David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 726 (2019-12-03)

Notes (S725)

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Notes (S727)

	Session Aims & Highlights
	- Observing Result  - Night Summary Plot  - Session Event Log
	Operational Issues
	- Critical Issues (0),  Major Issues (0),  Minor Issues (10),  Continuous Improvement (2)
	Guiding Review
	Images from 2019-12-03  >>

Session Aims & Highlights (2019-12-03)

Main aims

1. Guiding Charts:  Conduct second live test of new guiding chart feature and begin to use them to improve guiding.
   
2. Targets: Acquire images of a selection of new targets plus monitoring of previous variable stars, nearby stars and comets.

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
• SharpCap 3.2, PHD2  2.6.6dev2
   
• AstroMain 3.18.2 ,  Astroguard 1.2.9,   AstroPlan 1.13.5,  AstroShCap 1.2.10, AstroVOE 1.3.4, UPB 1.4.17  (AstroWeather 1.8.2, AstroAllSky 3.5.1)

Highlights

Lowlights

Summary Plots & Logs

Observing Plan

Observing Result

Slew/Centering Performance

Dome Slewing 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)

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Pre-Session Weather Forecast (API data from darksky.net) Forecast showed clear skies for first 3 hours, with light cloud continuing till dawn (max cloud cover 28%) In the event after beginning observatory operations around 19:15 high cloud developed from 22:00 onwards (becoming most noticeable around 02:00 and 05:00 onwards) which impacted the quality of images (a feature that normally suspends operations when number of stars falls below a specific number couldn't be used due to moonlit conditions)

