David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 873 (2021-03-21)

Notes (S872)

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Notes (S874)

	Session Aims & Highlights
	- Observing Result  - Night Summary Plot  - Session Event Log
	Operational Issues
	- Critical Issues (0),  Major Issues (0),  Minor Issues (6),  Continuous Improvement (1)
	Images from 2021-03-21 >>     [ Local Files >> ]

Session Aims & Highlights (2021-03-21)

Main aims

1. New Cable Routing.  Continue nighttime testing of new cable routing for SBIG power cable and ZWO USB 3 cable.
2. Targets. Acquire images of a selection of variable stars, nearby stars, comets & deep sky targets as allowed by conditions

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  2.6.9Dev3
   
• AstroMain 3.38.7,  AstroGuard 1.6,   AstroPlan 1.21.4, AstroShCap 1.3.11, AstroVOE 1.7, AstroSN 1.5,  AstroProtect 1.6
  (AstroWeather 1.12, AstroAllSky 3.10.3, AstroObsCam 1.5)

Highlights

•   ObsCam.  After failure of web-uploading from Observatory Computer at 02:35 (issue with AstroPlan Uploader),  ObsCam image uploaded from AllSky/Weather Computer were useful for showing that observatory has closed down correctly at end of session.
•   New Cable Routing. No useful information collected about benefits or otherwise of the new cable routing.
•   Poor conditions / cloud.  Leading to very few useful image or images also lost due to cloud & poor guiding

Summary Plots & Logs

Observing Plan

Observing Result

Dome & Scope Slewing Performance

Slew/Centering Performance

Guiding Performance Dec Notes : Run 10 (mauve) impacted by wrong Dec Guide Mode (should have chosen South Mode, rather than North) Run 5 (orange) impacted by wrong Dec Guide ? (should have chosen South Mode ?) Run 16 (orange) impacted by Dec Drift before selection of Dec Guide Mode

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)

Pre-Session Weather Forecast (API data from darksky.net)

