David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 1178 (2023-12-29)

Notes (S1177)

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Notes (S1179)

	Session Aims & Highlights
	- Observing Result  - Night Summary Plot  - Session Event Log
	Operational Issues
	- Critical Issues (0),  Major Issues (0),  Minor Issues (1),  Small Defects (0),  Continuous Improvement (2)
	Images from 2023-12-29 >>
	2024-01-05
	Pulsar Dome - Software Update (Firmware 1.52 & ASCOM Driver 6.4)

Session Aims & Highlights (2023-12-29)

Main aims

1. Targets.  Acquire images of a selection of variable stars, nearby stars, comets & deep sky targets as allowed by sky conditions.
2. 12P/Pons-Brooks. Acquire images of Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks which has been undergoing an outburst.

 Equipment & Software

• 12" LX200 and ST-10XME
• 80mm APO and ZWO ASI 178MC
• TheSky6, CCDSoft5, DeviceHub 6.6.1.1,  MeadeGeneric 1.3.5.414, UPB 1.5, ASCOM 6.6,  Pulsar Dome Firmware 1.51 & Driver 6.3.10
• Pegasus UPB & Motor Focus, TCF-S
• SharpCap 3.2, PHD2  2.6.11dev4, Siril 1.0.6, deCONZ 1.18.2, ASCOM 6.6 SP1
• DomeLink 1.0 / 1.1
   
• AstroMain 3.65.10, AstroPlan 1.39.5,  AstroShCap 1.3.15, AstroGuard 1.10.2
  AstroVOE 1.13,  AstroSN 1.10.2,  AstroProtect 1.7,  AstroMove 1.12.10
  (AstroWeather 1.23.8, AstroAllSky 3.19.11,  AstroObsCam 1.11.4, AstroLaunch 1.11.1

Highlights

• Targets. 1/52 planned targets observations were completed, with 2 other target partially completed. Other targets failed due to slew errors (TheSky/Telescope), wind & session suspension (due to wind & cloud).  One of the targets that initially failed due to TheSky/Target was resubmitted as a ToO Target (12P/Pons-Brooks) but images had to be rejected due to poor quality (due to wind shake).
• 12P/Pons-Brooks. Images of Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks were acquired but were later rejected due to significant wind shake.
•  Dome Parking.  Dome parked ok at the correct position at end of session.

Notes:

• .

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)

