David's Astronomy - Notes 2019-08-28 (S00686)

David's Astronomy Pages
Notes - Session 686 (2019-08-28)

Notes
(S685)

Notes
Main

Home
Page

Notes
(S687)

	2019-08-30

	Session Aims & Highlights
	- Observing Result - Night Summary Plot - Session Event Log

	Operational Issues
	- Critical Issues (0), Major Issues (1), Minor Issues (7), Continuous Improvement (5)
	AdvMain program freeze
	Session Suspension Issue (NGC 6366)

	Images from 2019-08-28 >>

	Pegasus UPB - Software Update (1.4.16)

Session Aims & Highlights (2019-08-28)

Main aims

Obs.Manager / Post Cloud StartUp - Check that system can automatically commence a session after clouds / rain risk have passed and skies begin to clear at 01:00 to 02:30 in the morning.
Mixed Targets - Image selection of targets including Variable Stars, Comets and Deep Sky Targets
Software & Systems - Check stability of software and presence of any side effects following ongoing enhancements to AstroMain and associated support programs.

Equipment & Software

12" LX200 and ST-10XME
80mm APO and ZWO ASI 178MC
CCDApp2, TheSky6, CCDSoft5, PHD2, POTH Hub
Pegasus UPB & Motor Focus, TCF-S
AstroMain 3.10.4, Astroguard 1.2.3, AstroPlan 1.9.2, AstroVOE 1.3.1 (AstroWeather 1.7.5, AstroAllSky 3.4.1 )

Highlights

Session ran successfully for the whole night. All target successfully completed.

Lowlights

None

Summary Plots & Logs

Observing Plan

Observing Result

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

Pre-Session Weather Forecast (AstroWeather 1.7.5)
(clear skies forecast for entire night)