Session Event Log

Time     Event Detail 17:51:32 Session Monitoring AutoStart monitoring for Live Session opportunity starting between 19:19 & 04:09 19:19:16   AutoStart Waiting AutoStart waiting till earliest start time at 19:19 19:19:17   AutoStart Delayed Session delayed due to cloud 19:35:13 Session AutoStarting Session autostarting (19:35) 19:35:43 Session Created Live Session Created (2021-03-21 S00873, ImageSaveNum: 873001) 19:35:45   Scope Switched On Telescope Power has been switched on via UPB Powerbox. 19:37:44   Services Started Observatory Services started 19:37:53 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 19:37:55 Session Pending Session pending (2021-03-21) 19:37:57 Session Initiating Session initiating (2021-03-21) 19:37:59   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.21.4) 19:39:17   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (, Plan ID: 611) 19:39:30   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -20°C) 19:39:37   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 19:39:47 Session Equilibration Session ready for dome & camera equilibration 19:42:08   Dome Opened Dome opened (opening time 45s) 19:42:11   Equilibration Started Dome Equilibration started 19:45:54   Equilibration Ended Dome Equilibration ended (3.8 mins total) 19:45:56 Session Running Session running 19:45:58   Queue Started Observing Queue started (27 targets selected) 19:47:01       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 19:50:11       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1) 19:52:01       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1) 19:52:06       Focusing Started-Foc2 Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 19:54:26       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2, wide) 19:56:15       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2) 19:56:32       Focusing Checked Foc2 Focusing Check Succeeded 19:57:53     Target Started (1/27) Target started (1/27, M31 w/Nova2021fbz) 19:58:59     Target Failed Target failed due To slew error (1/27, M31 w/Nova2021fbz) 20:09:00 User Intervention User Intervention to restart session following issue with TheSky6 20:09:08   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 20:09:41   Queue Aborted Job Queue aborted 20:11:08   Services Stopped Observatory Services stopped 20:11:16   Obs.Manager Started Obs.Manager started 20:11:18   Obs.Overseer Started Obs.Overseer started 20:11:22   Services Started Observatory Services started 20:11:32   Telescope Switched Off Telescope Power has been switched off via UPB Switch. 20:12:16   Services Stopped Observatory Services stopped 20:12:30 Program Closed Program closed by User 20:12:32 Program Closed Program closed by User 20:16:08 Session Monitoring AutoStart monitoring for Live Session opportunity starting between 20:16 & 04:09 20:16:13 Session AutoStarting Session autostarting (20:16) 20:16:45 Session Resumed Live Session Resumed (2021-03-21 S00873, ImageSaveNum: 873001) 20:16:47   Scope Switched On Telescope Power has been switched on via UPB Powerbox. 20:18:31   Services Started Observatory Services started 20:18:40 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 20:18:43 Session Pending Session pending (2021-03-21) 20:18:45 Session Initiating Session initiating (2021-03-21) 20:18:54   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (, Plan ID: 611) 20:19:11   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -20°C) 20:19:16   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 20:19:27 Session Equilibration Session ready for dome & camera equilibration 20:19:29 Session Running Session running 20:19:31   Queue Started Observing Queue started (26 targets selected) 20:19:45     Target Started (2/27) Target started (2/27, AT2021ckv) 20:22:10       Focusing Started-Foc2 Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 20:24:38       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 5, wide) 20:26:31       Focusing Failed Foc2 focusing failed - failed QC check (Range) 20:27:42   SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend is called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars) 20:28:05       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is lost (TCF-S) 20:33:38 Critical Cloud Alert Critical Cloud Alert (Obs.Manager will close the Shutter) 20:33:40   HardSuspend Called Hard Suspend is called due to Critical Conditions (cloud) 20:33:44     Target Aborted (2/27) Target aborted (2/27, AT2021ckv) due to cloud 20:33:46   Queue Paused Queue paused For Session Suspension 20:33:48 Session Suspended Session suspended 20:34:38   Dome Closed Dome closed (closing time 50s) 20:38:37     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (2/27, AT2021ckv) due to cloud 20:52:09     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (3/27, GCVS DX Cnc) due to cloud 21:11:41     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (4/27, UGC 4550) due to cloud 21:23:35     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (5/27, GCVS SY Cnc) due to cloud 21:43:12     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (6/27, IC 357 w/AT2021fyd) due to cloud 22:05:04     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (7/27, UGC 3502 w/AT2021cwc) due to cloud 22:18:56     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (8/27, AT2021dbp (CV)) due to cloud 22:33:18     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (9/27, Nova Per 2020 (CV)) due to cloud 22:54:10     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (10/27, SN 2021xn) due to cloud 23:08:47 Session Resuming Session resuming 23:09:32   Dome Opened Dome opened (opening time 45s) 23:09:34 Session Running Session running 23:09:36   Queue Resumed Observing Queue resumed 23:09:38     Target Started (11/27) Target started (11/27, NGC 4015) 23:15:43   SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend is called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars) 23:17:08   SoftSuspend Cancelled Soft Suspend is cancelled due to Improved Conditions 23:23:22     Target Completed Target partially completed (11/27, NGC 4015) 23:23:24     Target Started (12/27) Target started (12/27, UGC 7522) 23:23:26   SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend is called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars) 23:24:08 Critical Cloud Alert Critical Cloud Alert (Obs.Manager will close the Shutter) 23:24:10   HardSuspend Called Hard Suspend is called due to Critical Conditions (cloud) 23:24:12     