David's Astronomy Pages
Notes - Session 897 (2021-05-10)

 
Bullet Session Aims & Highlights
 - Observing Result
 - Night Summary Plot
 - Session Event Log
 
Bullet Operational Issues
- Critical Issues (0),  Major Issues (0),  Minor Issues (3),  Small Defects (3),  Continuous Improvement (15)
Bullet Images from 2021-05-10 >>      [ Local Files >> ]
2021-05-11
Bullet DeviceHub 6.5.1.4
2021-05-18
Bullet Refactoring PlateSolve & Other Image Routines

Session Aims & Highlights (2021-05-10)

Main aims

  1. AstroPlan.  Try out AstroPlan 1.22 with new Schedule Builder feature that excludes Target Observations in parts of twillight sky in evening of morning that are too bright due to position of Sun below horizon and position of Target above but close to horizon and in general direction of sun.
  2. Image Linking. Test out modification to Image Linking / Pointing Error Determination made in AstroMain 3.39.11
  3. Targets. Acquire images of a selection of variable stars, nearby stars, comets & deep sky targets as allowed by time & conditions

Equipment & Software

Highlights

Notes:

Summary Plots & Logs

Observing Plan
Image
  
Observing Result
Image
   
Dome & Scope Slewing Performance
Image
  
Slew/Centering Performance
Image
  
Guiding Performance
Dec Notes :
Run 4 (black) failed due to cloud/lost star
Run 5 (red) impacted by anomalous Dec jumps and periods of ineffective Dec guiding
Run 8 (red) impacted by long period of ineffective Dec guiding
Run 1 (orange) impacted by anomalous Dec jump(s)
Image
Image
  
