David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 695 (2019-09-16)

Notes (S694)

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Notes (S696)

	Session Aims & Highlights
	- Observing Result  - Night Summary Plot  - Session Event Log
	Operational Issues
	- Critical Issues (0),  Major Issues (0),  Minor Issues (2),  Continuous Improvement (2)
	2019-09-19
	Pulsar Dome - Shutter Battery Not Charging
	Images from 2019-09-16  >>

Session Aims & Highlights (2019-09-16)

Main aims

1. Software Testing: Test new fixes to AstroMain and AstroAllSky programs
2. C/2019 Q4 (Borisov) . Image the new comet C/2019 Q4 (Borisov)
3. Mixed Target - Image a selection of targets, but mainly Variable Stars and Nearby Star Targets due to bright moonlit sky conditions
4. 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 3.11.3,  Astroguard 1.2.4,   AstroPlan 1.10.2,  AstroVOE 1.3.1, UPB 1.4.17  (AstroWeather 1.7.8, AstroAllSky 3.4.8 )

Highlights

• Primary target for the night, C/2019 Q4 (Borisov), was successfully imaged

Lowlights

• None

Summary Plots & Logs

Observing Plan (2019-09-16, S695)

Observing Result (2019-09-16, S695)

Night Sky Summary Plot (2019-09-16, S695) 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 1.7.8) Cloudy for most of night with skies potentially clearing at 03:00,  low probability of any significant rain (As it turned out the evolving forecast through the late evening extended the cloud further and further through the night, and indeed it was cloudy for the the whole night, only clearing at around 06:30 after the sun has risen. A few spots of rain occurred at around 00:45 and 02:40)

Session Event Log (2019-09-16, S695)