Target Aborted (12/27) Target aborted (12/27, UGC 7522) due to cloud 23:24:14   Queue Paused Queue paused For Session Suspension 23:24:16 Session Suspended Session suspended 23:25:03   Dome Closed Dome closed (closing time 50s) 23:29:04 Session Resuming Session resuming 23:29:49   Dome Opened Dome opened (opening time 45s) 23:29:51 Session Running Session running 23:29:53   Queue Resumed Observing Queue resumed 23:29:55     Target Started (12/27) Target started (12/27, UGC 7522) 23:44:03     Target Completed Target partially completed (12/27, UGC 7522) 23:44:05     Target Started (13/27) Target started (13/27, NGC 4533 w/SN2021bug) 23:47:42       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 23:50:34       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 6) 23:52:35       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 6) 00:08:42     Target Completed Target completed (13/27, NGC 4533 w/SN2021bug) 00:08:44     Target Started (14/27) Target started (14/27, IC 863 w/SN2021foa) 00:12:39       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:14:52       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 7) 00:27:51     Target Completed Target partially completed (14/27, IC 863 w/SN2021foa) 00:27:53     Target Started (15/27) Target started (15/27, NGC 4227 w/SN2021biz) 00:30:11       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:32:17       Focusing Failed Foc1 focusing failed - failed QC check (Ambiguous) 00:48:11     Target Completed Target completed (15/27, NGC 4227 w/SN2021biz) 00:48:13     Target Started (16/27) Target started (16/27, NGC 4631 w/AT2021biy) 00:50:12       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-S) 01:07:35     Target Completed Target completed (16/27, NGC 4631 w/AT2021biy) 01:09:22     Target Started (17/27) Target started (17/27, NGC 3515 w/AT2021fmd) 01:12:14       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-S) 01:29:41     Target Completed Target completed (17/27, NGC 3515 w/AT2021fmd) 01:34:35     Target Started (18/27) Target started (18/27, NGC 3993) 01:36:46       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:38:47       Focusing Failed Foc1 focusing failed - failed QC check (Ambiguous) 01:54:55     Target Completed Target completed (18/27, NGC 3993) 01:54:58     Target Started (19/27) Target started (19/27, NGC 5018 w/SN2021fxy) 01:58:52       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:00:53       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 10) 02:17:00     Target Completed Target completed (19/27, NGC 5018 w/SN2021fxy) 02:17:02     Target Started (20/27) Target started (20/27, IC 992 w/SN2021dwg) 02:20:19       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-S) 02:37:52     Target Completed Target completed (20/27, IC 992 w/SN2021dwg) 02:37:54     Target Started (21/27) Target started (21/27, LEDA 1634284 w/SN2021bkw) 02:40:48       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-S) 02:58:15     Target Completed Target completed (21/27, LEDA 1634284 w/SN2021bkw) 02:59:13     Target Started (22/27) Target started (22/27, C/2020 T2 (Palomar)) 03:01:16       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:03:21       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 11) 03:16:31     Target Completed Target completed (22/27, C/2020 T2 (Palomar)) 03:18:09     Target Started (23/27) Target started (23/27, MCG +6-30-84 w/SN2021K) 03:20:17       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:22:07       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 12) 03:27:36 Critical Humidity Alert Critical Humidity Alert (Obs.Manager will close the Shutter) 03:27:38   HardSuspend Called Hard Suspend is called due to Critical Conditions (high humidity) 03:27:43     Target Aborted (23/27) Target aborted (23/27, MCG +6-30-84 w/SN2021K) due to high humidity 03:27:45   Queue Paused Queue paused For Session Suspension 03:27:46 Session Suspended Session suspended 03:28:36   Dome Closed Dome closed (closing time 50s) 03:37:32     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (23/27, MCG +6-30-84 w/SN2021K) due to other condition 03:43:37 Session Resuming Session resuming 03:44:22   Dome Opened Dome opened (opening time 45s) 03:44:25 Session Running Session running 03:44:27     Target Started (24/27) Target started (24/27, GCVS U Her) 03:44:29   Queue Resumed Observing Queue resumed 03:47:13       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:48:43 Critical Humidity Alert Critical Humidity Alert (Obs.Manager will close the Shutter) 03:48:45   HardSuspend Called Hard Suspend is called due to Critical Conditions (high humidity) 03:48:52       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 13) 03:48:55     Target Aborted (24/27) Target aborted (24/27, GCVS U Her) due to high humidity 03:48:57   Queue Paused Queue paused For Session Suspension 03:48:59 Session Suspended Session suspended 03:49:43   Dome Closed Dome closed (closing time 48s) 03:51:12     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (24/27, GCVS U Her) due to other condition 03:58:54 Session Resuming Session resuming 03:59:39   Dome Opened Dome opened (opening time 45s) 03:59:41 Session Running Session running 03:59:43   Queue Resumed Observing Queue resumed 03:59:45     Target Started (25/27) Target started (25/27, GCVS CY Lyr) 04:06:11     Target Completed Target completed (25/27, GCVS CY Lyr) 04:06:14     Target Started (26/27) Target started (26/27, AT2021dtd) 04:10:15       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 04:12:03       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 14) 04:28:09     Target Completed Target completed (26/27, AT2021dtd) 04:28:11     Target Started (27/27) Target started (27/27, GCVS BL Lac) 04:30:52       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 04:32:42       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 15) 04:36:26     Target Completed Target completed (27/27, GCVS BL Lac) 04:36:29   Queue Completed Job Queue completed 04:36:32 Session Closing Session closing 04:37:28   Dome Closed Dome closed (closing time 50s) 04:37:48   Dome Parked Dome parked (parking time 13s), Az: 90.0 deg 04:38:34   Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 39s) 04:39:04   Telescope Switched Off Telescope Power has been switched off via UPB Switch. 04:39:54   Services Stopped Night Services stopped 04:39:56 Session Housekeeping Housekeeping Started (Cleanup FITS, Create Fits Summary, Transfer Files) 04:40:08 Session Finished Session Finished