Session Event Log

Time	Event	Detail
22:23:29	Session Created	Live Session Created (2019-08-28 S00686, ImageSaveNum: 686001)
22:26:09	Obs.Manager Started	Obs.Manager started
22:26:17	Services Started	Observatory Services started
22:26:49	Observatory (Auto)	Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode
22:26:52	Session Pending	Session pending (2019-08-28)
22:26:54	Session Initiating	Session initiating (2019-08-28)
22:26:56	Plan Requested	Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan ()
22:30:51	Observatory (Manual)	Observatory placed in Manual Mode
22:31:27	Camera1 Connected	SBIG Camera Connected (set point -10°C)
22:31:40	Observatory (Auto)	Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode
22:31:42	Session Pending	Session pending (2019-08-28)
22:31:44	Session Initiating	Session initiating (2019-08-28)
22:31:46	Plan Requested	Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan ()
22:37:38	Plan Loaded	Observing Plan loaded to queue (2019-08-28 V1 BEST PLAN, Plan ID: 324)
22:37:46	Camera1 Connected	SBIG Camera Connected (set point -10°C)
22:37:48	Telescope Connected	Telescope Connected (TheSky6)
22:37:54	Wait on Weather	Waiting for acceptable weather conditions
22:58:36	Shutter Opened	Shutter opened (opening time 45s)
22:58:39	Equilibration Started	Dome Equilibration started
23:02:36	Equilibration Ended	Dome Equilibration ended (4.0 mins total)
23:02:38	Session Running	Session running
23:02:40	Queue Started	Observing Queue started (25 targets selected)
23:02:42	Target Missed (1/25)	Target Missed (1/25, 68P/Klemola)
23:02:44	Target Missed (2/25)	Target Missed (2/25, GCVS CI Cyg)
23:02:46	Target Started (3/25)	Target started (3/25, GCVS SS Her)
23:08:07	Critical Conditions Alert	Critical Conditions Alert (Obs.Manager will close the Shutter)
23:08:22	Target Aborted (3/25)	Target aborted (3/25, GCVS SS Her) due to other condition
23:08:24	Target Started (4/25)	Target started (4/25, NGC 6366)
23:08:28	Session Suspended	Session suspended
23:09:17	Shutter Closed	Shutter closed (closing time 48s)
23:10:32	Session Resuming	Session resuming
23:11:17	Shutter Opened	Shutter opened (opening time 45s)
23:11:19	Queue Resumed	Observing Queue resumed
23:11:36	Focusing Started-Foc1	Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S)
23:14:04	Focusing Completed	Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1)
23:19:10	Target Completed	Target completed (4/25, NGC 6366)
23:19:12	Target Started (5/25)	Target started (5/25, HIP 87937)
23:22:22	Focusing Started-Foc1	Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S)
23:24:34	Focusing Completed	Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2)
23:27:35	Target Completed	Target completed (5/25, HIP 87937)
23:27:37	Target Started (6/25)	Target started (6/25, GCVS V Sge)
23:29:34	Focusing Started-Foc1	Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S)
23:31:46	Focusing Completed	Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 3)
23:38:37	Target Completed	Target partially completed (6/25, GCVS V Sge)
23:38:39	Target Started (7/25)	Target started (7/25, NGC 5682)
23:59:12	Target Completed	Target completed (7/25, NGC 5682)
23:59:14	Target Started (8/25)	Target started (8/25, NGC 5689)
00:01:41	Focusing Started-Foc1	Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S)
00:13:10	Target Completed	Target completed (8/25, NGC 5689)
00:13:12	Target Started (9/25)	Target started (9/25, UGC 10168)
00:15:25	Focusing Started-Foc1	Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S)
00:17:34	Focusing Completed	Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 4)
00:33:41	Target Completed	Target completed (9/25, UGC 10168)
00:34:24	Target Started (10/25)	Target started (10/25, ARP 330)
00:36:46	Focusing Started-Foc1	Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S)
00:39:06	Focusing Completed	Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 5)
00:55:20	Target Completed	Target completed (10/25, ARP 330)
00:56:16	Target Started (11/25)	Target started (11/25, GCVS CY Lyr)
00:58:47	Focusing Started-Foc1	Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S)
01:00:49	Focusing Completed	Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 6)
01:04:45	Target Completed	Target completed (11/25, GCVS CY Lyr)
01:06:04	Target Started (12/25)	Target started (12/25, GCVS WZ Sge)
01:08:22	Focusing Started-Foc1	Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S)
01:10:22	Focusing Completed	Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 7)
01:15:53	Target Completed	Target completed (12/25, GCVS WZ Sge)
01:17:22	Target Started (13/25)	Target started (13/25, GCVS FG Sge)
01:19:28	Focusing Started-Foc1	Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S)
01:21:29	Focusing Completed	Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 8)
01:23:56	Target Completed	Target completed (13/25, GCVS FG Sge)
01:24:43	Target Started (14/25)	Target started (14/25, C/2018 W2 (Africano))
01:29:16	Focusing Started-Foc1	Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S)
01:31:47	Focusing Completed	Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 9)