Time     Event Detail 23:07:56 Session Created Live Session Created (2019-09-16 S00695, ImageSaveNum: 695001) 23:08:54   Obs.Manager Started Obs.Manager started 23:09:04   Services Started Observatory Services started 23:09:47   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -15°C) 23:14:20 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 23:14:22 Session Pending Session pending (2019-09-16) 23:14:24 Session Initiating Session initiating (2019-09-16) 23:14:26   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan () 23:14:42   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (2019-09-16 V1 BEST PLAN, Plan ID: 342) 23:14:50   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -15°C) 23:14:53   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 23:15:04 Session Equilibration Session ready for dome & camera equilibration 23:15:07 Wait on Weather Waiting for acceptable weather conditions 23:20:06 Session Suspended Session suspended 23:20:08   Queue Started Observing Queue started (8 targets selected) 23:25:00     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (1/8, GCVS CI Cyg) due to other condition 23:32:26     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (2/8, GCVS FG Sge) due to cloud 23:39:38     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (3/8, 61 Cyg) due to rain 23:46:28 Session Resuming Session resuming 23:47:13   Shutter Opened Shutter opened (opening time 45s) 23:47:16 Session Running Session running 23:47:18   Queue Resumed Observing Queue resumed 23:47:20     Target Started (4/8) Target started (4/8, GCVS BL Lac) 23:53:16     Target Completed Target completed (4/8, GCVS BL Lac) 23:53:18     Target Started (5/8) Target started (5/8, GCVS EV Lac) 23:55:10       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 23:57:27       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1) 23:59:48     Target Completed Target completed (5/8, GCVS EV Lac) 23:59:50     Target Started (6/8) Target started (6/8, GCVS Z And) 00:02:20       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:04:32       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2) 00:08:25     Target Completed Target completed (6/8, GCVS Z And) 00:08:27     Target Started (7/8) Target started (7/8, GCVS RX And) 00:10:43       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:13:10       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 3) 00:15:49     Target Completed Target completed (7/8, GCVS RX And) 00:15:51     Target Started (8/8) Target started (8/8, GCVS RR Tau) 00:15:53     Target Failed Target failed due to airmass limit (8/8, GCVS RR Tau) 00:15:55   Queue Completed Job Queue completed 00:15:57 Session Initiating Session initiating (2019-09-16) 00:16:01   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan () 00:16:10   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (2019-09-16 V2 BEST PLAN, Plan ID: 343) 00:16:18   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -15°C) 00:16:21   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 00:16:32 Session Equilibration Session ready for dome & camera equilibration 00:16:35   Equilibration Started Dome Equilibration started 00:16:37   Equilibration Skipped Dome Equilibration skipped by user 00:16:39 Session Running Session running 00:16:41   Queue Started Observing Queue started (8 targets selected) 00:19:01     Target Started (1/8) Target started (1/8, GCVS FG Sge) 00:21:55       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:24:05       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 4) 00:26:36     Target Completed Target completed (1/8, GCVS FG Sge) 00:26:38     Target Started (2/8) Target started (2/8, 61 Cyg) 00:28:25       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:30:31       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 5) 00:32:05     Target Completed Target completed (2/8, 61 Cyg) 00:33:26     Target Started (3/8) Target started (3/8, GCVS EV Lac) 00:35:09       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:37:23       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 6) 00:39:33     Target Completed Target completed (3/8, GCVS EV Lac) 00:41:26     Target Started (4/8) Target started (4/8, GCVS RX And) 00:43:59       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:46:20       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 7) 00:49:00     Target Completed Target completed (4/8, GCVS RX And) 00:49:02     Target Started (5/8) Target started (5/8, GCVS CI Cyg) 00:51:34       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:53:38       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 8) 00:57:24     Target Completed Target completed (5/8, GCVS CI Cyg) 00:57:26     Target Started (6/8) Target started (6/8, GCVS BL Lac) 00:59:39       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:01:51       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 9) 01:05:47     Target Completed Target completed (6/8, GCVS BL Lac) 01:06:37     Target Started (7/8) Target started (7/8, GCVS Z And) 01:09:31       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:11:46       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 10) 01:15:36     Target Completed Target completed (7/8, GCVS Z And) 01:15:38     Target Started (8/8) Target started (8/8, GCVS RR Tau) 01:18:10       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:20:20       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 11) 01:26:53     Target Completed Target completed (8/8, GCVS RR Tau) 01:26:56   Queue Completed Job Queue completed 01:26:59 Session Initiating Session initiating (2019-09-16) 01:27:05   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan () 01:27:19   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (2019-09-16 V3 BEST PLAN, Plan ID: 344) 01:27:27   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -15°C) 01:27:30   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 01:27:41 Session Equilibration Session ready for dome & camera equilibration 01:27:44   Equilibration Started Dome Equilibration started 01:27:46   Equilibration Skipped Dome Equilibration skipped by user 01:27:48 Session Running Session running 01:27:50   Queue Started Observing Queue started (14 targets selected) 01:30:05     Target Started (1/14) Target started (1/14, GCVS CI Cyg) 01:32:50       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:35:22       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 12) 01:39:04     Target Completed Target completed (1/14, GCVS CI Cyg) 01:39:06     Target Started (2/14) Target started (2/14, GCVS FG Sge) 01:42:19       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:44:27       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 13) 01:46:56     Target Completed Target completed (2/14, GCVS FG Sge) 01:46:58     Target Started (3/14) Target started (3/14, GCVS BL Lac) 01:48:59       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:51:10       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 14) 01:54:57     Target Completed Target completed (3/14, GCVS BL Lac) 01:55:07     Target Started (4/14) Target started (4/14, GCVS UV Cet) 01:55:09     Target Failed Target failed due to airmass limit (4/14, GCVS UV Cet) 02:03:09     Target