Session Event Log

Time     Event Detail 18:15:53 Session Created Live Session Created (2019-12-03 S00726, ImageSaveNum: 726001) 18:16:24   Scope Switched On Scope Power has been switched on via UPB Powerbox. 18:19:17   Obs.Manager Started Obs.Manager started 18:19:19   Obs.Overseer Started Obs.Overseer started 18:19:24   Services Started Observatory Services started 18:29:15   Shutter Opened Shutter opened (opening time 46s) 18:29:22   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 18:33:13       Focusing Started Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 18:34:26       Focusing Aborted Foc2 Focusing Aborted 18:35:16       Focusing Started Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 18:36:35       Focusing Failed Foc2 Focusing Failed - star lost 18:37:16       Focusing Started Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 18:39:21       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 3) 18:39:31       Focusing Started Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 18:41:43       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 4) 18:42:46   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -20°C) 18:43:15       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 18:46:03       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 5) 18:48:49       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 18:51:24       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 6) 19:03:39 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 19:03:42 Session Pending Session pending (2019-12-03) 19:03:44 Session Initiating Session initiating (2019-12-03) 19:03:46   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.13.5) 19:04:10   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (2019-12-03 V1 BEST PLAN, Plan ID: 425) 19:04:13   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -20°C) 19:04:18   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 19:04:32 Session Equilibration Session ready for dome & camera equilibration 19:04:35   Equilibration Started Dome Equilibration started 19:09:43   Equilibration Ended Dome Equilibration ended (5.2 mins total) 19:09:45 Session Running Session running 19:09:47   Queue Started Observing Queue started (3 targets selected) 19:09:49     Target Started (1/3) Target started (1/3, M27). Using SharpCap 19:34:02     Target Completed Target completed (1/3, M27) 19:34:05     Target Started (2/3) Target started (2/3, NGC 6992). Using SharpCap 19:52:14   SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend is called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars) 19:53:22     Target Completed Target completed (2/3, NGC 6992) 19:53:38   Queue Aborted Job Queue aborted 20:13:36 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 20:13:41 Session Pending Session pending (2019-12-03) 20:13:43 Session Initiating Session initiating (2019-12-03) 20:13:45   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.13.5) 20:14:26   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (2019-12-03 V2 BEST PLAN, Plan ID: 426) 20:14:30   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -20°C) 20:14:34   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 20:14:53 Session Equilibration Session ready for dome & camera equilibration 20:14:56   Equilibration Started Dome Equilibration started 20:14:58   Equilibration Skipped Dome Equilibration skipped by user 20:15:00 Session Running Session running 20:15:02   Queue Started Observing Queue started (43 targets selected) 20:16:41     Target Started (1/43) Target started (1/43, GCVS BL Lac) 20:19:19       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 20:21:31       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 7) 20:25:37     Target Completed Target completed (1/43, GCVS BL Lac) 20:26:29     Target Started (2/43) Target started (2/43, GCVS RR Tau) 20:32:18       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 20:34:18       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 8) 20:41:08     Target Completed Target completed (2/43, GCVS RR Tau) 20:41:10     Target Started (3/43) Target started (3/43, GCVS U And) 20:44:48       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 20:46:38       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 9) 20:55:31     Target Completed Target partially completed (3/43, GCVS U And) 20:55:33     Target Started (4/43) Target started (4/43, GCVS SS Cyg) 20:58:29       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 21:00:31       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 10) 21:01:29 Critical Conditions Alert Critical Conditions Alert (Obs.Manager will close the Shutter) 21:01:31   HardSuspend Called Hard Suspend is called due to Critical Conditions (other condition) 21:01:43     Target Aborted (4/43) Target aborted (4/43, GCVS SS Cyg) due to other condition 21:01:45   Queue Paused Queue pausing for HardSuspend 21:01:47 Session Suspended Session suspended 21:02:34   Shutter Closed Shutter closed (closing time 49s) 21:03:49 Session Resuming Session resuming 21:04:34   Shutter Opened Shutter opened (opening time 45s) 21:04:36 Session Running Session running 21:04:38   Queue Resumed Observing Queue resumed 21:04:40     Target Started (4/43) Target started (4/43, GCVS SS Cyg) 21:08:19     Target Completed Target completed (4/43, GCVS SS Cyg) 21:08:21     Target Started (5/43) Target started (5/43, GCVS S Cyg) 21:10:58       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 21:12:58       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 11) 21:13:00       Focusing Started Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 21:14:10       Focusing Failed Foc2 Focusing Failed - star lost 21:24:21     Target Completed Target partially completed (5/43, GCVS S Cyg) 21:24:23     Target Started (6/43) Target started (6/43, GCVS V Sge) 21:27:02       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 21:29:03       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 13) 21:35:01     Target Completed Target partially completed (6/43, GCVS V Sge) 21:35:03     Target Started (7/43) Target started (7/43, GCVS RX And) 21:37:25       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 21:39:36       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 14) 21:42:14     Target Completed Target completed (7/43, GCVS RX And) 21:42:16     Target Started (8/43) Target started (8/43, GCVS Z And) 21:44:45       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 21:46:47       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 15) 21:50:36     Target Completed Target completed (8/43, GCVS Z And) 21:50:38     Target Started (9/43) Target started (9/43, C/2018 N2 (ASASSN)) 21:53:20       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 21:55:47       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 16) 21:55:50       Focusing Started Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 21:57:05       Focusing Failed Foc2 Focusing Failed - star lost 22:03:35     Target Completed Target partially completed (9/43, C/2018 N2 (ASASSN)) 22:03:37     Target Started (10/43) Target started (10/43, GCVS FU Ori) 22:06:43       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:08:50       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 18) 22:11:24     Target Completed Target completed (10/43, GCVS FU Ori) 22:11:27     Target Started (11/43) Target started (11/43, GCVS CI Cyg) 22:19:25     Target Completed Target completed (11/43, GCVS CI Cyg) 22:19:28     Target Started (12/43) Target started (12/43, GCVS DY Per) 22:28:00     Target Completed Target completed (12/43, GCVS DY Per) 22:28:03     Target Started (13/43) Target started (13/43, GCVS GK Per) 22:30:42       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:32:50       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 19) 22:35:50     Target Completed Target completed (13/43, GCVS GK Per) 22:35:52     Target Started (14/43) Target started (14/43, GCVS NV Ori) 22:39:16       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:41:23       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 20) 22:44:36     Target Completed Target partially completed (14/43, GCVS NV Ori) 22:44:38     Target Started (15/43) Target started (15/43, C/2017 T2 (PanStarrs)) 22:46:52       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:48:54       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 21) 22:54:04   SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend is called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars) 22:57:16     Target Completed Target completed (15/43, C/2017 T2 (PanStarrs)) 22:57:18     Target Started (16/43) Target started (16/43, GCVS CN Ori) 22:59:22       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 23:01:24       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 22) 23:04:51     Target Completed Target completed (16/43, GCVS CN Ori) 23:04:53     Target Started (17/43) Target started (17/43, GCVS ER UMa) 23:08:39       Focusing Failed Foc1 Focusing Failed - star is too dim (TCF-S) 23:12:47     Target Completed Target completed (17/43, GCVS ER UMa) 23:12:49     Target Started (18/43) Target started (18/43, GCVS CM Tau) 23:16:36       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 23:18:39       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 23) 23:18:42       Focusing Started Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 23:19:58       Focusing Failed Foc2 Focusing Failed - star lost 23:34:25     Target Completed Target completed (18/43, GCVS CM Tau) 23:34:27     Target Started (19/44) Target started (19/44, NGC 2308) 23:37:11       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 23:37:57   SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend is called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars) 23:39:12       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 25) 23:39:58       Focusing Started Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope) 23:42:38   SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend is called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars) 23:43:02       Focusing Failed Foc2 Focusing Failed - failed QC check (Quadratic) 23:46:18   SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend is called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars) 23:51:58   SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend is called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars) 23:54:29 Critical Cloud Alert Critical Cloud Alert (Obs.Manager will close the Shutter) 23:54:31   HardSuspend Called Hard Suspend is called due to Critical Conditions (cloud) 23:54:34     Target Aborted (19/44) Target aborted (19/44, NGC 2308) due to cloud 23:54:36   Queue Paused Queue pausing for HardSuspend 23:54:39   SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend is called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars) 23:54:42 Session Suspended Session suspended 23:55:29   Shutter Closed Shutter closed (closing time 49s) 23:55:31     Target Missed (20/44) Target's time slot was missed (20/44, GCVS SU Tau) 23:55:33     Target Missed (21/44) Target's time slot was missed (21/44, GCVS SY Cnc) 23:57:14     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (22/44, GCVS FO Ori) due to cloud 00:16:21     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (23/44, NGC 1614) due to cloud 00:27:17   Queue Aborted Job Queue aborted 00:27:37 User Intervention User request to close and finish session 00:27:39 Session Closing Session closing 00:27:41   Shutter Closed Shutter already closed (closed at 23:55, closing time 49s) 00:27:52   Dome Parked Dome parked (parking time 15s) 00:28:03   Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 11s) 00:28:47 Session Housekeeping Housekeeping Started (Cleanup FITS, Create Fits Summary, Transfer Files) 00:29:02 Session Finished Session Finished

