David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 809 (2020-09-16)

Notes (S808)

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Notes (S810)

	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 2020-09-16 >>

Session Aims & Highlights (2020-09-16)

Main aims

1. Targets. Acquire images of a selection of targets if conditions allow.

Equipment & Software

• 12" LX200 and ST-10XME
• 80mm APO and ZWO ASI 178MC
• CCDApp2, TheSky6, CCDSoft5, PHD2,  DeviceHub 4.6.1.10, UPB 1.5 
• Pegasus UPB & Motor Focus, TCF-S
• SharpCap 3.2, PHD2  2.6.9
   
• AstroMain 3.28.7,  AstroGuard 1.4.3,   AstroPlan 1.16,  AstroShCap 1.2.23, AstroVOE 1.3.6, AstroProtect 1.4.1
  (AstroWeather 1.10.11, AstroAllSky 3.6)
  

Highlights

• Targets. Several targets acquired despite the poorer than forecast conditions.

Lowlights

•   Cloud. Night was far cloudier than expected.  Weather forecast had indicated at least 5 hours of clear skies,  but the total time with clear skies was only about 1 hour.

Summary Plots & Logs

Observing Plan

Observing Result

Dome & Scope Slewing Performance

Slew/Centering Performance

Guiding 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) Pre-Session Weather forecast showed dry and clear conditons for the entire night (starting at 10% cloud cover, dropping to 0% cloud cover for 5-6 hours, before climbing to 23-40% at dawn) with minimum temperature of 10°C and light winds (5 mph in first part of night, climbing later to 12% by dawn). In the event conditions were much cloudier than forecast, with clearest patches between 00:15 and 01:30 and from 04:15 to dawn. Minimum outside temperature was 9°C. Winds were lightest in first part of night and showing and increase in strength towards dawn.