Started (5/14) Target started (5/14, GCVS EV Lac) 02:05:21       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:07:46       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 15) 02:10:13     Target Completed Target completed (5/14, GCVS EV Lac) 02:11:09     Target Started (6/14) Target started (6/14, GCVS RX And) 02:13:16       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:15:22       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 16) 02:17:58     Target Completed Target completed (6/14, GCVS RX And) 02:18:39     Target Started (7/14) Target started (7/14, GCVS RR Tau) 02:21:10       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:23:23       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 17) 02:30:07     Target Completed Target completed (7/14, GCVS RR Tau) 02:30:09     Target Started (8/14) Target started (8/14, GCVS Z And) 02:32:48       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:34:56       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 18) 02:38:44     Target Completed Target completed (8/14, GCVS Z And) 02:38:46     Target Started (9/14) Target started (9/14, GCVS FO Ori) 02:38:48     Target Failed Target failed due to airmass limit (9/14, GCVS FO Ori) 02:45:20     Target Started (10/14) Target started (10/14, 61 Cyg) 02:48:52       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:50:29     Target Completed Target completed (10/14, 61 Cyg) 02:52:24     Target Started (11/14) Target started (11/14, GCVS FU Ori) 02:55:49       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:58:15       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 19) 03:00:53     Target Completed Target completed (11/14, GCVS FU Ori) 03:00:55     Target Started (12/14) Target started (12/14, GCVS U Gem) 03:00:57     Target Failed Target failed due to airmass limit (12/14, GCVS U Gem) 03:08:57     Target Started (13/14) Target started (13/14, GCVS RZ LMi) 03:08:59     Target Failed Target failed due to airmass limit (13/14, GCVS RZ LMi) 03:20:15     Target Started (14/14) Target started (14/14, GCVS RZ LMi) 03:20:16     Target Failed Target failed due to airmass limit (14/14, GCVS RZ LMi) 03:20:19   Queue Completed Job Queue completed 03:20:23 Session Initiating Session initiating (2019-09-16) 03:20:28   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan () 03:20:38   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (2019-09-16 V4 BEST PLAN, Plan ID: 345) 03:20:46   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -15°C) 03:20:48   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 03:20:59 Session Equilibration Session ready for dome & camera equilibration 03:21:02   Equilibration Started Dome Equilibration started 03:21:04   Equilibration Skipped Dome Equilibration skipped by user 03:21:06 Session Running Session running 03:21:08   Queue Started Observing Queue started (10 targets selected) 03:23:29     Target Started (1/10) Target started (1/10, 61 Cyg) 03:26:42       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:28:59       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 20) 03:30:20     Target Completed Target completed (1/10, 61 Cyg) 03:30:32     Target Started (2/10) Target started (2/10, GCVS EV Lac) 03:32:49       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:35:23       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 21) 03:37:43     Target Completed Target completed (2/10, GCVS EV Lac) 03:38:32     Target Started (3/10) Target started (3/10, GCVS RX And) 03:40:21       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:42:24       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 22) 03:45:02     Target Completed Target completed (3/10, GCVS RX And) 03:46:02     Target Started (4/10) Target started (4/10, GCVS UV Cet) 03:46:05     Target Failed Target failed due to airmass limit (4/10, GCVS UV Cet) 03:54:04     Target Started (5/10) Target started (5/10, GCVS FO Ori) 03:56:36       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:58:34       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 23) 04:02:33     Target Completed Target completed (5/10, GCVS FO Ori) 04:02:35     Target Started (6/10) Target started (6/10, GCVS NV Ori) 04:02:37     Target Failed Target failed due to airmass limit (6/10, GCVS NV Ori) 04:09:56     Target Started (7/10) Target started (7/10, GCVS RR Tau) 04:12:25       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 04:14:26       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 24) 04:20:50     Target Completed Target completed (7/10, GCVS RR Tau) 04:20:52     Target Started (8/10) Target started (8/10, GCVS FU Ori) 04:24:40       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 04:25:06 Critical Cloud Alert Critical Cloud Alert (Obs.Manager will close the Shutter) 04:25:08   HardSuspend Called Hard Suspend is called due to Critical Conditions (cloud) 04:25:10     Target Aborted (8/10) Target aborted (8/10, GCVS FU Ori) due to cloud 04:25:12   Queue Paused Queue pausing for HardSuspend 04:27:13 Session Suspended Session suspended 04:28:01   Shutter Closed Shutter closed (closing time 47s) 04:28:03     Queue Resumed Queue resumed after HardSuspend (174s) 04:30:01 Session Resuming Session resuming 04:30:46   Shutter Opened Shutter opened (opening time 45s) 04:30:48 Session Running Session running 04:30:50   Queue Resumed Observing Queue resumed 04:30:52     Target Started (9/10) Target started (9/10, GCVS U Gem) 04:33:10       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 04:37:05     Target Completed Target completed (9/10, GCVS U Gem) 04:37:06     Target Started (10/10) Target started (10/10, C/2019 Q4 (Borisov)) 04:43:02       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 05:03:18     Target Completed Target completed (10/10, C/2019 Q4 (Borisov)) 05:03:21   Queue Completed Job Queue completed 05:03:25 Session Initiating Session initiating (2019-09-16) 05:03:30   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan () 05:03:40   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (2019-09-16 V5 BEST PLAN, Plan ID: 346) 05:03:48   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -15°C) 05:03:50   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 05:04:02 Session Equilibration Session ready for dome & camera equilibration 05:04:05   Equilibration Started Dome Equilibration started 05:04:07   Equilibration Skipped Dome Equilibration skipped by user 05:04:09 Session Running Session running 05:04:11   Queue Started Observing Queue started (1 targets selected) 05:06:30     Target Started (1/1) Target started (1/1, GCVS EV Lac) 05:09:27       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 05:14:12       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 25) 05:16:25     Target Completed Target completed (1/1, GCVS EV Lac) 05:16:28   Queue Completed Job Queue completed 05:16:30 Session Closing Session closing 05:17:19   Shutter Closed Shutter closed (closing time 45s) 05:18:30   Dome Parked Dome parked (parking time 71s) 05:19:20   Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 45s) 05:20:10 Session Housekeeping Housekeeping Started (Cleanup FITS, Create Fits Summary, Transfer Files) 05:21:24 Session Finished Session Finished

