David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 843 Attempt (2020-12-30)

Notes (S842)

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Notes (S843)

	Session Aims & Highlights
	- Observing Result  - Night Summary Plot  - Session Event Log
	Operational Issues
	- Critical Issues (0),  Major Issues (3),  Minor Issues (2),  Continuous Improvement (1)
	No Images from 2020-12-30 >>
	2020-12-30
	ASCOM Platform 6.5 SP1
	ASCOM Conform Tests - Pulsar Dome Driver

Session Aims & Highlights (2020-12-30)

Main aims

1. Targets. Acquire images of a selection of variable stars, nearby stars, comets and deep sky targets as allowed by conditions.
2. Shutter. Ensure observatory shutter is operating correctly following recent repair and design improvment.

Equipment & Software

• 12" LX200 and ST-10XME
• 80mm APO and ZWO ASI 178MC
• CCDApp2, TheSky6, CCDSoft5, PHD2,  DeviceHub 6.5.1.0, UPB 1.5,  ASCOM 6.5 SP1
• Pegasus UPB & Motor Focus, TCF-S
• SharpCap 3.2, PHD2  2.6.9
   
• AstroMain 3.33 / 3.33.1,  AstroGuard 1.4.6,   AstroPlan 1.18  AstroShCap 1.3.6, AstroVOE 1.5.2, AstroSN 1.1,  AstroProtect 1.4.1
  (AstroWeather 1.10.13, AstroAllSky 3.6)

Highlights

• ASCOM 6.5 SP1.  First session attempt using ASCOM 6.5 SP1 Platform.  
•   Dome Glitch. Glitch encountered when trying to start session with dome refusning to open when using either DeviceHUb, POTH, Pulsar or Dome Controller.  Turning Dome Controller Power Off/On eventually restored dome operations.
•   Haze & Cloud. Haze/Poor Transparency and cloud

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)

Pre-Session Weather Forecast (API data from darksky.net) Pre-Session Weather forecast showed clear skies in first part of evening (0-31% cloud cover), with skies clouding over  from 20:00 to 22:00 (51-97% cloud cover) becoming totally overcast from 23:00 onwards (98-100% cloud cover) Minimum tempertaure of 2 degC and light wind (7-8 mph). In the event skies there were sufficiently clear for observing in first part of evening, but skies had poor transparancy. Skies poor for remainder of night. Minumum Temperature of 1 degC. Winds initially calm-light, but increasing to light by dawn.

Session Event Log

Time     Event Detail 20:23:36 Session Monitoring AutoStart monitoring for Live Session opportunity starting between 20:23 & 06:37 20:23:39 Session AutoStarting Session autostarting (20:23) 20:24:23   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -25°C) 20:24:25 Session Created Live Session Created (2020-12-30 S00843 Attempt, ImageSaveNum: 843001) 20:24:27   Scope Switched On Telescope Power has been switched on via UPB Powerbox. 20:26:22   Services Started Observatory Services started 20:26:31 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 20:26:34 Session Pending Session pending (2020-12-30) 20:26:36 Session Initiating Session initiating (2020-12-30) 20:26:38   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.18) 20:27:27   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (2020-12-30 V1 BEST PLAN, Plan ID: 578) 20:27:30   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -25°C) 20:27:38   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 20:27:48 Session Equilibration Session ready for dome & camera equilibration 20:35:31 Observatory (Manual) Observatory placed in Manual Mode 20:38:02   Services Started Observatory Services started 20:41:05   Services Stopped Observatory Services stopped 20:42:12   Obs.Manager Started Obs.Manager started 20:42:14   Obs.Overseer Started Obs.Overseer started 20:42:18   Services Started Observatory Services started 20:54:45   Telescope Switched Off Telescope Power has been switched off via UPB Switch. 20:55:08   Services Stopped Observatory Services stopped 20:55:44 Program Closed Program closed by User 20:55:46 Program Closed Program closed by User 21:11:51 Session Resumed Live Session Resumed (2020-12-30 S00843, ImageSaveNum: 843001) 21:12:10   Obs.Manager Started Obs.Manager started 21:12:12   Obs.Overseer Started Obs.Overseer started 21:12:16   Services Started Observatory Services started 21:12:39   Scope Switched On Telescope Power has been switched on via UPB Powerbox. 21:14:21   Services Started Observatory Services started 21:14:35   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 21:15:37   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -25°C) 21:16:15 Critical Humidity Alert Critical Humidity Alert (Obs.Manager will close the Shutter) 21:16:20   Dome Closed Dome closed (closing time 5s) 21:20:42   Services Stopped Observatory Services stopped 21:21:04 Program Closed Program closed by User 21:21:06 Program Closed Program closed by User 21:22:47 Session Resumed Live Session Resumed (2020-12-30 S00843, ImageSaveNum: 843001) 21:22:54   Obs.Manager Started Obs.Manager started 21:22:56   Obs.Overseer Started Obs.Overseer started 21:23:00   Services Started Observatory Services started 21:23:07   Scope Switched On Telescope Power has been switched on via UPB Powerbox. 21:24:29   Services Started Observatory Services started 21:27:16   Services Stopped Night Services stopped 21:27:21   Telescope Switched Off Telescope Power has been switched off via UPB Switch. 21:28:42   Services Started Observatory Services started 21:28:54   Scope Switched On Telescope Power has been switched on via UPB Powerbox. 21:30:04   Services Started Observatory Services started 21:30:50   Services Stopped Observatory Services stopped 21:31:01 Program Closed Program closed by User 21:31:03 Program Closed Program closed by User 21:31:51 Session Resumed Live Session Resumed (2020-12-30 S00843, ImageSaveNum: 843001) 21:32:08   Obs.Manager Started Obs.Manager started 21:32:10   Obs.Overseer Started Obs.Overseer started 21:32:14   Services Started Observatory Services started 21:33:33   Services Started Observatory Services started 21:33:44   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 21:35:14   Dome Opened Dome opened (opening time 46s) 22:19:58 Critical Cloud Alert Critical Cloud Alert (Obs.Manager will close the Shutter) 22:20:43   Dome Closed Dome closed (closing time 45s) 22:21:00 User Intervention User Intervention to Close Session 22:21:10 Session Closing Session Closing 22:22:50   Dome Parked Dome parked (parking time 58s), Az: 90.0 deg 22:23:23   Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 31s) 22:23:53   Telescope Switched Off Telescope Power has been switched off via UPB Switch. 22:24:33   Camera1 Disconnected SBIG Camera closed down & disconnected 22:24:45 Session Finisihed Session Finished 22:24:55   Services Stopped Night Services stopped