01:40:12	Target Completed	Target completed (14/25, C/2018 W2 (Africano))
01:40:14	Target Started (15/25)	Target started (15/25, GCVS RX And)
01:42:49	Focusing Started-Foc1	Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S)
01:44:49	Focusing Completed	Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 10)
01:47:26	Target Completed	Target completed (15/25, GCVS RX And)
01:47:28	Target Started (16/25)	Target started (16/25, GCVS BL Lac)
01:50:14	Focusing Started-Foc1	Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S)
01:52:15	Focusing Completed	Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 11)
01:56:09	Target Completed	Target completed (16/25, GCVS BL Lac)
01:56:11	Target Started (17/25)	Target started (17/25, GCVS EV Lac)
01:58:28	Focusing Started-Foc1	Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S)
02:00:38	Focusing Completed	Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 12)
02:02:43	Target Completed	Target completed (17/25, GCVS EV Lac)
02:03:46	Target Started (18/25)	Target started (18/25, GCVS Z And)
02:05:58	Focusing Started-Foc1	Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S)
02:07:57	Focusing Completed	Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 13)
02:11:47	Target Completed	Target completed (18/25, GCVS Z And)
02:11:49	Target Started (19/25)	Target started (19/25, GCVS HH And)
02:13:56	Focusing Started-Foc1	Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S)
02:16:08	Focusing Completed	Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 14)
02:17:42	Target Completed	Target completed (19/25, GCVS HH And)
02:19:10	Target Started (20/25)	Target started (20/25, GCVS U And)
02:21:12	Focusing Started-Foc1	Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S)
02:23:11	Focusing Completed	Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 15)
02:33:17	Target Completed	Target completed (20/25, GCVS U And)
02:33:20	Target Started (21/25)	Target started (21/25, WDS GRB 34)
02:36:05	Focusing Started-Foc1	Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S)
02:38:04	Focusing Completed	Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 16)
02:39:36	Target Completed	Target completed (21/25, WDS GRB 34)
02:40:11	Target Started (22/25)	Target started (22/25, GSC 1224:29)
02:42:55	Focusing Started-Foc1	Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S)
02:45:39	Focusing Completed	Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 17)
02:50:10	Target Completed	Target completed (22/25, GSC 1224:29)
02:50:12	Target Started (23/25)	Target started (23/25, NGC 1579)
02:52:47	Focusing Started-Foc1	Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S)
02:55:12	Focusing Completed	Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 18)
03:10:18	Target Completed	Target completed (23/25, NGC 1579)
03:10:59	Target Started (24/25)	Target started (24/25, 61 Cyg)
03:15:03	Focusing Started-Foc1	Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S)
03:17:03	Focusing Completed	Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 19)
03:18:14	Target Completed	Target completed (24/25, 61 Cyg)
03:18:16	Target Started (25/25)	Target started (25/25, GCVS SS Cyg)
03:21:30	Focusing Started-Foc1	Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S)
03:23:33	Focusing Completed	Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 20)
03:27:13	Target Completed	Target completed (25/25, GCVS SS Cyg)
03:27:16	Queue Completed	Job Queue completed
03:27:18	Session Initiating	Session initiating (2019-08-28)
03:27:21	Plan Requested	Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan ()
03:28:05	Plan Loaded	Observing Plan loaded to queue (2019-08-28 V2 BEST PLAN, Plan ID: 325)
03:28:14	Camera1 Connected	SBIG Camera Connected (set point -15°C)
03:28:16	Telescope Connected	Telescope Connected (TheSky6)
03:28:23	Equilibration Started	Dome Equilibration started
03:28:25	Equilibration Skipped	Dome Equilibration skipped by user
03:28:27	Session Running	Session running
03:28:29	Queue Started	Observing Queue started (6 targets selected)
03:30:21	Target Started (1/6)	Target started (1/6, GCVS SS Cyg)
03:32:09	Focusing Started-Foc1	Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S)
03:34:14	Focusing Completed	Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 21)
03:37:57	Target Completed	Target completed (1/6, GCVS SS Cyg)
03:40:28	Critical Cloud Alert	Critical Cloud Alert (Obs.Manager will close the Shutter)
03:40:31	Session Suspended	Session suspended
03:41:18	Shutter Closed	Shutter closed (closing time 49s)
03:49:42	Target Cancelled	Target cancelled (2/6, WDS GRB 34) due to cloud
03:57:07	Target Cancelled	Target cancelled (3/6, GCVS RX And) due to cloud
04:04:37	Target Cancelled	Target cancelled (4/6, GCVS Z And) due to cloud
04:12:36	Target Cancelled	Target cancelled (5/6, GCVS HH And) due to cloud
04:20:01	Target Cancelled	Target cancelled (6/6, GCVS U And) due to cloud
04:20:06	Queue Completed	Job Queue completed
04:20:11	Session Closing	Session closing
04:26:28	Dome Parked	Dome parked (parking time 372s)
04:27:22	Telescope Parked	Telescope parked (parking time 49s)
04:28:31	Session Finished	Session Finished