Actual Weather vs Pre-Session Weather Forecast

Session Event Log

Time     Event Detail 18:04:26 Session Monitoring AutoStart monitoring for Live Session opportunity between 18:04 & 06:27 18:04:27 Session AutoStarting Session autostarting (18:04) 18:04:37   CCDSoft Restarting CCDSoft being restarted (to set AutoSave No.) 18:04:50 Session Created Session Created (Live, 2023-12-29 S01178, ImageSaveNum: 1178001) 18:04:57   Scope Switched On Telescope Power has been switched on via UPB Powerbox. 18:06:43   Services Started Observatory Services started 18:06:50 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 18:06:52 Session Pending Session pending (2023-12-29) 18:06:54 Session Initiating Session initiating (2023-12-29) 18:06:56   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.39.5) 18:07:45   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (Plan ID: 952) 18:08:07   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera connected (Set point -20°C) 18:08:44   Telescope Connected Telescope connected (TheSky6) 18:09:08 Session Equilibration Session ready to Open Dome 18:09:53   Dome Opened Dome opened (Opening time 45s, Zigbee 41s) 18:09:58 Session Running Session running 18:10:00   Queue Started Observing Queue started (27 targets selected) 18:10:03     Target Started (NrZen) Target started (Focus Field 2, HIP 9508) 18:10:17       Dome Unparked Dome unparked 18:14:12       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 18:16:38       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1, wide) 18:18:34       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1) 18:18:36       Focusing Started-Foc2 Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 18:20:32       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2, wide) 18:22:15       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2) 18:22:32     Target Completed (NrZen) Target completed (Focus Field 2, HIP 9508) 18:23:25     Target Started (1/27) Target started (1/27, NGC 7625 w/SN2023vyl) 18:24:10     Target Failed (1/27) Target failed due to slew error (1/27, NGC 7625 w/SN2023vyl) 18:26:11     Target Aborted (2/27) Target aborted (2/27, NGC 807 w/SN2023abnb) due to Priority 1 ToO Target 18:26:15     Target Started (3/28) Target started (3/28, 12P/Pons-Brooks, ToO) 18:27:00     Target Failed (3/28) Target failed due to slew error (3/28, 12P/Pons-Brooks, ToO) 18:32:49   Telescope Connected Telescope connected (TheSky6) 18:36:25 User Intervention User Intervention to abort job queue & switch back to Manual Mode 18:36:28   Queue Aborted Job Queue aborted 18:36:30 Observatory (Manual) Observatory placed in Manual Mode 18:36:45   Services Stopped Observatory Services stopped 18:36:58 Session Closed Session closed by User 18:37:02 Program Closed Program closed by User 18:42:20 Program Opened Program Opened (AstroMain 3.65.10) 18:42:22   CCDSoft Restarting CCDSoft being restarted (to set AutoSave No.) 18:42:34 Session Resumed Session Resumed (Live, 2023-12-29 S01178, ImageSaveNum: 1178003) 18:42:47   Obs.Overseer Started Obs.Overseer started 18:44:30   Obs.Manager Started Obs.Manager started 18:44:39   Services Started Observatory Services started 18:45:05   Telescope Connected Telescope connected (TheSky6) 18:45:39 Session Monitoring AutoStart monitoring for Live Session opportunity between 18:45 & 06:27 18:45:41 Observatory (AutoStart) Observatory placed in Auto-Start Mode 18:45:43   AutoStart Delayed Session delayed due to wind 18:47:35 Observatory (Manual) Observatory placed in Manual Mode 18:47:42 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 18:47:46 Session Pending Session pending (2023-12-29) 18:47:48 Session Initiating Session initiating (2023-12-29) 18:47:53   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (Plan ID: 952) 18:48:07   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera connected (Set point -20°C) 18:48:12   Telescope Connected Telescope connected (TheSky6) 18:48:31 Session Running Session running 18:48:34   Queue Started Observing Queue started (26 targets selected) 18:48:40     Target Started (2/27) Target started (2/27, NGC 807 w/SN2023abnb) 19:05:23       SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend is called due to Deteriorating Conditions (wind) 19:10:28       SoftSuspend Cancelled Soft Suspend is cancelled due to improved conditions 19:10:51     Target Completed Target completed (2/27, NGC 807 w/SN2023abnb) 19:10:55     Target Started (3/28) Target started (3/28, 12P/Pons-Brooks, ToO) 19:16:29       SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend is called due to Deteriorating Conditions (wind) 19:17:34       SoftSuspend Cancelled Soft Suspend is cancelled due to improved conditions 19:23:40       SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend is called due to Deteriorating Conditions (wind) 19:31:46       SoftSuspend Cancelled Soft Suspend is cancelled due to improved conditions 19:38:46     Target Completed Target completed (3/28, 12P/Pons-Brooks, ToO) 19:38:48     Target Missed (4/28) Target's time slot was missed (4/28, AT2023aaky (CV)) 19:38:50     Target Missed (5/28) Target's time slot was missed (5/28, AT2023cuy (CV)) 19:38:52     Target Started (6/28) Target started (6/28, AT2023tdi) 19:56:39     Target Completed Target partially completed (6/28, AT2023tdi) 19:56:43     Target Started (7/28) Target started (7/28, NGC 682 w/SN2023xtg) 20:13:26       SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend is called due to Deteriorating Conditions (wind) 20:18:15     Target Completed Target partially completed (7/28, NGC 682 w/SN2023xtg) 20:18:17   Queue Paused Queue paused for Session Suspension 20:18:19 Session Suspending Session suspending 20:19:42   Dome Closed Dome closed (Closing time 85s, Zigbee 43s) 20:19:44 Session Suspended Session suspended 20:35:00     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (8/28, AT2023ru (CV)) due to wind 20:57:20     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (9/28, AT2023gqc) due to wind 21:19:20     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (10/28, AT2023cuz) due to wind 21:41:20     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (11/28, UGC 3174 w/SN2023mut) due to wind 22:03:20     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (12/28, CGCG 420-018 w/AT2023nbs) due to wind 22:25:20     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (13/28, NGC 1752 w/AT2023exk) due to wind 22:47:20     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (14/28, UGC 3274 w/SN2023cvn) due to wind 23:09:41     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (15/28, AT2022qcs) due to wind 23:32:00     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (16/28, AT2022qct) due to wind 23:55:32     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (17/28, AT2023tjz) due to wind 00:06:12     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (18/28, GCVS FU Ori) due to wind 00:17:22     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (19/28, AT2023cub (CV)) due to wind 00:18:41 User Intervention User request to close and finish session 00:18:44   Queue Aborted Job Queue aborted 00:18:46 Session Closing Session closing 00:18:51   Dome Closed Dome already closed (closed at 20:19, closing time 85s, zigbee 43s) 00:19:51   Dome Parked Dome parked (parking time 51s), Az: 90.0 deg 00:20:59   Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 66s) 00:21:14   Telescope State Handbox reads 'Scope parked Turn scope off.' 00:21:36   Telescope Switched Off Telescope Power has been switched off via UPB Switch. 00:22:57   Dome Charging Dome is parked and re-charging Ok (3mA) 00:22:59   Services Stopped Night Services stopped 00:23:02 Session Finishing Session Finishing started (Create Fits Summary, Transfer Files) 00:23:08     Dome (Find Park) Find Park started (Search Az 80.0 to 100.0°, Step 1.0°, Wide) 00:24:12     Dome Find Park found (Best Park Az 90.5°) 00:24:19     Dome (Find Park) Find Park started (Search Az 87.4 to 93.4°, Step 0.2°, Narrow) 00:25:49     Dome Find Park found (Best Park Az 90.4°) 00:25:56     Dome Dome has been synced at park position (Az 90.0°, Adjustment: -0.4°) 00:25:58   Dome Parked Dome parked 00:27:32   Dome Charging Dome is parked and re-charging Ok (5mA) 00:27:34 Session Finished Session Finished