Session Alerts

Time     Alert Detail -- No Alerts                --

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Operational Issues (2021-03-21 S873)

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

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Critical Issues

• None

Major Issues

• None

Minor Issues

• Slew to Target 1/28 (M31 with AT2021fbz) failed at 19:57 with message 'Scope isn't pointing to the target (Ang Sep. = 70.8 arc degs)'.  Target check for Target 1/28 indiated a planned AzAlt position of Az 306.3  / Alt 26.6,  and a  slew of 117.5 deg in 54s was reported.  The Slew.dat table indicated that scope has slewed from  Az 163/3 / Alt 80.8 to Az 306.6 / Alt 26.0 suggesting that Slew had been completed ok. This was later confirmed by looking back at ObsCam pictures.  There is no explanation of the Report message. "Scope isn't pointing to the target (Ang Sep. = 70.8 arc degs).  Possible 'Timed out waiting for received data' problem".   Log file shows a Post-Slew Ra/Dec coordinates that are unchanged from Pre-Slew Coordinates.    It is believed that there was a TheSky6 issue. The position of the scope in TheSky and DeviceHub didn't seem to match. The telescope was parked using DH, and observatory software and the session were all restarted.
  Resolved by user intervention (Session)
   
• Foc2 Focusing for star field AT 2021ckv at Alt 19° gave very poor, off-scale FWHM results (12.3" Profle5_wide,  11.1" Profile5).  Unclear why Profile 5 was taken when Foc2 focusing was successfully achieved for Near Zenith Field at start of session.  Unclear why FWHM values were so poor.  The focus result failed final QC check and didn't impact autofocusing.  Issue closed following review.
  Closed 2021-03-22 (Session)
   
• Session Pictures htm file not picking up TargetInfo chart for Target MCG +6-30-84 w/SN2021K.  Investigating show that TargetInfo is saved as 'TargetInfo.20210321.chart26.MCG__6-30-84' , but Session Pictures file is looking to pick up  'TargetInfo.20210321.chart26.MCG_+6-30-84.png'.
  Fixed 2021-03-21 (AstroMain 3.38.8)
   
