David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 644 (2018-12-24)

Notes (S643)

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Notes (S645)

	Session Aims & Highlights
	- Observing Result  - Night Summary Plot
	Operational Issues
	- Critical Issues (1),  Major Issues (3),  Minor Issues (4),  Continuous Improvement (1)
	Images from 2018-12-24  >>

Session Aims & Highlights (2018-12-24)

Main aims

1. Targets. Acquire images of a range of targets (comets, variable stars, nearby stars and deep sky objects)
2. Software. Test operation of Observatory Control Program (AstroMain)  following several recent code changes and corrections.
3. Stability. Check overall stability of the Observatory System (hardware & software)

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 3.6, AstroPlan 1.5

Highlights

• Images.   Images from a number of targets were successfully acquired
• Identified and fixed the bug which was stopping PHD2 GuideStats being written out to the (Guide).dat file for each frame and for the overall target
• New code in AstroPlan to automatically fetch the constellation in which a target sits (based on Ra Dec coordinates) is now working
• Session observations are now being correctly saved in database following recent bug fix

Summary Plots & Logs

Observing Plan (2018-12-24, S644)

Observing Result (2018-12-24, S644)

Night Sky Summary Plot - 2018-12-24 Top axis: Sky Brightness at Zenith (in ADU/s) Lefthand axis: Local Time (hh LT). Righthand axis: Sun Altitude (degs) Shutter/Telescope active from ~ 22:00 to ~ 01:30

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Operational Issues (2018-12-24, S644)

• Critical Issues (1)
• Major Issues (3)
• Minor issues (4)
• Continuous Improvement (1)

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Critical Issues

• Telescope unexpectedly found to be pointing due south at around 33 degs altitude.  It was not understood  why the scope was pointing this direction, the observatory had to be visited to check, which confirmed in really was pointing this direction.  ObsPics show that Scope was pointing at Az 298 / Alt 64 up until 17:53 (following imaging of NGC 6946), but after break in session the ObsPics pickup again with scope point at Az 181/Alt 33 from 17:57  (this corresponds approximately to Due South / Dec 0) . There are no recorded Target Slews to this location, suggesting slew occurred when scope was connected to ?  Need a Web Cam to be able to visually check the telescope's orientation. WebCam (ObsCam) eventually added to Observatory in early 2021 (see ObsCam - New Camera for monitoring interior of the Observatory , 2021-02-16)
  WebCam added  2021-02-16 (Observatory)

Major Issues

• AstroMain not responding. Annoying problem whereby AstroMain hangs or otherwise stops responding. Requiring program to be restarted.   Best to restart CCDSoft5 and TheSky 6 as well.
    Eventually resolved , 2H 2020  (AstroMain)
   
• Frost slugs/condensation appearing at the corners/sides of the CCD Images
  (recent high humidity levels with possibility of water drop from rooof interior dropping onto SBIG camera / imaging train.
  (Problem begun during session S643 on 2018-12-23)
    Fixed 2018-12-28 (CCD Desicator renewed in oven and inserted back into CCD Camara ahead of session S645)
   
• Scope Position Checks began failing. Scope Position checks began failing at 00:24 with the message "Fail Scope isn't pointing to the target (Ang Sep. = 1.0 arc degs)".  POTH.Scope reconnected at 00:14.  Attempted to resync on a star but each time found the scope icon to be showing some 1 arc deg offset frome the star position being synced (Betelguese). Attempt to update scope time/;location via POTH hub, but produces message each time
  Closed 2020 (Moved to DeviceHub)
   
  (problem might be caused when scope is reconnected from scratch (ie no other active Connections)  (somehow the scope ends up with the wrong time or wrong location ).   Can AutoSetTime be turned of when reconnect to MeadeLX200GPS scope via Profile (Yes it can).  ie can AutoSetTime be only used when starting up the scope from a initialised Parked State)

Minor issues

• Could not find Mosaic File for NGC 7000.   Problem caused by Target Definition being created on User PC and the associated Mosaic File was not transferred on to the Observatory PC.  Target was picked up as an active target (but the Schedule Builder's GetActiveTargetSet should have rolled back the target where the Mosaic File couldn't be found
  Fixed 2018-12-27 (CheckForMosaicFile(MosaicFileName) code line and function added to AstroPlan)
   
• A 'Next' ToO unable to start when a regular target is waiting to start.   After NGC 7000 Mosaic (80 mins) failed to start, the Mosaic File located and installed in Targets/Mosaics folder,  attempts to rerun NGC 7000 as an Immediate Target failed, as Job Executor had moved on to SS Cyg and was in a 75 min long wait loop. Job executor code was modified to allow a pending TOA target (Next) to force execution to jump out of a target wait loop in order to commence the ToO.
  Resolved 2019 (AstroMain 3.7 ?)
   
• Images repaired with Hot/Cold Pixel repair routine in which image loses its Black-White Range. Image Background/Range then have to be manually set in CCDSoft GU.   Background and Range need to be saved before repair and reapplied after repair & before saving image.
  Fixed 2018-12-27
   
• AstroGuard not picking up all Dome Port changes,  causing procedures  to autoupdate the Pulsar Dome's COM Port to not always work
  Fixed 2018-12-27 (DomePort Monitoring routines copied in from equivalent monitoring routines in AstroMain)

Continuous Improvement

• Look into acquiring a suitable webcam for use in the observatory.  WebCam (ObsCam) eventually added to Observatory in early 2021 (see ObsCam - New Camera for monitoring interior of the Observatory , 2021-02-16)
  WebCam added  2021-02-16 (Observatory)

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