David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 721 (2019-11-13)

Notes (S720)

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Notes (S722)

	Session Aims & Highlights
	- Observing Result  - Night Summary Plot  - Session Event Log
	Operational Issues
	- Critical Issues (0),  Major Issues (0),  Minor Issues (3),  Continuous Improvement (0)
	Images from 2019-11-13  >>
	Imaging Improvement Plan

Session Aims & Highlights (2019-11-13)

Main aims

1. PHD2 / Mount:  Run new PHD2 guiding calibration after setting ZWO ASI 178MC camera at a new angle.   Run number of tests (StarCross,  Guiding Assistent, Measure Backlash) and resolve certain issues such as Declination backlash.
   (This part of the session was conducted prior to midnight and took longer than expected during the experimenting with different Declination Backlash settings in the LX200 telescope mount)
   
2. Targets: Acquire images of a selection of new targets plus monitoring of previous variable stars, nearby stars and comets.
   (This part of the session only began after midnight and was expected to be interrupted by rain or sleet showers)
   

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
• SharpCap 3.2
   
• AstroMain 3.17.6 ,  Astroguard 1.2.9,   AstroPlan 1.13.1,  AstroShCap 1.2.9, AstroVOE 1.3.4, UPB 1.4.17  (AstroWeather 1.7.9, AstroAllSky 3.5)

Highlights

• Observatory System. Observatory system worked well closing shutter and suspendig session when there was cloud and threat of rain in the 15min forecast.
• PHD2 Calibration:  New calibration obtained for the newly positioned camera. 
• Declination Backlash : Declination backlash measured and largely eliminated by setting the Anti-Backlash value for the LX200's Dec axis  to 150%.   (This was achieved by measuring the backlash using PHD2's Guiding Assistent, changing the  Anti-Backlash setting for the scope using virtual handbox  in PemPro, and then remeasuring the backlash.  

Lowlights

• Small bugs/issues.  There were a few minor issues  associated with recently added features

Summary Plots & Logs

Observing Plan

Observing Result

Slew/Centering Performance

Dome Slewing Performance

Sky Conditions (Locate Frames)

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 (API data from darksky.net) Forecast showed some initial risk of rain showers, becoming dry with light clou, but with cloud progressively developing towards dawn the night but remaining dry In the event there was a moderately clear interval between 17:30 and 01:00 after which observing became interrupted by intervals of cloud and very light showers

