David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 876 (2021-03-26)

Notes (S875)

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Notes (S877)

	Session Aims & Highlights
	- Observing Result  - Night Summary Plot  - Session Event Log
	Operational Issues
	- Critical Issues (0),  Major Issues (0),  Minor Issues (3),  Continuous Improvement (1)
	Images from 2021-03-26 >>     [ Local Files >> ]

Session Aims & Highlights (2021-03-26)

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 3.38.8,  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 / 1.5.1 )

Highlights

•   Clear Skies. Skies were clearer than forecast allowing multiple targets to be imaged.
•   New Cable Routing.  Plenty of data collected about guiding west of Meridian using new cable routing.
•   Guiding Performance.  No indication that new cable routing has given any improvement in guiding performance. Most of the earlier guiding issues are still present.
         Suggesting either a balance issue or a Dec motor issue.

Summary Plots & Logs

Observing Plan

Observing Result

Dome & Scope Slewing Performance

Slew/Centering Performance

Guiding Performance Dec Notes : Run 9 (orange) impacted by periods of ineffective Dec guiding Run 14 (orange) impacted by poor seeing/wind?

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 19:57:14 Session Monitoring AutoStart monitoring for Live Session opportunity starting between 19:57 & 03:54 19:57:18 Session AutoStarting Session autostarting (19:57) 19:57:49 Session Created Live Session Created (2021-03-26 S00876, ImageSaveNum: 876001) 19:57:51   Scope Switched On Telescope Power has been switched on via UPB Powerbox. 19:59:50   Services Started Observatory Services started 19:59:59 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 20:00:03 Session Pending Session pending (2021-03-26) 20:00:05 Session Initiating Session initiating (2021-03-26) 20:00:07   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.21.4) 20:02:28   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (, Plan ID: 614) 20:02:40   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -20°C) 20:02:46   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 20:02:57 Session Equilibration Session ready for dome & camera equilibration 20:03:43   Dome Opened Dome opened (opening time 46s) 20:03:46   Equilibration Started Dome Equilibration started 20:08:04   Equilibration Ended Dome Equilibration ended (4.3 mins total) 20:08:06 Session Running Session running 20:08:08   Queue Started Observing Queue started (30 targets selected) 20:09:09       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 20:12:23       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1, wide) 20:14:13       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1) 20:14:18       Focusing Started-Foc2 Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 20:16:38       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2, wide) 20:18:29       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2) 20:18:45       Focusing Checked Foc2 Focusing Check Succeeded 20:23:53     Target Started (1/30) Target started (1/30, AT2021ckv) 20:28:36       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 20:30:36       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 3) 20:45:58   SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend is called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars) 20:46:45     Target Completed Target completed (1/30, AT2021ckv) 20:46:47   Queue Paused Queue paused For Session Suspension 20:46:50 Session Suspended Session suspended 20:47:38   Dome Closed Dome closed (closing time 50s) 21:01:17     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (2/30, UGC 3502 w/SN2021cwc) due to cloud 21:23:39     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (3/30, SN 2021xn) due to cloud 21:37:31     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (4/30, AT2021gyc (CV)) due to cloud 21:47:57     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (5/30, LAMOST-HVS1) due to cloud 21:57:35     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (6/30, GCVS ER UMa) due to cloud 22:09:27     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (7/30, AT2021dbp (CV)) due to cloud 22:29:19     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (8/30, IC 357 w/AT2021fyd) due to cloud 22:45:41     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (9/30, Nova Per 2020 (CV)) due to cloud 22:57:29     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (10/30, GCVS RZ LMi) due to other condition 23:17:51     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (11/30, NGC 4227 w/SN2021biz) due to cloud 23:36:13     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (12/30, UGC 6930 w/SN2020rcq) due to cloud 23:57:05     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (13/30, NGC 4631 w/AT2021biy) due to cloud 00:18:57     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (14/30, NGC 4774 w/AT2021cjd) due to cloud 00:40:49     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (15/30, IC 863 w/SN2021foa) due to threat of rain 01:02:41     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (16/30, AT2021dtd) due to cloud 01:24:33     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (17/30, NGC 3310 w/SN2021gmj) due to cloud 01:46:25     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (18/30, NGC 5018 w/SN2021fxy) due to cloud 02:01:17 Session Resuming Session resuming 02:02:02   Dome Opened Dome opened (opening time 45s) 02:02:04 Session Running Session running 02:02:06     Target Started (19/30) Target started (19/30, C/2020 T2 (Palomar)) 02:02:08   Queue Resumed Observing Queue resumed 02:13:21     Target Completed Target partially completed (19/30, C/2020 T2 (Palomar)) 02:13:23     Target Started (20/30) Target started (20/30, IC 992 w/SN2021dwg) 02:32:47     Target Completed Target partially completed (20/30, IC 992 w/SN2021dwg) 02:32:49     Target Started (21/30) Target started (21/30, GCVS U Her) 02:36:58       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:38:37       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 4) 02:46:03     Target Completed Target completed (21/30, GCVS U Her) 02:51:00     Target Started (22/30) Target started (22/30, GCVS AM Her) 02:57:19     Target Completed Target partially completed (22/30, GCVS AM Her) 02:57:22     Target Started (23/30) Target started (23/30, GCVS BL Lac) 03:00:24       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:02:18       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 5) 03:06:02     Target Completed Target completed (23/30, GCVS BL Lac) 03:06:04     Target Started (24/30) Target started (24/30, GCVS SS Her) 03:10:06       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:11:56       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 6) 03:15:09     Target Completed Target completed (24/30, GCVS SS Her) 03:15:11     Target Started (25/30) Target started (25/30, 7P/Pons-Winnecke) 03:18:00       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:19:48       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 7) 03:32:44     Target Completed Target completed (25/30, 7P/Pons-Winnecke) 03:32:46     Target Started (26/30) Target started (26/30, AT2021gux (CV)) 03:35:16       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:37:20       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 8) 03:42:53     Target Completed Target completed (26/30, AT2021gux (CV)) 03:42:56     Target Started (27/30) Target started (27/30, GCVS R CrB) 03:45:57       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:47:35       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 9) 03:50:31     Target Completed Target completed (27/30, GCVS R CrB) 03:51:05     Target Started (28/30) Target started (28/30, HIP 87937) 03:54:53       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:56:42       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 10) 03:59:25     Target Completed Target completed (28/30, HIP 87937) 03:59:27     Target Started (29/30) Target started (29/30, C/2020 R4 (ATLAS)) 04:04:08       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-S) 04:14:32     Target Completed Target completed (29/30, C/2020 R4 (ATLAS)) 04:14:34     Target Started (30/30) Target started (30/30, 61 Cyg) 04:17:23       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 04:19:10       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 11) 04:20:29     Target Completed Target completed (30/30, 61 Cyg) 04:20:32   Queue Completed Job Queue completed 04:20:35 Session Closing Session closing 04:21:30   Dome Closed Dome closed (closing time 50s) 04:24:38   Dome Parked Dome parked (parking time 181s), Az: 90.0 deg 04:25:19   Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 36s) 04:25:49   Telescope Switched Off Telescope Power has been switched off via UPB Switch. 04:26:37   Services Stopped Night Services stopped 04:26:39 Session Housekeeping Housekeeping Started (Cleanup FITS, Create Fits Summary, Transfer Files) 04:26:55 Session Finished Session Finished