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Operational Issues (2019-09-16, S695)

• Critical Issues (0)
• Major Issues (0)
  
• Minor Issues (2)
• Continuous Improvement (2)

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Critical Issues

• None

Major Issues

• None

Minor Issues

• AllSky Scope Pictures are not getting saved for comet targets.  No scope pictures were found at the end of the session for C/2019 Q4 (Borisov), which was needed for a website picture.  This was resolved by going to the AllSky Archive and digging out the specific timestamped frame picture.  It was also noticed that similarly there was no scope pictures saved for C/2018 W2 (Africano) in session S688, which was also needed for later analysis.  On both nights scope pictures for other targets were saved ok. It is hypothesised that the reason for failure in both cases is that the target names in both cases contain '/' backslash character which is disallowed when constructing a file name.  Routine modified so that it use a fix adjusted name for building file name
  Fixed 2019-09-18 (AstroAllSky 3.4.9)
   
• New airmass tolerance feature in AstroPlan Schedule Builder produced unwelcome side effect during actual operations. A new feature added in AstroPlan 1.10.3 allows a tolerance on Airmass Limits for building plans.  This is workaround for a shortage of targets during bright moonlit nights when the number of targets matching tighter sky constraints lead to overly short plans.   So instead a target with a normal airmass constraint of 3.0 is included where the forecast airmass will be say 3.9 (using a 1.0 tolerance).  However CGVS / variable star targets have a hard-coded (or settings based) airmass limit which caused 8 targets to fail during the session due to 'airmass limit'.  Some of these observations may have been duplicates of other earlier or later successful observations in the session so the lost targets may be less than 8. 
  >>  Consider this sideeffect and how to proceed.  (AstroMain / AstroPlan)

Continuous Improvement

• When pre-Traget Autofocusing fails, it would be useful to know the reason for the failure. Is it appropriate to put in Session Events?
  Done 2019-09-21 (AstroMain 3.11.7)
   
• Can Align & Combine Tools in AstroMain Analysis recognise when another CCDSoft window is open and the tool will fail. Align and Combine tools require send keys access to main CCDSoft Window in order to work. The tools fail if another window such as camera or histogram is open and can cause corruption to the data fields in those other windows. Is there a way to recognise the situation and not send the keys under such situation and alert user instead. There is no know way to find out /control CCDSoft's subwindows.  New Analysis Tasks Routine in AstroMain 3.36 makes it easier to control workflows and prevent the underlying issue from presenting itself.
  Done 2021-02-07 (AstroMain 3.36).

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2019-09-19

Pulsar Dome - Battery Not Charging

Since the last operation of the dome in session on night 2019-09-16 / 2019-09-17 it has been noticed that the battery level/voltage of the shutter battery didn't come up after the session and have gradually been dropping since then, with no evidence of the battery charging.  

This is shown in the monitoring charts below (gap in data was a period when the monitoring wasn't active)

The Shutter's lithium battery charging does automatically turn off in cold conditions, but this can't be the explanation on this occasion since ambient temperatures have been in excess of 10°C .  In an incident in x 2018 the wires between the induction unit and the shutter unit became caught, pulled the wire out at both ends and stopped battery charging.  Since the repair to the unit/charger the wires have been tied back more securely but there is a less risk of a similar incident again.

With some hestitation the observatory was visited to see what the problem was.  Fortunately the wires to the shutter unit were confirmed to be intact, but there was a definate misalignment between the two parts of the induction charger.   Even though the dome was recorded at normal park angle of 90.0deg,  it's physical position was at around 91.3 deg, which evidently wasn't enough to not allow induction charging process to occur. 

Attempting to move the dome clockwise/anticlockwise showed there was some slippage even thoug the wheels were tight against the rail. The drive rail was quite wet with condensation and there was muck on the the rear wheels.  This prompt a cycle of wiping dry and cleaning the drive rail. The back of the rail was found to be particularly dirty (after 18 months of use).   After completely this task the Dome was recalibrated, parked back at its 90.0deg Park position, and a check made the induction charger was correctly aligned.      Checks over the next couple of hours showed battery leve/voltage returning to normal.

Photo showing misalignment in the two parts of Induction Charger		Cleaning the backside of roof flange /drive rail with tissue

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