Session Alerts & Alarms

18:06:52 Yellow Alert Disk Space Free Space on C:\ Drive (41.80 GB) is less than 50 GB 00:23:06 Yellow Alert Disk Space Free Space on C:\ Drive (41.15 GB) is less than 50 GB 00:27:32 Green Clear Dome Charging Dome is parked and re-charging Ok (5mA)

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Operational Issues (2023-12-29, S1178)

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

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Critical Issues

• None

Major Issues

• None

Minor Issues

• Targets 1/27 and 3/28 failed due to a slew failure associated with TheSky6/Telescope.  After successfully slewing to Near Zenith Focus Fields, slews to Target 1/27 (NGC 7625 w/SN2023vyl) and ToO Target 3/28 (12P/Pons-Brooks) failed. (Intervening Target 2/27 would probably have also failed but was displaced in order to make for ToO target 12P/Pons-Brooks) .  Slews were made for each target but scope position checks showed that the scope wasn't at the anticipated target location and automated checking of slew issue reported "Possible 'Timed out waiting for 'received data' problem" and reported Target Result was reported to be "Target failed     (Due to slew error)".   Logs show that for NGC 7625 w/SN2023vyl the target slew coords were  Ra= 23 21 44.041 Dec=+17 21 41.16 and post-slew coords (based on DeviceHub.Telescope) were Ra= 23 21 35.000, Dec=+17 23 38.00, however post-slew coords based on TheSky6 were RA= 02 04 02.606 Dec= +46 58 16.07 which corresponds to the Pre-Slew Position suggesting that the scope hadn't arrived at the expected destination.    Logs Similar behaviour for occurred 12P/Pons-Brooks.  Remote monitoring picked up there was a problem and it was noticed that a TheSky6 Error Dialog was showing. Unfortuntaly the error message wasn't captured but it related to a TheSky6 COM issue of some kind.  Issue resolved by closing down and restarting Observatory Software (including TheSky6 & AstroMain).  Issue may have occurred as Target Coordinates for non-sidereal 12P/Pons-Brooks were recalculated in AstroPlan using call to TheSky6 around the time that slew to NGC 7625 w/SN2023vyl was being made (recalculation necessary in order to submit a non-sidereal target as a ToO target).  This may have TheSky.
  Resolved In-Session  2023-12-29 (Session, TheSky6, AstroPlan, AstroMain)

Small Defects

• None

Continuous Improvement

• Add " - yyyy-mm-dd" to Title string for comet and other non-sidereal targets.  It would be useful to add date (eg.  " - 2023-12-29" ) to title string produced by clicking 'Title' button when performig analysis of a comet, to be available for posting to session's images page. Implemented in AstroMain 3.65.11.
  Done 2024-01-04 (AstroMain 3.65.11)
   
• Complete backlog of image building and web page documentation from Dec 2023.  8 sessions still incomplete as of 2024-01-08 (S1170-77). Backlog completed 2024-02-16.
  Done 2024-02-16 (Website)

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2024-01-05

Pulsar Dome - Software Update (Firmware 1.52 & ASCOM Driver 6.4)

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