Operational Issues (2019-08-28, S686)

Critical Issues (0)
Major Issues (1)
Minor Issues (7)
Continuous Improvement (5)

[ Prev | Next ]

Critical Issues

None

Major Issues

AdvMain program froze / stopped responding after finishing the live session and after resuming the general session.
Unclear if program already frozen (i.e. it froze between 04:29 and 04:54) or only froze when program was clicked on at ~ 04:55
See Data logs associated with Program Freeze . Data examined but it is unclear what the exact time was that the program froze at. (some sort of IamAlive logging needed ?). This is a known issue that occasionally occurs. Continue to monitor & find ways to understand why the issue occurs. Issue closed on 2021-01-04 following a review that showed that the AstroMain was essentially stable (following a series of improvements and fixes), with an absence of any unexplained program hangs or crashes during the 35 sessions between 2020-09-18 & 2021-01-03.
Closed 2021-01-04 (AstroMain 3.33)

Minor Issues

The Final point of UPB Temp Difference on Graph11 drops down to zero leading to an anomalous final section of the curve. Noticed for several days now
Fixed 2019-08-30 (AstroWeather 1.7.6)
Aurora Forecast maps (NOAA/Ovation) are not being saved as valid/viewable image files to Aurora-forecast folder.
Live source image is on http://services.swpc.noaa.gov/images/aurora-forecast-northern-hemisphere.jpg
AllSky settings point to this source image ok, and the images files are being saved at correct hourly frequency & name but they are only 1 KB in size rather than normal 150 KB
The problem (only just noticed) began on 2018-09-18. Running a test on the development computer shows the same thing happens, ruling out a computer specific problem. Similar problem occured with planetary-k-index files in the past, where the fix was to use https suffix.
Resolved 2019-08-30. Source path was changed to using the 'https' suffix.
V1 Plan created at around 22:40 (sun alt -16.5) had a final target end time at 03:37 which is at around Sun Alt -16.6° (rather than -11°). Need to consider why this would happen.
(plan would have been created with 'Create Plan From Now' option). End Plan Time associated with plan is 04:36. Is it coincidence or is there a UT to BST issue here. Most likely is that GA process had selected a shorter plan. There is no reason to suspect a shortage of available targets as the database has only recently been re-stocked.
Resolved 2019-09-25 (AstroPlan 1.11.1)
Dome Parking time at end of session (372s) was anomously long and can't be explained. Logs file confirms the long time taken (Start Park 04:20:17, Finish Park 04:26:28) but otherwise gives no indication of any problem. Prior to parking the Dome was pointing almost due west (~270°) and with a park position at (090°) , the angular slew would have been about the longest possibl. (i.e. 180°). Even so the slew time is too long. Does the dome have a particular problem point where motor grip/tensions is compromised ? There was a similar issue at the end of Session S688 (2019-09-01) which was investigated and resolved. See Investigation - Dome Drive Slippage, Slow Slewing & Park Dome Failures) After this a successful daytime test was made of the precise slew that was made at end of this session.
Resolved 2019-09-02, by adjusting drive tension knobs
V1 Plan results didn't contain a failure mode for SS Her (3/25).
- Executor performing 3rd Centering Operation on SS Her at 23:07 (image linking slow, 1st locate had failed to link at all)
- Obs Manager produced a Critical Conditions alert at 23:08 with an undefined Reason to Suspend (State.0).
- Two messages 'Target aborting due to other conditions (Why 2 messages ? only 1 is needed)
Analysis indicates that the reason failure mode was blank was because that the reason to suspend was undefined.
NGC 6366 (4/25) operations started & then continued even though critical conditions had been detected and Obs.Manger was about to suspend the session, close the shutter etc. See Session suspension issue (NGC 6366) for timelien and analysis
Fixed 2019-09-06 (AstroMain 3.10.8)
V1 Plan didn't show Status for NGC 6366 not showing as being 'In Progress' even though telescope was taking locate images of the target. It seems that the 'In Progress' status update isn't sent to the database until Centering/Focusing are complete and the executor starts to shoot the main image frames. Prehaps it should be sent as soon at the telescope starts slewing to the target.
(Plan was refreshed to make sure the screen reflected the underlying database)
Fixed 2019-08-31 (AstroMain 3.10.5). Status changes to 'In Progress' just before slewing to the target.

Continuous Improvement

Extend AstroAllSky to archive a copy of each night's NightSummary5 plots to 'NorthSky Summary' folder
Plots are need for quickly reviewing historic Aurora activity. At one time the NightSummary5 plot was being added to NightSummary folder but this was causing issues with mixing image types in same folder and was halted 2018-08-07. It then began archiving them in 'Night Summary/Other folder but this still leaves the NightSummary5 files mixed with summary types 1 to 4.
Done 2019-08-30 (AstroAllSky 3.4.2)
Extend AstroAllSky to capture copy of SAMNET'S Crooktree (Crk2) Magnotometer Plot at end of each night
Done 2019-08-30 (AstroAllSky 3.4.2)
Modify Cloud Cover line on the NightSummary6 plot so that the AllSky and Clarity based values are merged across the sun altitude interval from -12 to -14°.
Done 2019-08-31 (AstroAllSky 3.4.3)
Create additional ways of displaying the exact status of programs like (AdvMain) on the website. IamAlive monitoring via AdvWeather / graphs / obsenv / telescope / AstroAllSky Scorecard ?
Done 2019-09-25 (AstroPlan 1.11 / AstroMain 3.12 / Website)
Extend AstroMove to enable transfer of AllSky Camera / Aurora related data from Observatory (laptop7) to Analysis Computer (laptop10). Options for New Files, Session Files, Aurora Weather pics etc
Done 2019 (AstroMove)

[ Prev | Next ]

AdvMain program freeze

Final part of Live Session Report Log is normal (i.e. equivalent to logs in previous session)

