David's Astronomy Pages
Notes - Session 846 (2021-01-06)

 
Bullet Session Aims & Highlights
 - Observing Result
 - Night Summary Plot
 - Session Event Log
 
Bullet Operational Issues
  - Critical Issues (0),  Major Issues (0),  Minor Issues (1),  Continuous Improvement (4)
Bullet Images from 2021-01-06 >>
2021-01-07
Bullet UPB Powerbox - New T/H sensor

Session Aims & Highlights (2021-01-06)

Main aims

  1. Targets. Acquire images of a selection of variable stars, nearby stars, comets and deep sky targets as allowed by conditions.
  2. PHD2.  Try out new 2.6.9dev3 version

Equipment & Software

Highlights

Summary Plots & Logs

Observing Plan
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Observing Result
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Dome & Scope Slewing Performance
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Slew/Centering Performance
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Guiding Performance
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Sky Conditions (Locate Frames)
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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)
Telescope & Shutter Information is missing due to problem with AstroAllSky
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Pre-Session Weather Forecast (API data from darksky.net)
Pre-Session Weather forecast showed initial snow showers followed by slight clearing (85-91% cloud cover),
followed by overcast skies,  with possible sleet/snow showers moving to later to rain showers
as temperatures rose from -2 degC at dusk to 4 degC at dawn
Wind calm/light in first part of night, but strengthening later reached 17-19 mph by dawn.