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Operational Issues (2019-12-03, S726)

• Critical Issues (0)
• Major Issues (0)
• Minor Issues (10)
• Continuous Improvement (2)

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Critical Issues

• None

Major Issues

• None

Minor Issues

• 'X Scale' button on Focus Profile Chart is either not working or set values don't provide suitable settings for showing TS80 focuser profiles
  Fixed 2019-12-09 (AstroMain 3.18.3)
   
• 'V1 Plan was due to have up to 10 ShCap targets  but only 3 targets were included in plan.  This is not a significant issue and is likely resolvable by using appropriate Must-Include specification / ranking etc.
  Closed, 2024 (AstroPlan)
   
• 'ShCap not tabulating Live Stack frames as they are taken.  Tabulation of live stack frames was working without issue in sessions on 2019-12-16 and 2019-12-17 and is therefore closed.
  Closed 2019-12-16 (AstroShCap)
   
• 'ShCap stacking but not aligning frames, leading to trailed stars on live stack. Its possible that frames had less than the required number of stars.  Initial frames weren't stacking (black level threshold 45), but began stacking after reducing threshold to 20.
  Closed 2019-12-21, pending further information on behaviour of ShCap live stacking undre automated operation   (AstroShCap)
   
• Manually initiated Focus Profiles for Foc 1 not uploaded to website (whilst manually initiated profiles for Foc 2 are). Fixed around AstroMain 3.21.4 to 3.21.6
  Fixed 2020-05-06 (AstroMain 3.21.6)
   
• Target 3/45 (U And) was 'in progress' but the Plan's form in AstroPlan indicated a Failure Mode of 'Aborted'.  The target finished as 'Partially Completed' and failiure mode was blanked
  Closed 2019-12-21, unable to find a root cause (AstroMain/AstroPlan)
   
• Obs.Manager called a Hard Suspend at 21:01:29 and briefly suspended the session for a couple of minutes but there seems to be no reason to suspend the session.  Sky conditions / values ok.  Long standing issue. (Update: New information indicates a data/sensor glith where the sensor unit temperature suddently reads 0.0 which knocks back the clarity reading by 15 units or so)
  Part Fixed  2020-05-05 (AstroMain 3.21.6)
   
• GuideSummary updates not getting through to Website. Rows for first target (BL Lac) were uploaded but later target rows were not.
  (file in log folder contains multiple targets, file in live folder contains multiple targets).  Looks to be a file 'last modified' issue.
  Closed 2019-12-21, pending further information (monitor for further incidents) (AstroMain)
   
• AstroWeather seemingly crashed/stopped at  xx:xx. Program had to be restarted which delayed the start of the session . No obvious reason for error messages.  There were no further incidents over the following 2 weeks.  For the time being the problem is assumed to have been some random glitch.
  Closed 2019-12-21 (continue to monitor for further incidents, AstroWeather)
   
• Dec Limit Line on Dome/Scope Slew Chart isn't being calculated/drawn correctly. Various attempts to diagnose & fix the problem don't work consistently such that the problem continued to occurs during some Live Sessions (but not others or during test sessions).  It seems that there is some issue with operation of the TheSky6 class Utlils.  Finally resolved by not using Utils method but drawing a slightly flattened circle of approximately the correct size instead
  Fixed 2019-12-19 (AstroMain 3.18.7)

Continuous Improvement

• Modify SNR Axis on Guiding Chart to better shown variations in SNR
  Done 2019-12-17 (AstroMain 3.18.6)
   
• Create Graph showing DewHeater Power or add as secondary axis to a suitable existing graph
  Done 2020-Jan (AstroWeather)

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