Session Finished                        2019-08-29 04:28  (Local)
  Waiting till next night...
  Checking session folder ... Ok        Session Folder already exists (.\New\2019-08-28)
  Checking analysis folder ...Ok        Analysis Folder already exists (.\Analysis\2019-08-28)

The first part of the resumed General Session Report File is also normal (i.e. equivalent to logs in previous session):

Running AstroMain (3.10.4)              2019-08-29 04:28  (Local)

New General Session                     2019-08-29 04:28  (Local)
  Session ID:                 Ok        -10               (General)
  Session Name:               Ok        2019-08-28        (Session)
  Focus Profiles:             Ok        Profile Start No: 0
  Focus Runs:                 Ok        Focus Start No:   0
  Stopping CCDSoft            Ok
  Setting Autosave Number     Ok        1
  Restarting CCDSoft
  Creating Camera object...   Ok        CCDsoft.Camera
  Creating Autoguider object..Ok        CCDsoft.Camera
  Creating Folder object..    Ok        CCDSoft.Folder
  AutoSave Start Num...       Ok        1
  Setting AutoSave Folder...  Ok        .\New\2019-08-28

Final part of Live Session Logfile is normal (i.e. equivalent to logs in previous session)

04:28:13.01 | Observatory Manager Info Change State | Session Housekeeping 04:28:13.02 | Observatory Manager Info Admin | Performing Post-Session Admin 04:28:31.29 | Observatory Manager Info Change State | Session Finished

The first part of the resumed General Session Log File is also normal (i.e. equivalent to logs in previous session)

REOPENING LOGFILE 04:28:31.35 | Running AstroMain Ok AstroMain (3.10.4) | 04:28:31.35 | Session Info Open File (monitor) | C:\Data\CCD Imaging\Analysis\2019-08-28\_LOGS\2019-08-28 Observatory (monitor).dat 04:28:31.37 | Killing current CCDSoft process -692 CCDSoft - 00686232.21h41m47.4s_43d33m20sN.FIT

These are normal messages and no more lines would be expected between 04:28 and 04:55 when the Observatory computer was checked.

Examining the ObsEnv file where records are written to every 30s on both the Observatory Computer and the AllSky/Weather computer, shows that at least the AdvMain ObsEnv thread was operating normally up until 05:10 when the AdvMain Process was stopped.   Since the thread still ran normally after the GUI was frozen, it is unable to prove that the GUI froze when the main program form was clicked on at ~04:55 or at some earlier point in the night.

Session Suspension Issue (NGC 6366)

NGC 6366 (4/25) operations started & then continued even though critical conditions had been detected and Obs.Manger was about to suspend the session, close the shutter etc. The time line and its analysis is shown below

- Executor performing 3rd Centering Operation on SS Her at 23:07 (image linking slow, 1st locate had failed to link at all)
- Obs Manager produced a Critical Conditions alert at 23:08 with an undefined Reason to Suspend (State.0).
- Image linking results output
- Two messages 'Target aborting due to other conditions
    (Q. Why 2 messages ? only 1 is needed.
     A. Message is output by AbortTarget() routine, which could be called by tiered calls )

- Began next target NGC 6366 (4/25) at 23:08.
- Began slewing to NGC 6366
- Session Suspended at 23:08 and the shutter closed (48s)
- Operations to take locate images and centre NGC 6366 continued on with the shutter closed.
- Conditions improved at 23:10, shutter opened whilst shooting 3rd locate frame. Luckily stars were sufficient to allow image linking and centre the target

- Reviewing code shows the following loop in TakeFrameJobsQSO has a bug

Do While bHardSuspend And ObservatoryManager.SessionState = omFullyAutomated    Sleep(1) Loop

Code has been changed to

Do While bHardSuspend And gObservatoryMode = omFullyAutomated    Sleep(1) Loop.

2019-08-30

Pegasus UPB - Software Update (1.4.16)

UPB Software on Observatory and Development Computer was updated to the latest version (1.4.16, Aug/19) today, 2019-08-30.

It had been hoped that the 1.4.16 update would include a fix to the problem that UPB Env Humidity values fall to a constant 90% when the real humidity exceeds 97%, but it doesn't. A fix to allow the UPB Software to work with the ASCOM UPB Switch Drivers (promised for End August)is also still awaited.

[ Pegasus Astro Support Page: https://pegasusastro.com/support/ ]

This Web Page:	Notes - Session 686 (2019-08-28)
Last Updated :	2023-11-26
Site Owner :	David Richards
Home Page :	David's Astronomy Web Site