In the event skies were very clear from dusk to 22:30 before clouding over for the remainder of the night with
prolonged rain shower at rain shower at 02:30-03:15.
Minumum Temperature of -4 degC at 22:00 before warming later in night under cloud.
Winds relatively light in first half of night, but strengthening towards dawn.
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Session Event Log
Time     Event Detail
17:14:15 Session Monitoring AutoStart monitoring for Live Session opportunity starting between 17:14 & 06:36
17:14:17 Session AutoStarting Session autostarting (17:14)
17:14:58 Session Created Live Session Created (2021-01-06 S00846, ImageSaveNum: 846001)
17:15:01   Scope Switched On Telescope Power has been switched on via UPB Powerbox.
17:16:56   Services Started Observatory Services started
17:17:04 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode
17:17:07 Session Pending Session pending (2021-01-06)
17:17:09 Session Initiating Session initiating (2021-01-06)
17:17:11   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.18)
17:17:38   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (2021-01-06 V1 BEST PLAN, Plan ID: 581)
17:17:52   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -25°C)
17:17:56   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6)
17:18:06 Session Equilibration Session ready for dome & camera equilibration
17:19:53   Dome Opened Dome opened (opening time 45s)
17:20:09   Equilibration Started Dome Equilibration started
17:25:08   Equilibration Ended Dome Equilibration ended (5.0 mins total)
17:25:10 Session Running Session running
17:25:12   Queue Started Observing Queue started (44 targets selected)
17:26:15       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S)
17:29:29       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1)
17:31:29       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1)
17:31:31       Focusing Started-Foc2 Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap)
17:33:44       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2, wide)
17:35:33       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2)
17:35:49       Focusing Checked Foc2 Focusing Check Succeeded
17:37:07     Target Started (1/44) Target started (1/44, GCVS SS Cyg)
17:39:28       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S)
17:41:18       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 3)
17:44:57     Target Completed Target completed (1/44, GCVS SS Cyg)
17:52:19     Target Started (2/44) Target started (2/44, UGC 12914)
17:55:21       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S)
17:57:34       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 4)
18:13:12     Target Completed Target completed (2/44, UGC 12914)
18:14:42     Target Started (3/44) Target started (3/44, M33 w/AT2021bl)
18:18:01       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-S)
18:35:24     Target Completed Target completed (3/44, M33 w/AT2021bl)
18:36:33     Target Started (4/44) Target started (4/44, GCVS HH And)
18:39:09       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S)
18:41:10       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 5)
18:43:20     Target Completed Target completed (4/44, GCVS HH And)
18:44:48     Target Started (5/44) Target started (5/44, WDS GRB 34)
18:47:09       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S)
18:49:04       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 6)
18:50:46     Target Completed Target completed (5/44, WDS GRB 34)
18:53:03     Target Started (6/44) Target started (6/44, GCVS DY Per)
18:55:59       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S)
18:57:55       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 7)
19:02:16     Target Completed Target completed (6/44, GCVS DY Per)
19:03:11     Target Started (7/44) Target started (7/44, SN 2020aagy)
19:05:30       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S)
19:07:25       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 8)
19:23:01     Target Completed Target completed (7/44, SN 2020aagy)
19:25:33     Target Started (8/44) Target started (8/44, GCVS RX And)
19:27:32       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S)
19:29:28       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 9)
19:32:04     Target Completed Target completed (8/44, GCVS RX And)
19:33:53     Target Started (9/44) Target started (9/44, UGC 1161 w/SN2020acch)
19:36:24       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-S)
19:54:13     Target Completed Target completed (9/44, UGC 1161 w/SN2020acch)
19:56:15     Target Started (10/44) Target started (10/44, UGC 2528 w/AT2020adnx)
19:58:16       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S)
20:00:30       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 10)
20:16:26     Target Completed Target completed (10/44, UGC 2528 w/AT2020adnx)
20:18:07     Target Started (11/44) Target started (11/44, AT2021W)
20:19:44       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S)
20:21:50       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 11)
20:32:33     Target Completed Target completed (11/44, AT2021W)
20:35:29     Target Started (12/44) Target started (12/44, VV 107)
20:37:30       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S)
20:39:42       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 12)
20:55:28     Target Completed Target completed (12/44, VV 107)
20:57:51     Target Started (13/44) Target started (13/44, 277P/LINEAR)
21:00:02       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S)
21:02:13       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 13)
21:12:30     Target Completed Target completed (13/44, 277P/LINEAR)
21:14:21     Target Started (14/44) Target started (14/44, Nova Per 2020 w/AT2020abap)
21:17:03       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S)
21:19:01       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 14)
21:27:36     Target Completed Target completed (14/44, Nova Per 2020 w/AT2020abap)
21:29:13     Target Started (15/44) Target started (15/44, GCVS CM Tau)
21:31:40       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S)
21:33:33       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 15)
21:47:44     Target Completed Target completed (15/44, GCVS CM Tau)
21:49:14     Target Started (16/44) Target started (16/44, UGCA 201)
21:49:27     Target Failed Target failed due to slew error (16/44, UGCA 201)
22:11:35     Target Started (17/44) Target started (17/44, NGC 3277)
22:14:00       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S)
22:16:00       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 16)
22:21:35 Critical Cloud Alert Critical Cloud Alert (Obs.Manager will close the Shutter)
22:21:37   HardSuspend Called Hard Suspend is called due to Critical Conditions (cloud)
22:21:41     Target Aborted (17/44) Target aborted (17/44, NGC 3277) due to cloud
22:21:43   Queue Paused Queue paused for Session Suspension
22:21:46 Session Suspended Session suspended
22:22:35   Dome Closed Dome closed (closing time 50s)
22:30:57     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (17/44, NGC 3277) due to cloud
22:53:19     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (18/44, UGCA 240) due to cloud
23:15:41     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (19/44, UGC 4043) due to cloud
23:29:13     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (20/44, GCVS DX Cnc) due to cloud
23:30:57 User Intervention User request to close and finish session
23:30:59   Queue Aborted Job Queue aborted
23:31:02 Session Closing Session closing
23:31:07   Dome Closed Dome already closed (closed at 22:22, closing time 50s)
23:34:16   Dome Parked Dome parked (parking time 181s), Az: 90.0 deg
23:34:59   Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 38s)
23:35:29   Telescope Switched Off Telescope Power has been switched off via UPB Switch.
23:36:19   Services Stopped Night Services stopped
23:36:21 Session Housekeeping Housekeeping Started (Cleanup FITS, Create Fits Summary, Transfer Files)
23:36:32 Session Finished Session Finished
 
Session Alerts
Time     Alert Detail
18:54:47 Dome Discrepency Difference between Telescope Az and Dome Az is > 8 deg (GCVS DY Per)
19:04:32 Dome Discrepency Difference between Telescope Az and Dome Az is > 8 deg (SN 2020aagy)

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Operational Issues (2021-01-06 S846)

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Critical Issues

Major Issues

Minor Issues

Continuous Improvement

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2021-01-07


UPB Powerbox - New T/H Sensor

The Humidity Sensor on existing T/H sensor connected to UPB PowerBox failed in Q4 2020.  Sensor reads humidity of 99%. This was the same failure as the original T/H sensor.  Instead of going back through to Pegasus Astro, it was decided to order a couple of Sonoff AM2301 T/H sensors (a replacement and a spare) via AliExpress.

These arrived today (2021-01-07).  Unfortunately the new sensor has a narrower dimension (mini) male plug than the existing sensor, and therefore doesn't fit the female receptor on the UPB Powerbox.    

A 2.5mm female to 3.5mm male stereo adapter has been ordered via Amazon in the hope that it will allow the new sensors to be connected !

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