David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 999 Attempt (2022-04-09)

Notes (S998)

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Notes (S999)

	Session Aims & Highlights
	- Observing Result  - Night Summary Plot  - Session Event Log
	Operational Issues
	- Critical Issues (0),  Major Issues (1),  Minor Issues (0),  Small Defects (2),  Continuous Improvement (3)
	2022-04-10
	Investigation - Commands to open Observatory shutter failed (00:07-00:30)

Session Aims & Highlights (2022-04-09)

Main aims

1. Targets.  Acquire images of a selection of variable stars, nearby stars, comets & deep sky targets as allowed by time & conditions.

Equipment & Software

• 12" LX200 and ST-10XME
• 80mm APO and ZWO ASI 178MC
• CCDApp2, TheSky6, CCDSoft5, DeviceHub 6.5.1.9,  MeadeGeneric 1.3.3.373, UPB 1.5, ASCOM 6.5 SP1
• Pegasus UPB & Motor Focus, TCF-S
• SharpCap 3.2, PHD2  2.6.10
   
• AstroMain 3.50.9,  AstroPlan 1.29.14,   AstroShCap 1.3.12, AstroGuard 1.7
  AstroVOE 1.9.2  AstroSN 1.7.3,  AstroProtect 1.6,  AstroMove 1.8.6
  (AstroWeather 1.16.5, AstroAllSky 3.15.3,  AstroObsCam 1.8, AstroLaunch 1.8.3)

Highlights

•  Dome Glitch.  Dome Control Unit not talking to Shutter Unit and prevented session from starting.
•  Targets.  No targets acquired due to failure of the observatory dome system

Notes:

• Observatory placed in Autostart Mode at 00:03 after seeing that skies had cleared at 23:50 following earlier cloud/rain
• Session unable to run as commands to open the shutter all failed.
  

  Summary Plots & Logs

Night Sky Summary Plot 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 (2022-04-09, S999A)

• Critical Issues (0)
• Major Issues (1)
• Minor Issues (2)
• Small Defects (1)
• Continuous Improvement (3)

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Critical Issues

• None

Major Issues

• Session failed as repeated commands to open the Obseratory shutter all failed (00:07 to 00:30).  During Session Equilibration stage the first attempt and numerous follow-up attempts to open the dome (using ASCOM.Dome.OpenShutter method) failed.  AstroMain produced multiple messages  '"Dome opening hasn't begun within 20s (ShutterState is 'closed'). There may be a mechannical, electrical or driver issue" . Remote monitoring at 00:30 concluded that there was some show-stopping issue that was preventing operation to open the dome and a user intervention was consequently made to place the observatory back into Manual Mode.  Then after manually initiated attempts to open the dome also failed it was decided to cancel the session attempt, and review the situation the following day.  Issue investigated (see Investigation - Commands to open Observatory shutter failed). This involved diagnostic tests & analysis from which us was concluded that a failure in Dome Control Unit software or in wireless connection with Shutter Unit had occurred several days beforehand, causing all data from the shutter to flatline. Issue resolved by rebooting the Pulsar Dome Control Unit   Separate tickets have been raised to fix defects and gaps in AstroMain observatory control program. .
  Resolved post-session 2022-04-10 (Pulsar Dome, Session) 

Minor Issues

• None   

Small Defects

• Obs.Manager effectively stuck in a state where it was making attempts to open the dome every 20s (00:07 to 00:30).  After first attempt to open the shutter at 00:07 didn't lead to a physical opening of the dome, fresh attempts were made by Obs.Manager every 20s, but each of these attempts also failed to open the shutter. Report messages : "Dome opening hasn't begun within 20s (ShutterState is 'closed'). There may be a mechannical, electrical or driver issue" produced by the PerformDomeMonitoring() routine which is called by ObsManager main loop..   Obs.Manager continue making attempts every 20s until 00:30 when a user intervention was made in order to break out of the cycle. This was done by placing the observatory back into Manual Mode.    Obs.Manager needs to be modified in order to keep track of the number of failed OpenShutter attempts and automatically set itself back into Manual Mode. When the PerformDomeMonitoring() routine determines that Dome opening hasn't begun within 20s is=it sets bDomeOpeningIssue=True ,  nDomeOpeningAttempts = nDomeOpeningAttempts + 1 ,  MonitorShutterOpening=False.   Code changed so that mode is set to Manual if there is a DomeOpening Issue and more than 3 attempts are made.
  Fixed 2022-04-11 (AstroMain 3.50.10) 
   
• Inappropriate Observatory Alert issued concerning inactive AllSky Star & Synopsis data (2022-04-11).  Very shortly after restarting AstroMain (following installation of new program version) and whilst starting Day Services, an Observatory Alert was issued at 2022-04-11 13:33 with the message "AllSky Star & Synopsis data has been inactive for more than 5 mins". Alert is inappropriate as there has been insufficient time allowed for communication path to be fully setup with AllSky/Weather Computer.   Alert should not be issued for a minimum of 5 minutes after the time that Scorecard services were started. Fixed with use of a new variable (ScoreCardReceiver.RunningStartTime as Date).
  Fixed 2022-04-11 (AstroMain 3.50.10) 

• Raise an Alert if  the Battery Status appears to have flat-lined.  This would require some way of carrying the time of last change in Battery Status between instances of the AstroMain operation (and in a way that is independant of session data).   Obs.Manager's Main Loop changed to monitor DomeRecord.LastDateTime and raise alert if shutter data has been static for 20 minutes. Green alert raised if fresh shutter data is resumed.
  Done 2022-04-11 (AstroMain 3.50.10) 
   
• Prevent Autostart from running if Shutter Battery Status appears to have flat-lined.  This might require some way of carrying the time of last change in Battery Status between instances of the AstroMain operation (and in a way that is independant of session data).   Obs.Manager's AutoWaiting code changed so that AutoStart can only begin when MinutesSince(DomeRecord.LastDateTime) < 5.
  Done 2022-04-11 (AstroMain 3.50.10) 
   
• Provide a means to remotely reboot the Dome Rotation Unit. Using a Phillips HUE Smart Plug (like one used for SBIG Camera and an Aux Light)  would allow Dome Rotation Unit to be rebooted remotely using HUE App on IPad. This would be helpful in the event that Dome Rotation Unit doesn't appear to be communicating with Shutter Unit. and control/communications needs to be reestablished.   In theory a Philips HUE Smart Plug could be operated automately from one of the Observatory Computers using a COMBEE-II adapter but this has not yet been achieved in practice.   Delivered 2022-10-17 with the introduction of a  deCONZ REST API controlled Zigbee Network with handling/operational control in AstroMain 3.56.
  Done 2022-10-17 (AstroMain 3.56)

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2022-04-10

Investigation -  Commands to open Observatory shutter failed (00:07 to 00:30)

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