Session Event Log

Time     Event Detail 00:14:58   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -5°C) 00:15:00 Session Created Live Session Created (2020-09-16 S00809, ImageSaveNum: 809001) 00:15:02   Scope Switched On Telescope Power has been switched on via UPB Powerbox. 00:16:49   Services Started Observatory Services started 00:16:58 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 00:17:00 Session Monitoring AutoStart monitoring for Live Session opportunity starting between 23:24 & 04:47 00:17:02   AutoStart Delayed Session delayed due to cloud 00:17:04 Session AutoStarting Session autostarting (00:14) 00:17:06 Session Pending Session pending (2020-09-16) 00:17:08 Session Initiating Session initiating (2020-09-16) 00:17:10   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.16) 00:17:21   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (2020-09-16 V1 BEST PLAN, Plan ID: 543) 00:17:24   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -15°C) 00:17:30   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 00:17:41 Session Equilibration Session ready for dome & camera equilibration 00:18:26   Dome Opened Dome opened (opening time 45s) 00:18:29   Equilibration Started Dome Equilibration started 00:18:31   Equilibration Ended Dome Equilibration ended (0.0 mins total) 00:18:33 Session Running Session running 00:18:35   Queue Started Observing Queue started (17 targets selected) 00:19:43       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:24:37       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1) 00:27:25       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1) 00:27:27       Focusing Started-Foc2 Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 00:29:47       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2, wide) 00:31:48       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2) 00:32:08       Focusing Checked Foc2 Focusing Check Succeeded 00:32:10     Target Started (1/17) Target started (1/17, UGC 122) 00:35:04 Critical Cloud Alert Critical Cloud Alert (Obs.Manager will close the Shutter) 00:35:06   HardSuspend Called Hard Suspend is called due to Critical Conditions (cloud) 00:35:24     Target Aborted (1/17) Target aborted (1/17, UGC 122) due to cloud 00:35:26   Queue Paused Queue pausing for HardSuspend 00:35:28 Session Suspended Session suspended 00:36:09   Dome Closed Dome closed (closing time 44s) 00:42:23     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (1/17, UGC 122) due to other condition 00:53:35 Session Resuming Session resuming 00:54:20   Dome Opened Dome opened (opening time 45s) 00:54:23 Session Running Session running 00:54:25   Queue Resumed Observing Queue resumed 00:54:27     Target Started (2/17) Target started (2/17, UGC 695) 01:17:47     Target Completed Target partially completed (2/17, UGC 695) 01:17:49     Target Started (3/17) Target started (3/17, GCVS TT Ari) 01:20:19       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:22:05       Focusing Failed Foc1 Focusing Failed - star lost 01:24:08 Critical Cloud Alert Critical Cloud Alert (Obs.Manager will close the Shutter) 01:24:10   HardSuspend Called Hard Suspend is called due to Critical Conditions (cloud) 01:25:12     Target Aborted (3/17) Target aborted (3/17, GCVS TT Ari) due to cloud 01:25:14   Queue Paused Queue pausing for HardSuspend 01:25:16 Session Suspended Session suspended 01:26:03   Dome Closed Dome closed (closing time 49s) 01:45:07     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (4/17, UGC 6) due to cloud 01:56:17     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (5/17, GCVS RX And) due to cloud 02:11:49     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (6/17, UGC 6930) due to cloud 02:15:18   Camera1 SetPoint SBIG Camera Set Point Temperature Updated (new set point -10°C) 02:33:11     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (7/17, NGC 2782) due to cloud 02:55:33     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (8/17, NGC 7678) due to cloud 03:13:55     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (9/17, NGC 7722) due to cloud 03:35:17     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (10/17, UGCA 25) due to cloud 03:43:01 Session Resuming Session resuming 03:43:46   Dome Opened Dome opened (opening time 45s) 03:43:47 Session Running Session running 03:43:49   Queue Resumed Observing Queue resumed 03:43:51     Target Started (11/17) Target started (11/17, GCVS DY Per) 03:46:38       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:49:30       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 4) 03:53:10     Target Completed Target partially completed (11/17, GCVS DY Per) 03:53:12     Target Started (12/17) Target started (12/17, NGC 1128) 03:54:32 Critical Cloud Alert Critical Cloud Alert (Obs.Manager will close the Shutter) 03:54:34   HardSuspend Called Hard Suspend is called due to Critical Conditions (cloud) 03:54:36     Target Aborted (12/17) Target aborted (12/17, NGC 1128) due to cloud 03:54:38   Queue Paused Queue pausing for HardSuspend 03:54:40 Session Suspended Session suspended 03:55:27   Dome Closed Dome closed (closing time 49s) 04:04:38   Camera1 SetPoint SBIG Camera Set Point Temperature Updated (new set point -15°C) 04:07:47     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (12/17, NGC 1128) due to cloud 04:12:28 Session Resuming Session resuming 04:13:14   Dome Opened Dome opened (opening time 45s) 04:13:17 Session Running Session running 04:13:19   Queue Resumed Observing Queue resumed 04:13:21     Target Started (13/17) Target started (13/17, NGC 1346) 04:17:20       Focusing Failed Foc1 Focusing Failed - unable to find a star (TCF-S) 04:35:16     Target Completed Target completed (13/17, NGC 1346) 04:35:18     Target Started (14/17) Target started (14/17, GCVS HH And) 04:38:26       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 04:41:17       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 5) 04:43:04     Target Completed Target completed (14/17, GCVS HH And) 04:43:06     Target Started (15/17) Target started (15/17, WDS GRB 34) 04:45:22       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 04:48:03       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 6) 04:49:36     Target Completed Target completed (15/17, WDS GRB 34) 04:49:38     Target Started (16/17) Target started (16/17, GCVS U And) 04:52:07       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 04:54:46       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 7) 05:04:19     Target Completed Target completed (16/17, GCVS U And) 05:04:22     Target Started (17/17) Target started (17/17, GCVS GK Per) 05:05:55       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 05:08:46       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 8) 05:11:41     Target Completed Target completed (17/17, GCVS GK Per) 05:11:44   Queue Completed Job Queue completed 05:11:49 Session Closing Session closing 05:12:39   Dome Closed Dome closed (closing time 45s) 05:13:24   Dome Parked Dome parked (parking time 45s), Az: 90.0 deg 05:14:16   Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 45s) 05:14:46   Telescope Switched Off Telescope Power has been switched off via UPB Powerbox. 05:15:35   Services Stopped Night Services stopped 05:15:37 Session Housekeeping Housekeeping Started (Cleanup FITS, Create Fits Summary, Transfer Files) 05:15:44 Session Finished Session Finished

Session Alerts

Time     Alert Detail -- No Alerts                --

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Operational Issues (2020-09-16 S809)

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

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Critical Issues

• None

Major Issues

• None

Minor Issues

• Obs.Monitor became frozen (2020-09-16 14:50).  Prior to Session and coincident with an unexpected power outage in local neighbourhood,  the Obs.Monitor became frozen according AstroMain's log file from a message from the Obs.Overseer every 5s.  
  Resolved 2020-09-16 (Session)
   
• Dome Monitor recording bVolatile message exceptions in Pulsar Dome ASCOM Trace Log  (2020-09-16 14:50).  Prior to Session and related to an unexpected power outage in local neighbourhood, which cut-off power to the Observatory Dome / Rotation Drive unit.    'System.TimeoutException: The operation has timed out'. Volatile messages began again at 15:51:05, when power resumed but it was not until 15:51:12 (7 sec later) that 'valid values started appearing.
  Resolved 2020-09-16 (AstroMain 3.28.7)
   
• Foc1 Profile 1_wide not uploaded to website. Wide Profile from Near Zenith Focus Field was not uploaded to website (it should have uploaded as Session.FocusProfile1.gif) The standard profile, Profile 1, was uploaded (but as Session.FocusProfile1.gif instead of Session.FocusProfile2.gif).  Strictly this is a new feature request, but is carried as minor issue because function is missing for Foc1 but present for Foc2.
  Fixed 2020-09-17 (AstroMain 3.28.8)

Continuous Improvement

• None

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