David's Astronomy Pages
Notes - Session 838  (2020-12-03)

 
Bullet Session Aims & Highlights
 - Observing Result
 - Night Summary Plot
 - Session Event Log
 
Bullet Operational Issues
  - Critical Issues (0),  Major Issues (0),  Minor Issues (2),  Continuous Improvement (7)
Bullet Images from 2020-12-03 >>
 

Session Aims & Highlights (2020-12-03)

Main aims -

  1. Targets. Acquire images of a selection of variable stars, nearby stars, comets and deep sky targets as allowed by bright moonlight conditions.
  2. AstroSN. Futher test of new AstroSN application for automating the import of newly discovered supernova and other interesting transient targets.

Equipment & Software

Highlights

Summary Plots & Logs

Observing Plan
Image
  
Observing Result
Image
   
Dome & Scope Slewing Performance
Image
  
Slew/Centering Performance
Image
  
Guiding Performance
Image
Image
  
Sky Conditions (Locate Frames)
Image
Chart unavailable for this session
  
Night Sky Summary Plot
Top axis: Sky Brightness at Zenith (in ADU/s)
Lefthand axis: Local Time (hh LT). Righthand axis: Sun Altitude (degs)
Image   
  
Pre-Session Weather Forecast (API data from darksky.net)
Pre-Session Weather forecast showed conditions through the evening (cloud cover 50 -95%) becoming
totally overcast (cloud cover 100%) at 21:00 with heavy rain forecast (3mm per hour) for several hours during the second half of the night
with increasing wind strength (reaching 20-21 mph) light wind (wind 7 mph) and minimum temperature 1 degC, climbing to 7 degC by dawn.

In the event skies there was a short clear inteval at at 17:30-17:45 during which the observatory was opened.
Conditions rapidly deteriorated through the early evening becoming totally overcast later with rain at around 23:00 and
 again between 01:00 and dawn. Minumum temperature was -3degC in first part of night, rising later as skies clouded over.
Image
Image   
  
Session Event Log
Time     Event Detail
16:17:41 Session Monitoring AutoStart monitoring for Live Session opportunity starting between 16:37 & 06:20
16:37:06   AutoStart Waiting AutoStart waiting till earliest start time at 16:37
16:37:07   AutoStart Delayed Session delayed due to cloud
17:32:06 Session AutoStarting Session autostarting (17:32)
17:32:34 Session Created Live Session Created (2020-12-03 S00838, ImageSaveNum: 838001)
17:32:36   Scope Switched On Telescope Power has been switched on via UPB Powerbox.
17:34:31   Services Started Observatory Services started
17:34:39 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode
17:34:41 Session Pending Session pending (2020-12-03)
17:34:43 Session Initiating Session initiating (2020-12-03)
17:34:45   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.18)
17:35:17   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (2020-12-03 V1 BEST PLAN, Plan ID: 573)
17:35:28   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -25°C)
17:35:34   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6)
17:35:45 Session Equilibration Session ready for dome & camera equilibration
17:37:26   Dome Opened Dome opened (opening time 45s)
17:37:41 Session Running Session running
17:37:44   Queue Started Observing Queue started (54 targets selected)
17:39:04       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S)
17:41:57       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1)
17:43:51       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1)
17:43:53       Focusing Started-Foc2 Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap)
17:46:03       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2, wide)
17:47:49       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2)
17:48:04       Focusing Checked Foc2 Focusing Check Succeeded
17:49:41     Target Started (1/54) Target started (1/54, AT2020abfx)
17:52:15       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S)
17:54:15       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 3)
18:01:38   SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend is called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars)
18:08:24   SoftSuspend Cancelled Soft Suspend is cancelled due to Improved Conditions
18:10:22     Target Completed Target completed (1/54, AT2020abfx)
18:11:29   SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend is called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars)
18:11:32   Queue Paused Queue pausing for Session Suspension
18:11:34 Session Suspended Session suspended
18:12:19   Dome Closed Dome closed (closing time 45s)
18:20:01     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (2/54, GCVS CI Cyg) due to cloud
18:35:12     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (3/54, GCVS SS Cyg) due to cloud
18:54:19     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (4/54, UGC 10909 w/AT2020abkz) due to cloud
19:16:11     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (5/54, M31 w/AT2020abjr) due to cloud
19:31:47     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (6/54, GCVS U And) due to cloud
19:44:28     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (7/54, GCVS TT Ari) due to cloud
19:54:51     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (8/54, GCVS DY Per) due to cloud
20:04:39     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (9/54, GCVS BL Lac) due to cloud
20:17:35     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (10/54, C/2019 L3 (ATLAS)) due to cloud
20:31:09     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (11/54, GCVS S Cyg) due to cloud
20:44:23 User Intervention User request to close and finish session
20:44:25   Queue Aborted Job Queue aborted
20:44:28 Session Closing Session closing
20:44:33   Dome Closed Dome already closed (closed at 18:12, closing time 45s)
20:46:19   Dome Parked Dome parked (parking time 98s), Az: 90.1 deg
20:46:58   Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 32s)
20:47:28   Telescope Switched Off Telescope Power has been switched off via UPB Switch.
20:48:15   Services Stopped Night Services stopped
20:48:17 Session Housekeeping Housekeeping Started (Cleanup FITS, Create Fits Summary, Transfer Files)
20:48:18 Session Finished Session Finished
 
Session Alerts
Time     Alert Detail
-- No Alerts                --                              

Back to Top


Operational Issues (2020-12-03 S838)

[ Prev | Next ]

Critical Issues

Major Issues

Minor Issues

Continuous Improvement

[ Prev | Next ]

Back to Top