David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 681 (2019-08-20)

Notes (S680)

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Notes (S682)

	Session Aims & Highlights
	- Observing Result  - Night Summary Plot  - Session Event Log
	Operational Issues
	- Critical Issues (0),  Major Issues (0),  Minor Issues (4),  Continuous Improvement (2)
	Images from 2019-08-20  >>

Session Aims & Highlights (2019-08-20)

Main aims

1. Mixed Targets - Image selection of targets including Variable Stars, Comets and Deep Sky Targets
2. Software & Systems  - Check stability of software and presence of any side effects following ongoing enhancements to AstroMain and associated support programs.

 
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 3.10.1,  Astroguard 1.2.3,   AstroPlan 1.9.1, AstroVOE 1.3.1

Highlights

• Communications with TCF-S focuser worked normally after earlier failure of USB-Serial Adapter on 2019-08-18 and replacement 6 hours before the session began.

Lowlights

• None

Summary Plots & Logs

Observing Plan

Observing Result

Night Sky Summary Plot Top axis: Sky Brightness at Zenith (in ADU/s) Lefthand axis: Local Time (hh LT). Righthand axis: Sun Altitude (degs)

Session Event Log

Time   Event Detail 01:25 Session Created Live Session Created (2019-08-20 S00681, ImageSaveNum: 681001) 01:27 Obs.Manager Started Obs.Manager started 01:27 Services Started Observatory Services started 01:29 Services Started Observatory Services started 01:30   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -10°C) 01:31 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 01:31 Session Pending Session pending (2019-08-20) 01:31 Session Initiating Session initiating (2019-08-20) 01:31   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan () 01:36   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (2019-08-20 V1 BEST PLAN, Plan ID: 319) 01:37   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -15°C) 01:37   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 01:38 Shutter Opened Shutter opened (opening time 45s) 01:38 Equilibration Started Dome Equilibration started 01:42 Equilibration Ended Dome Equilibration ended (4.0 mins total) 01:42 Session Running Session running 01:42   Queue Started Observing Queue started (14 targets selected) 01:42     Target Missed (1/14) Target Missed (1/14, GCVS CI Cyg) 01:42     Target Started (2/14) Target started (2/14, GCVS SS Cyg) 01:44   Focusing Started (Foc1) Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:47   Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1) 01:51     Target Completed Target completed (2/14, GCVS SS Cyg) 01:56     Target Started (3/14) Target started (3/14, NGC 7209) 01:59   Focusing Started (Foc1) Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:01   Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2) 02:06     Target Completed Target completed (3/14, NGC 7209) 02:06     Target Started (4/14) Target started (4/14, WDS GRB 34) 02:09   Focusing Started (Foc1) Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:11   Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 3) 02:12     Target Completed Target completed (4/14, WDS GRB 34) 02:14     Target Started (5/14) Target started (5/14, Du 1) 02:17   Focusing Started (Foc1) Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:19   Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 4) 02:34     Target Completed Target completed (5/14, Du 1) 02:34     Target Started (6/14) Target started (6/14, GCVS EV Lac) 02:37   Focusing Started (Foc1) Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:39   Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 5) 02:42     Target Completed Target completed (6/14, GCVS EV Lac) 02:42     Target Started (7/14) Target started (7/14, GCVS HH And) 02:44   Focusing Started (Foc1) Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:46   Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 6) 02:48     Target Completed Target completed (7/14, GCVS HH And) 02:49     Target Started (8/14) Target started (8/14, GCVS RX And) 02:51   Focusing Started (Foc1) Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:54   Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 7) 02:56     Target Completed Target completed (8/14, GCVS RX And) 02:56     Target Started (9/14) Target started (9/14, GCVS U And) 02:58   Focusing Started (Foc1) Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:00   Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 8) 03:10     Target Completed Target completed (9/14, GCVS U And) 03:10     Target Started (10/14) Target started (10/14, C/2018 W2 (Africano)) 03:15   Focusing Started (Foc1) Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:18   Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 9) 03:25     Target Completed Target completed (10/14, C/2018 W2 (Africano)) 03:25     Target Started (11/14) Target started (11/14, GCVS CY Lyr) 03:39     Target Completed Target partially completed (11/14, GCVS CY Lyr) 03:39     Target Started (12/14) Target started (12/14, 61 Cyg) 03:43     Target Completed Target completed (12/14, 61 Cyg) 03:43     Target Started (13/14) Target started (13/14, GCVS BL Lac) 03:45   Focusing Started (Foc1) Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:47   Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 10) 03:51     Target Completed Target completed (13/14, GCVS BL Lac) 03:51     Target Started (14/14) Target started (14/14, GCVS Z And) 03:53   Focusing Started (Foc1) Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:55   Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 11) 03:59     Target Completed Target completed (14/14, GCVS Z And) 03:59 Queue Completed Job Queue completed 03:59 Session Closing Session closing 04:00 Shutter Closed Shutter closed (closing time 50s) 04:02 Dome Parked Dome parked (parking time 148s) 04:03 Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 44s) 04:04 Session Finished Session Finished

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Operational Issues (2019-08-20, S681)

• Critical Issues (1)
  
• Major Issues (0)
• Minor Issues (0)
• Continuous Improvement (6)

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Critical Issues

• Unable to Connect to TCF-S.    Ability to connection to TCF-S focuser in order to make automated focus changes failed a couple of days prior to the session.  This had the effect of preventing normal observing sessions (involving automated focusing and/or remote focusing) until the underlying issue was resolved and the connection to focuser successfully restored.  Diagnositic tests eventually identified that the USB-Serial Adapter used for operating the TCF-S focus had failed and needed to be replaced (see TCF-S Connection Failure, 2019-08-18)
    Fixed (2019-08-20). Resolved by replacing the USB-Serial Adapter with a spare one.

Major Issues

• None

Minor Issues

• None

Continuous Improvement

• Add AstroVOE version number to AstroLaunch/Observatory.
    Done, 2019-08-21 (AstroLaunch 1.3.2)
   
• Add option to launch TextPad editor from AstroLaunch/Analysis Tab
    Done, 2019-08-21 (AstroLaunch 1.3.2)
    
• Add Program Version numbers to AstroMove BackUp items  & Move items
    Done, 2019-08-21 (AstroMove 1.2.8)
   
• Add 'Clear' button to AstroMove/BackUp Tab
    Done, 2019-08-21 (AstroMove 1.2.8).  Button ('refresh') added to clear progress bars etc & checkboxes.   Program Versions numbers are also refreshed.
   
• Add Program Name  to Target Information Tab (AstroMain / Analysis)
    Done, 2019-08-21 (AstroMain 3.10.2)
   
• Start/End Observing Plans at -11 deg Sun Alt instead of -12 deg.  Plenty of stars are out at -11 deg Sun Alt and relaxing the Start/End SunAlt provides a little more observing time, especially important in late spring & summer time.   Whilst this might be a little too much light for dim objects like galaxies etc, its more than ok for brighter targets such variable stars/nearby stars, provided constraints are suitably modified.
    Done, 2019-08-22 (AstroPlan 1.9.2) Schedule builder modified to start/end observing plans at Sun Alt of -11 deg.
  
        To enable the generation of suitably filled plans the Targets Database was updated such that the
        General C3 Constraint and Main Variables P3 Constraint both use a Sun Altitude criteria of -11 deg)

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