Session Event Log

Time     Event Detail 23:46:14 Session Created Live Session Created (2019-11-13 S00721, ImageSaveNum: 721001) 23:47:25   Obs.Manager Started Obs.Manager started 23:47:27   Obs.Overseer Started Obs.Overseer started 23:47:31   Services Started Observatory Services started 23:48:05       Focusing Started Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 23:49:23       Focusing Failed Foc2 Focusing Failed - star lost 23:51:05   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 23:51:26   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -25°C) 23:52:14       Focusing Started Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 23:55:09       Focusing Failed Foc2 Focusing Failed - failed QC check (Range) 23:56:35       Focusing Started Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 23:59:08       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 3) 23:59:56       Focusing Started Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope) 00:02:23       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 4) 00:03:06       Focusing Started Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope) 00:05:49       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 5) 00:06:29       Focusing Started Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope) 00:10:00       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 6) 00:10:12       Focusing Started Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 00:12:03       Focusing Failed Foc2 Focusing Failed - failed QC check (Range) 00:13:25       Focusing Started Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 00:15:10       Focusing Failed Foc2 Focusing Failed - failed QC check (Range) 00:22:46 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 00:22:47 Session Pending Session pending (2019-11-13) 00:22:49 Session Initiating Session initiating (2019-11-13) 00:22:51   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.13.1) 00:23:23   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (2019-11-13 V1 BEST PLAN, Plan ID: 419) 00:23:27   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -25°C) 00:23:35   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 00:23:49 Session Equilibration Session ready for dome & camera equilibration 00:23:52   Equilibration Started Dome Equilibration started 00:23:54   Equilibration Skipped Dome Equilibration skipped by user 00:23:56 Session Running Session running 00:23:58   Queue Started Observing Queue started (31 targets selected) 00:25:47     Target Started (1/31) Target started (1/31, GCVS SS Cyg) 00:27:42       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:29:39       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 9) 00:33:21     Target Completed Target completed (1/31, GCVS SS Cyg) 00:40:09     Target Started (2/31) Target started (2/31, GCVS BL Lac) 00:41:47       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:43:52       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 10) 00:47:51     Target Completed Target completed (2/31, GCVS BL Lac) 00:49:57     Target Started (3/31) Target started (3/31, GCVS Z And) 00:52:52       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:55:15       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 11) 00:59:00     Target Completed Target completed (3/31, GCVS Z And) 00:59:02     Target Started (4/31) Target started (4/31, GSC 1224:29) 01:02:58       Focusing Failed Foc1 Focusing Failed - unable to find a star (TCF-S) 01:07:29     Target Completed Target completed (4/31, GSC 1224:29) 01:07:48     Target Started (5/31) Target started (5/31, GCVS FO Ori) 01:10:57       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:12:44       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 12) 01:13:30 Critical RainThreat Alert Critical Rain Threat Alert (Obs.Manager will close the Shutter) 01:13:32   HardSuspend Called Hard Suspend is called due to Critical Conditions (threat of rain) 01:13:34     Target Aborted (5/31) Target aborted (5/31, GCVS FO Ori) due to threat of rain 01:13:36   Queue Paused Queue pausing for HardSuspend 01:13:38 Session Suspended Session suspended 01:14:24   Shutter Closed Shutter closed (closing time 49s) 01:15:41     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (5/31, GCVS FO Ori) due to cloud 01:23:58     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (6/31, GCVS CN Ori) due to cloud 01:30:46 Session Resuming Session resuming 01:31:31   Shutter Opened Shutter opened (opening time 45s) 01:31:34 Session Running Session running 01:31:36   Queue Resumed Observing Queue resumed 01:31:38     Target Started (7/31) Target started (7/31, GCVS NV Ori) 01:36:54     Target Completed Target partially completed (7/31, GCVS NV Ori) 01:36:56     Target Started (8/31) Target started (8/31, WDS GRB 34) 01:41:32     Target Completed Target completed (8/31, WDS GRB 34) 01:41:34     Target Started (9/31) Target started (9/31, GCVS RX And) 01:43:50       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:46:15       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 13) 01:48:57     Target Completed Target completed (9/31, GCVS RX And) 01:48:59     Target Started (10/31) Target started (10/31, GCVS U And) 01:51:42       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:53:30       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 14) 02:03:48     Target Completed Target completed (10/31, GCVS U And) 02:03:50     Target Started (11/31) Target started (11/31, GCVS CM Tau) 02:23:07     Target Completed Target completed (11/31, GCVS CM Tau) 02:23:09     Target Started (12/31) Target started (12/31, GCVS HH And) 02:25:54       Focusing Failed Foc1 Focusing Failed - unable to find a star (TCF-S) 02:27:36     Target Completed Target completed (12/31, GCVS HH And) 02:27:38     Target Started (13/31) Target started (13/31, GCVS DY Per) 02:29:46 Critical RainThreat Alert Critical Rain Threat Alert (Obs.Manager will close the Shutter) 02:29:48   HardSuspend Called Hard Suspend is called due to Critical Conditions (threat of rain) 02:29:50     Target Aborted (13/31) Target aborted (13/31, GCVS DY Per) due to threat of rain 02:29:52   Queue Paused Queue pausing for HardSuspend 02:29:55 Session Suspended Session suspended 02:30:41   Shutter Closed Shutter closed (closing time 49s) 02:36:15     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (13/31, GCVS DY Per) due to other condition 02:49:45     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (14/31, C/2017 T2 (PanStarrs)) due to cloud 02:59:06     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (15/31, GCVS SU Tau) due to cloud 03:18:32     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (16/31, Scholz's Star) due to other condition 03:31:13     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (17/31, GCVS TT Ari) due to other condition 03:40:38 Session Resuming Session resuming 03:41:23   Shutter Opened Shutter opened (opening time 45s) 03:41:26 Session Running Session running 03:41:28   Queue Resumed Observing Queue resumed 03:41:30     Target Started (18/31) Target started (18/31, C/2018 N2 (ASASSN)) 03:50:12     Target Completed Target partially completed (18/31, C/2018 N2 (ASASSN)) 03:50:14     Target Started (19/31) Target started (19/31, GCVS GK Per) 03:52:29       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:54:33       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 15) 03:57:29     Target Completed Target completed (19/31, GCVS GK Per) 03:57:31     Target Started (20/31) Target started (20/31, GCVS RR Tau) 03:59:24   SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend is called due to Deteriorating Conditions (reducing clarity) 03:59:26 Critical Cloud Alert Critical Cloud Alert (Obs.Manager will close the Shutter) 03:59:28   HardSuspend Called Hard Suspend is called due to Critical Conditions (threat of rain) 03:59:30     Target Aborted (20/31) Target aborted (20/31, GCVS RR Tau) due to threat of rain 03:59:32   Queue Paused Queue paused for SoftSuspend 03:59:34 Session Suspended Session suspended 03:59:36   Queue Paused Queue pausing for HardSuspend 04:00:19   Shutter Closed Shutter closed (closing time 49s) 04:03:23     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (20/31, GCVS RR Tau) due to cloud 04:11:28     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (21/31, GCVS FU Ori) due to cloud 04:21:06     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (22/31, GCVS U Mon) due to cloud 04:31:39     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (23/31, GCVS RZ LMi) due to cloud 04:39:38   Camera1 SetPoint SBIG Camera Set Point Temperature Updated (new set point -20°C) 04:45:11     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (24/31, GCVS CN Leo) due to cloud 04:53:49     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (25/31, GCVS AM CVn) due to cloud 04:58:30 Session Resuming Session resuming 04:59:15   Shutter Opened Shutter opened (opening time 46s) 04:59:18 Session Running Session running 04:59:20   Queue Resumed Observing Queue resumed 04:59:22     Target Started (26/31) Target started (26/31, GCVS DX Cnc) 05:07:35     Target Completed Target completed (26/31, GCVS DX Cnc) 05:07:37     Target Started (27/31) Target started (27/31, LAMOST-HVS1) 05:10:38       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 05:12:42       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 16) 05:15:58     Target Completed Target completed (27/31, LAMOST-HVS1) 05:16:00     Target Started (28/31) Target started (28/31, GCVS ER UMa) 05:18:56       Focusing Failed Foc1 Focusing Failed - star is too dim (TCF-S) 05:23:09     Target Completed Target completed (28/31, GCVS ER UMa) 05:23:11     Target Started (29/31) Target started (29/31, C/2019 Q4 (Borisov)) 05:26:36       Focusing Failed Foc1 Focusing Failed - star is too dim (TCF-S) 05:36:38 Critical Cloud Alert Critical Cloud Alert (Obs.Manager will close the Shutter) 05:36:40   HardSuspend Called Hard Suspend is called due to Critical Conditions (cloud) 05:36:42     Target Aborted (29/31) Target aborted (29/31, C/2019 Q4 (Borisov)) due to cloud 05:36:44   Queue Paused Queue pausing for HardSuspend 05:36:46 Session Suspended Session suspended 05:37:33   Shutter Closed Shutter closed (closing time 47s) 05:46:50   Camera1 SetPoint SBIG Camera Set Point Temperature Updated (new set point -25°C) 05:49:39 Session Resuming Session resuming 05:50:25   Shutter Opened Shutter opened (opening time 46s) 05:50:27 Session Running Session running 05:50:29   Queue Resumed Observing Queue resumed 05:50:31     Target Started (29/31) Target started (29/31, C/2019 Q4 (Borisov)) 06:00:43     Target Completed Target partially completed (29/31, C/2019 Q4 (Borisov)) 06:00:45     Target Started (30/31) Target started (30/31, GCVS U Gem) 06:03:05       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 06:05:18       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 17) 06:09:05     Target Completed Target completed (30/31, GCVS U Gem) 06:09:07     Target Started (31/31) Target started (31/31, 38P/Stephan-Oterma) 06:19:22     Target Completed Target completed (31/31, 38P/Stephan-Oterma) 06:19:25   Queue Completed Job Queue completed 06:19:27 Session Closing Session closing 06:20:22   Shutter Closed Shutter closed (closing time 50s) 06:20:39   Dome Parked Dome parked (parking time 17s) 06:20:49   Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 10s) 06:21:34 Session Housekeeping Housekeeping Started (Cleanup FITS, Create Fits Summary, Transfer Files) 06:21:47 Session Finished Session Finished