Session Alerts

Time     Alert Detail -- No Alerts                --

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Operational Issues (2021-03-26 S876)

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

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Critical Issues

• None

Major Issues

• None

Minor Issues

• Night-time ObsCam monitoring is not picking up scope movement.  This issue is a side-effect of recent changes to Detect Motion routine in AstroMain 1.5.3 that were made in order to reduce the number of daytime false alarms.  DetectMotion triggers for night time movements  reduced from 5% to 2% .   Parked/UnParked Thresshold reduced from 3% to 0.5%
  Fixed 2021-03-27 (AstroObsCam 1.5.4)
   
• JPG picture is not being produced for Near Zenith Field's Foc1 Focus Frame at start of session.   At present Focus Frames for Near Zenith Field are only captured for Foc2 Focusing.    Foc2 Focus Frame JPG picture is captured with id '0002'.   The absence of a saved '0001' jpg file indicates that creation of Foc1 JPG Picture must have been attempted in order to increment the id counter, (this is done at the start of ConvertFitsToJpg() routine) but there was presumably either a condition block or an exception that prevented the jpg picture being fully created/saved.  Code appears to rule out a condition block, suggesting that an exception probably occured.  Exceptions in the routine are caught but historically the details are not logged.  Routine modified in AstroMain 3.38.10 (2021-03-27) in order to log any exceptions from the ConvertFitsToJpg () routine.  Exception is probably related to absence of any prior LocateInfo.  Code modified in AstroMain 3.38.10 to Initialise LocateInfo values (null etc) to prevent an exception from occurring.   Output from Session S877 (2021-03-29) confirms that the issue has been fixed.
  Fixed  2021-03-27 (AstroMain 3.38.10)
   
• When Combining frames during Analysis the number of frames cited in the Combine Frames dialog is sometimes incorrect.   After aligning 15 frames for C/2020 R4 (ATLAS) the number of frames cited in Combine Frames dialog was 4.  It is hypothesied that since the Combine Dialog is popped up before Align Frames finished, the number of frames cited might be the number of frames in the Aligned folder at the particular moment that routine was run and not the final number.   The routine should monitor the Aligned folder for a period of time and only display the dialog when the number of aligned frames has stopped incrementing.
  Fixed 2021-03-27  (AstroMain 3.38.10)

Continuous Improvement

• Use 'Title 2' to retrieve Comet Ra/Dec Motion (in arc sec/hr).   At present Ra/Dec motion is retrieved and used during a session and written to Report File which has to be opened & the motion values located and copied n order to complete web images notes for the observation.  It would be handy if motion data can be automatically recovered during Analysis stage and transferred to clipboard to speed up web authoring. 'Title 2' routine (normally used for Supernova/ CV objects) is available for use by Comets/ Minor Planets.
  Done 2021-03-27  (AstroMain 3.38.10)

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