• Failure Mode for Target 23/27 & 24/27 (high humidity) not stated in Target Summary and not stored in Database.   High Humidity is recorded and reported ok as the reason why the targets were aborted (including posting on TargetInfo charts,   but after suspending the session, the reason for cancellation of target is lost and is recorded as cancelled due to 'Other Condition'.    When cancelling a target the reason for failure is derived in a different way to when aborting.   When cancelling FailureState is determined from the GetFailMode() routine which doesn't make any reference to HighHumidity.
  Fixed 2021-03-23 (AstroMain 3.38.9)
   
• Opening Dome at start of session required 3 attempts to initiate Shutter opening  (1st attempt had message 'Dome failed to open within 90s).   1st attempt is labelled as '2nd attempt' in Report File which is anomalous ? . Shutter opened ok on third attempt with a normal opening time of 45s. Shutter shouldn't have been asleep as it is using new v1.24 version of Pulsar Shutter Software. ASCOM Trace Log show Pulsar driver receiving request to Open Shutter at 19:39:53 (but didn't result in a change in shutter state which remained as 1 = closed). A second request is received from Client at 19:40:00 (again it didn't result in any change in shutter state). A third request was received at 19:41:23. This time the shutter state finally changed to State 2 (=Opening) at 19:41:24 (T+1s) and then to State 0 (=Open) at 19:42:06 (T+43s).  The timeline is shown in a plot below. This clearly shows that the Shutter was suffering an 'outage' when the initial attempt was made to open the shutter.  The 1st or 2nd attempt had the effect of waking the shutter up such that the third open shutter attempt was successful.  (Fig 1)This an occassional but ongoing issue with the dome system in which client requests to Open or Close Shutter are sometimes not being acted upon.   This is not a case of interference with Rotation Slewing.  The first SlewToAzimuth request wasn't made until  19:42:13.  It was hoped that v1.24 of Shutter Software would fix this issue but it evidently hasn't.    Problem is an occasional one, and workarounds have been put in place to follow up requests which haven't been acted upon.   A new version of the Pulsar Shutter software (1.25) was installed on 2021-03-31 and monitoring over the next 14 days confirmed that it the Shutter Unit no longer falls asleep and is always responsive to commands to open/close the shutter..
  Fixed 2021-03-31 (Pulsar Shutter Software 1.25)
   
• Weather Station data randomly going offline for periods of 1 hour or so.  Weather Station data (Wind data, outside T/H, observatory T/H) going offline causing flat-lined sections and/or data gaps on weather charts and also interferring with dew heater power levels.  Problem has been present for last 5 days.  This is not an issue with the base unit's battery strength since problem still occurs after putting base unit on to A/C Adapter power source.  Problem continued to be present throughout April and into early May. Outages are typically one hour in duration.  Several of them occur at the turn of the hour ?. Some of them seem to relate to items (pot plants, bottle of kitchen cleaner) being brought into proximity of the base unit ?, Eventually resolved 2022-02-25 by moving Base Station  from its current position (the window sill of house's utility room that looks out towards the observatory and towards the wind sensor) into the observatory. Whilst the Base Station's screen can no longer be viewed from indoors (a significant loss of convenience) the distance between wind sensor and the base station has been halved (reducing from 14.2m to 6.8m), whilst the wireless link between the base station and the USB wireless receiver in the observatory has been significantly reduced (reducing from 15m to 1.5m), and the weather data can still be viewed from indoors by looking at information and graphs uploaded to website. 
  Fixed  2022-02-25  (Weather Station/Observatory).

Continuous Improvement

• Update the OpenShutter & OpenShutterTask routines  to employ similar techniques to those used for CloseShutter / CloseShutterTask routines to avoid ambiguous attempt numbers and greater clarity.   Updates implemented 2021-03-21.
  Done 2021-03-21 (AstroMain 3.38.8)

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Fig 1 : Shutter Graphs
Showing flat-lined data

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