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Operational Issues (2019-11-13, S721)

• Critical Issues (0)
• Major Issues (0)
• Minor Issues (3)
• Continuous Improvement (0)

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Critical Issues

• None

Major Issues

• None

Minor Issues

• Focus Profile for Guidescope (Secondary Scope) created using focus data from SharpCap is sometimes failing to find best focus position.     This occurs when SharpCap returns a FWHM value of 20.0 which is assigned a null value (vcNull), but the point is still included within the array of (Step, FWHM) points used for determining a quadratic fit to the focus data.  
  Fixed 2019-11-15 (AstroMain 3.17.7)
   
• Focus Profile for Guidescope (Secondary Scope) created using focus data from PHD2 contains anomalous HFD values. First point in the profile is frrequently and average of around 12 point (collected over a range of focus positions) rather than an average of 3 points taken at the focuser position for the first step in the profile.   Other values appear to be paired,  2nd and 3rd points are sinilar, 4th and 5th points are similar etc.
  Fixed 2019-11-15 (AstroMain 3.17.7)
   
• Certain Slew and Jog information on the Centering Chart is overposting.  Issue is in a recently added feature and is caused because the White Filled Rectangle used to cover previous values before drawing updated values is not of the correct size.
  Fixed 2019-11-15 (AstroMain 3.17.7)

Continuous Improvement

• None

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Imaging Improvement Plan

As part a new drive to improve the quality of image collected at the Observatory the following improvement plan is defined

• Improve Main Scope Imaging
  • Improve Autoguiding
  • Better Focusing of Main Scope
    - Faster Focus
     - Investigate backlash
  • Better C Filter
     
• Improve Secondary Scope Imaging
  • Better/More Reliable Focusing
  • Realtime application of dark frame
  • Realtime application of flat field
  • Better colour balance (eliminaate the green background hue)
     
• Improve Autoguiding
  
  • Improved Guidescope Focusing :  
     Action:  Build new tools to ease the task of reliably focusing the secondary scope.   DONE
     Action:  Extend tool to allow automated focussing of the guidescope. DONE
    
  • Improve orienation of the Guidescope Camera
     Action: Rotate camera so orientation is with one degree of 0 deg position.  DONE
     Action: Rerun Camera Calibration DONE
    
  • Run PHD2's Guiding Assistent  DONE
  • Reduce Declination Backlash on the main mount  DONE
     Action : Adjust Anti-Backlash values for the Dec axis using the LX200's  Autostar II Handbox  DONE
     Action: Iterate using PHD2's Guiding Assistent to check the scope residual backlash error  DONE
    

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