSoft 5, POTH Hub,

Highlights

• TPoint Model. Synced into the 121 point TPoint Model that was created from the mapping run in session S611
• Targets. Some images of Jupiter acquired but task hindered by CCDSoft5 freezing up). Pictures
• System Stability. POTH.Hub / system very unstable with frequent disconnections from the LX200 GPS Telescope, 
  a corruption of Telescope Time (LST) and freezing of CCDSoft5 (see list of operational issues with screenshots)
• Observing Plan. Unable to test the execution of computer generated Observing Plan due to the system stability issues

Notes

• Pictures of Jupiter from S612 Session

Jupiter and 4 main moons		Jupiter - B Filter
Annotated CCD Image (cropped) 0.12s sec exposure (single frame), 3x3 binning, C Filter 2018-06-06  23:58 h UT (#612002) 12" LX200R  (at f/5.7) + ST-10XME (more pictures)		CCD Image (cropped, unsharp masked) 0.5s sec exposure (single frame, half-frame), 2x2 binning, B Filter 2018-06-07  01:03 h UT (#612013) 12" LX200R  (at f/5.7) + ST-10XME

Summary Plots & Logs

Observing Plan Created for Session, 2018-06-06 (more information)

Night Sky Summary Plot - 2018-06-06 Top axis: Sky Brightness at Zenith (in ADU/s) Lefthand axis: Local Time (hh LT). Righthand axis: Sun Altitude (degs)

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Operational Issues (2018-06-06, S612)

• Critical Issues (0)
• Major Issues (3)
• Minor Issues (1)
• Small Defects (0)
• Continuous Improvement (0)

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Critical Issues

• None

Major Issues

• LX200 Telescope loosing connection with TheSky6 (00:44). TheSky6 producing messages with Poor Communications. Error Code 213.  LX200 telescope connection was lost, with TheS  (Screen Capture, Fig 1). Unknown cause or origin. There was some indication that the some disconnections happened in response to taking an image in CCDSoft5. Issue eventually resolved. A new Serial cable with embedded USB-Serial adapter (Pierre Astro) appears in part to have fixed the issue.
  Fixed  (LX200, Pierre Astro USB-serial cable)
   
• CCDSoft5 suddenly begins to run very slowly and effectively hang, preventing the acquisition of images.  This was the first time CCDSoft5 had been seen to behave in this particular manner (during the current observatory commissioning or indeed before). The problem persisted even after restarting CCDSoft5/TheSky6/POTH and even after rebooting the laptop.  The problem initially arose when running CCDSoft/TheSky6/POTH from my Observatory Control program CCDApp2, but it also occurred when running CCDSoft/TheSky6/POTH independantly  (Screen Capture, Fig 2, Second Screen Capture, Fig 3).  The problem wasn't present during initial centering and syncing to the star Arcturus, suggesting there is no fundamental issues with the SBIG camera hardware/driver or CCDSoft. The precise reason for the problem is unknown, but most-likely relates to it waiting for telescope position information from TheSky6. The CCDSoft5 program worked fine during a test session on 2018-06-08, but again there was intermittent freezing during session on 2018-06-08 (S613). In the later case it was clear that CCDSoft5 fell into this behaviour each time there was a communication link error between TheSky6 and the LX200GPS scope.
  Eventually resolved  (CCDSoft, TheSky6 / LX200, Pierre Astro USB-serial cable)
   
• Slaved Dome began to move to a different position to where the telescope was physically pointing. The Slaved Dome moved to and began operating around azimuth 102 deg +/-, whilst the real scope was operating around azimuth 207 deg +/-.  This problem also arose on commisioning sessions on 2018-05-05 and 2018-05-10. Investigating shows that LST value displayed for the telescope in POTH.Hub is incorrect (Screen Capture, Fig 4). Reason: The underlying cause for this glitch in LST in still not known but the movement of the slaved Dome is judged to be 'normal' given the information that POTH.Hub appears to have . The issue is critical and it's re-occurance does not provide confidence for unattended operation until the underlying cause is understood and resolved.
  Eventually resolved  (TheSky6 / LX200, POTH.Hub / DeviceHub, Telescope Driver,  Pierre Astro USB-serial cable)

Minor Issues

• Pulsar Dome switching back and forth between USB Serial Port COM9 and COM11. Problem seemed to be related to an instability of POTH.Hub / drivers after CCDApp2 crashed and TheSky6/POTH.Hub process were closed without disconnecting the Dome. Reason is unknown  but it seems related to some instability or misuse of the system.  The problem was seen before in the session on 2018-05-05,  but not in the following commissioning sessions on 2018-05-08, 2018-05-10, 2018-05-13 or live session on 2018-05-17).  This appears to be a behaviour of the Observatory Computer running Windows 10.  COM Ports that a device switches to is repeatable. And this observation that devices also had a primary port (the one it would always occupy) when restarting the computer and a secondary port (one that it the device could switch to during a session) was later used by AstroMain to autoadjust the COM port of a device by making a programmed change to device settings in ASCOM Profile.  Problem of COM Port switching disappeared when computer was later replaced with new Observatory Computer running Windows 11.
  Resolved (Observatory Computer)

Small Defects

• None

Continuous Improvement

• None

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Light Artifact (2018-06-06)

Whilst trying to find, centre and align the scope on the star Arcturus an unusual linear light artifact was imaged in a 5s snap shot. The artifact was unlike anything seen before.  A second frame was taken and confirmed the artifact as something 'real'.   (Light Artifact 1 below)

Moving the scope a very short distance revealed a light artifact much more typical of the 'glare' associated with a very bright star just outside the field of view.  Indeed a short jog revealed the mag 0 star Arcturus that is the 'source' of the light artefacts.

Light Artifact 1

Raw CCD Image (50% size, North - Down) 5s sec exposure (snap shot), 3x3 binning, C Filter 2018-06-06  23:20 h UT (Snap.2320.22) 12" LX200R  (at f/5.7) + ST-10XME [ full size image ]

Light Artifact 2 Shadow indicates that the light artefact is due to the light from star just outside CCD FOV being reflected within the camera or optical train

Raw CCD Image (50% size, North - Down) 5s sec exposure (snap shot), 3x3 binning, C Filter 2018-06-06  23:20 h UT (Snap.2321.39) 12" LX200R  (at f/5.7) + ST-10XME

Arcturus, Mag 0 star

Raw CCD Image (50% size, North - Down) 0.12s sec exposure (snap shot), 3x3 binning, C Filter 2018-06-06  23:24 h UT (Snap.2324.22) 12" LX200R  (at f/5.7) + ST-10XME

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Observing Plan  (2018-06-06)

One of aims of this session was to test automated acquisition of a sequence of targets (Observing Plan) that have been scheduled by a newly developed genetic algorithum optimisation program working with target data held in SQLite. In the event it was not possible to execute the Plan / Job Queue due to instability of POTH Hub, Scope  and CCDSoft5.  Pictures of the Observing Plan and its generation are included here for information

'Schedule Builder' used to create observing plan (screenshot)

List of Observing Programs used to create observing plan (screenshot)

Table of the Observing Plan created for session 2018-06-06 (screenshot) GA Settings Population size: 200, No. Generation: 40, Available Targets: 241

Observing Plan created for session 2018-06-06 (Chart) (click on chart for full, uncropped version)

Observing Plan waiting to be executed (screenshot) (POTH instability issues unfortunated prevented execution of plan on this occasion)

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