Session Alerts

Time     Alert Detail -- No Alerts                --

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Operational Issues (2020-12-30, S843 Attempt)

• Critical Issues (0)
• Major Issues (3)
• Minor Issues (2)
• Continuous Improvement (1)

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Critical Issues

•  None

Major Issues

• Dome wouldn't open at start of session.   Dome couldn't be opened at start of session.  Not indication of any issue with DeviceHub itself, it would simply indicate that shutter was opening for 1-2s before status was confirmed as Closed.   Investigating showed that same issue affected POTH Hub when it was tried.  Dome also unable to be opened using Pulsar software.   Restarting the computer didn't resolve the issue.   Visiting the observatory and trying to open the shutter using the Dome Controller Screen Interface also failed to open the shutter. Problem hasn't been experienced before.  The issue was resolved by turning off power to the Dome Controller power and turning power back on again after a few seconds. One hour of potential observing time was lost.
  Fixed during session (Observatory Dome)
   
• Telescope lost position / unable to resume from Park.   In trying to resolve problems with the dome, the telescope was either powered off with out parking or suffered some problem coming out of park.    Either way it meant that the telescope lost its position.   A significant amount of time lost trying to resynchonise the telescope position. Whilst this was eventually done (initially using the moon and then a star field), there was insufficient time to complete a short mapping run of 6+ points before sky conditions deteriorated causing image link to fail due to insufficient stars or the shutter needed to close due to developing cloud.  Process would have been a lot quicker if Telrad was working.   Telrad repaired (2021-01-01) and scope resynchronised at start of following session (2021-01-02)
  Fixed 2021-01-02 (Session)
   
• Telrad not working.  Telrad has stopped working previously - the red reticle light doesn't show when switched on even after installing new batteries. Suffering for a second occasion trying to align the telescope a new Telrad was ordered from First Light Optics 2020-12-30, with intention of fitting in upon its arrival in a few days time. However before it arrived the existing Telrad was removed and investigated in day light. It was found that the connector between the +ve and -ve terminals at the end of the battery holder had broken.  The wired connectors also broken away from there respective terminals when tugged.   The battery holder and wire connections were repaired and allowed the existing Telrad to work again.  (the broken connector explains why the Telrad stopped working and why it didn't work after replacing it with brand new batteries on the prior occasion that the Telrad was needed.  The existing Telrad has been modified with a custom fitting to allow it to fit firmly to the scope (no velcro or sticky tape) so it it is handy that it has been.  
  Fixed 2021-01-01 (Observatory)

Minor Issues

• Dome couldn't be opened due to High Humidity alert.   After resolving glitch with Dome Controller,  an attempt to open the dome failed due to High Humidity Condition. This is a condition check in AstroMain Obs.Manager routine to ensure that outside humidity is not > 97%.   At the time the outside humidity was 98%.   The alert is valid and proved to be a good indication of developing fog/poor transparency which eventually forced the session to be abandoned.   However the condition check got in the way of attempting to check Observatory operations using the new ASCOM 6.5 SP1 platform.   As a temporary workaround a special AstroMain version was created (3.33.1) in which the high humidity condition check was turned off via code.  A continuous improvement ticket has been created to add a options to manually override the high humidity condition alert.
  Temporary Workaround (Session/AstroMain 3.33.1)
   
• Pulsar ASCOM Log monitoring opening Conform result file instead of latest Dome log.   Upon start session AstroMain opened the file "ASCOM.Pulsar_Observatories_Dome.Dome.Validation.txt"  which had been created earlier in the day by ASCOM' Conform Tool instead of "ASCOM.Pulsar_Observatories_Dome.2122.525750.txt" created by the Pulsar Dome Driver. This is rare incident that would not be normally met.  AstroMain was trying to find the most recent 'ASCOM.Pulsar_Observatories_Dome' file in " \{user}\Documents\ASCOM\Logs 2020-12-30" folder.  and was confused by "Dome.Validation.txt file which had different name structure to expected.  Issue was resolved in the session by moving the "Dome.Validation.txt file to a separate folder, and restarting the Dome Service. Code to be changed to ignore any 'Dome.Validation.txt' file
  Fixed 2021-01-03 (AstroMain 3.33.3)

Continuous Improvement

• Add user option so that high humidity condition check can be manually overriden. Obs.Manager is hardcoded so that the dome can not be opened (or alternatively must shut if it is already open) when the outside humidity exceeds 97%.  This is valid safety condition check but there may be situations where the user needs to temporarily override the condition check and open the observatory.
  Done 2021-01-01 (AstroMain 3.33.2)

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2020-12-30

ASCOM Platform 6.5 SP1

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ASCOM Conform Tests - Pulsar Dome Driver

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