Sky Conditions (Locate Frames)
Image
  
  
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   
  
Actual Weather vs Pre-Session Weather Forecast
Image
Image   
  
Session Event Log
Time     Event Detail
23:04:59 Session Monitoring AutoStart monitoring for Live Session opportunity starting between 23:04 & 02:13
23:05:01 Session AutoStarting Session autostarting (23:05)
23:05:32 Session Created Live Session Created (2021-05-10 S00897, ImageSaveNum: 897001)
23:05:35   Scope Switched On Telescope Power has been switched on via UPB Powerbox.
23:07:18   Services Started Observatory Services started
23:07:25 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode
23:07:26 Session Pending Session pending (2021-05-10)
23:07:29 Session Initiating Session initiating (2021-05-10)
23:07:31   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.22)
23:08:08   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (, Plan ID: 636)
23:08:23   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -15°C)
23:08:30   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6)
23:08:45 Session Equilibration Session ready for dome & camera equilibration
23:10:12   Dome Opened Dome opened (opening time 45s)
23:10:28   Equilibration Started Dome Equilibration started
23:15:27   Equilibration Skipped Dome Equilibration skipped by user
23:15:29 Session Running Session running
23:15:31   Queue Started Observing Queue started (14 targets selected)
23:15:33     Target Started (NrZen) Target started (Focus Field 13, HIP 63666)
23:16:35       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S)
23:19:48       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1, wide)
23:21:37       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1)
23:21:40 Critical Cloud Alert Critical Cloud Alert (Obs.Manager will close the Shutter)
23:21:42   HardSuspend Called Hard Suspend is called due to Critical Conditions (cloud)
23:22:03       Focusing Started-Foc2 Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap)
23:22:22     Target Completed Target completed (Focus Field 13, HIP 63666)
23:22:24   Queue Paused Queue pausing for Session Suspension
23:22:27 Session Suspended Session suspended
23:23:13   Dome Closed Dome closed (closing time 48s)
23:44:30 Session Resuming Session resuming
23:45:15   Dome Opened Dome opened (opening time 45s)
23:45:17 Session Running Session running
23:45:19   Queue Resumed Observing Queue resumed
23:45:21     Target Started (NrZen) Target started (Focus Field 14, HIP 69068)
23:46:11       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S)
23:47:51       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2)
23:47:53       Focusing Started-Foc2 Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap)
23:50:13       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 3, wide)
23:52:03       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 3)
23:52:25     Target Completed Target completed (Focus Field 14, HIP 69068)
23:52:27     Target Started (1/14) Target started (1/14, NGC 5018 w/SN2021fxy)
23:52:29     Target Failed Target failed due To missed start time (1/14, NGC 5018 w/SN2021fxy)
23:56:27     Target Started (2/14) Target started (2/14, 61 Cyg)
23:56:30     Target Failed Target failed due To missed start time (2/14, 61 Cyg)
23:56:32     Target Started (3/14) Target started (3/14, GCVS BL Lac)
00:02:15       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S)
00:04:08       Focusing Failed Foc1 focusing failed - failed QC check (Ambiguous)
00:07:52     Target Completed Target completed (3/14, GCVS BL Lac)
00:07:54     Target Started (4/14) Target started (4/14, AT2021hkn)
00:11:00       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S)
00:12:40       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 5)
00:18:38     Target Completed Target completed (4/14, AT2021hkn)
00:19:03     Target Started (5/14) Target started (5/14, Nova Per 2020 (CV))
00:24:38 Critical RainThreat Alert Critical Rain Threat Alert (Obs.Manager will close the Shutter)
00:24:40   HardSuspend Called Hard Suspend is called due to Critical Conditions (threat of rain)
00:24:44     Target Aborted (5/14) Target aborted (5/14, Nova Per 2020 (CV)) due to threat of rain
00:24:46   Queue Paused Queue paused For Session Suspension
00:24:48 Session Suspended Session suspended
00:25:38   Dome Closed Dome closed (closing time 50s)
00:26:53 Session Resuming Session resuming
00:27:38   Dome Opened Dome opened (opening time 45s)
00:27:40 Session Running Session running
00:27:42   Queue Resumed Observing Queue resumed
00:27:44     Target Started (5/14) Target started (5/14, Nova Per 2020 (CV))
00:27:58 Critical Cloud Alert Critical Cloud Alert (Obs.Manager will close the Shutter)
00:28:00   HardSuspend Called Hard Suspend is called due to Critical Conditions (cloud)
00:28:02   CCDSoft Issue CCDSoft has encountered an image save issue [0000]
00:28:04   CCDSoft Restarting CCDSoft restarting in attempt to fix image save issue [0000]
00:28:22   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -15°C)
00:28:38     Target Aborted (5/14) Target aborted (5/14, Nova Per 2020 (CV)) due to cloud
00:28:40   Queue Paused Queue paused For Session Suspension
00:28:42 Session Suspended Session suspended
00:29:29   Dome Closed Dome closed (closing time 50s)
00:32:25     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (5/14, Nova Per 2020 (CV)) due to cloud
00:52:47     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (6/14, NGC 3310 w/SN2021gmj) due to cloud
01:14:39     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (7/14, NGC 4165 w/SN2021gno) due to cloud
01:21:58 Session Resuming Session resuming
01:22:43   Dome Opened Dome opened (opening time 45s)
01:22:45 Session Running Session running
01:22:47   Queue Resumed Observing Queue resumed
01:22:49     Target Started (8/14) Target started (8/14, UGC 8426 w/AT2021knq)
01:26:28       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is lost (TCF-S)
01:36:25 Critical Cloud Alert Critical Cloud Alert (Obs.Manager will close the Shutter)
01:36:27   HardSuspend Called Hard Suspend is called due to Critical Conditions (cloud)
01:36:31     Target Aborted (8/14) Target aborted (8/14, UGC 8426 w/AT2021knq) due to cloud
01:36:33   Queue Paused Queue paused For Session Suspension
01:36:35 Session Suspended Session suspended
01:37:20   Dome Closed Dome closed (closing time 45s)
01:50:26 Session Resuming Session resuming
01:51:11   Dome Opened Dome opened (opening time 45s)
01:51:13 Session Running Session running
01:51:15   Queue Resumed Observing Queue resumed
01:51:17     Target Started (9/14) Target started (9/14, C/2020 T2 (Palomar))
02:02:35     Target Completed Target partially completed (9/14, C/2020 T2 (Palomar))
02:02:37     Target Started (10/14) Target started (10/14, CGCG 056-009 w/SN2021apf)
02:06:40       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S)
02:08:33       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 6)
02:24:41     Target Completed Target completed (10/14, CGCG 056-009 w/SN2021apf)
02:24:43     Target Started (11/14) Target started (11/14, UGC 11177 w/AT2021koq)
02:28:03       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S)
02:30:06       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 7)
02:45:41     Target Completed Target completed (11/14, UGC 11177 w/AT2021koq)
02:45:43     Target Started (12/14) Target started (12/14, GCVS U Her)
02:48:15       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S)
02:50:07       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 8)
02:57:25     Target Completed Target completed (12/14, GCVS U Her)
02:57:27     Target Started (13/14) Target started (13/14, GCVS SS Her)
03:00:00       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S)
03:01:56       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 9)
03:05:08     Target Completed Target completed (13/14, GCVS SS Her)
03:05:10     Target Started (14/14) Target started (14/14, HIP 87937)
03:08:53       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S)
03:10:44       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 10)
03:13:14     Target Completed Target completed (14/14, HIP 87937)
03:13:18   Queue Completed Job Queue completed
03:13:20 Session Closing Session closing
03:14:14   Dome Closed Dome closed (closing time 50s)
03:15:01   Dome Parked Dome parked (parking time 40s), Az: 90.0 deg
03:15:52   Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 46s)
03:16:28   Telescope Switched Off Telescope Power has been switched off via UPB Switch.
03:17:15   Services Stopped Night Services stopped
03:17:17 Session Housekeeping Housekeeping Started (Cleanup FITS, Create Fits Summary, Transfer Files)
03:17:24 Session Finished Session Finished
 
Session Alerts
Time     Alert Detail
00:00:01 Dome Alert DomeRecords have stopped updating
00:00:21 Dome Alert DomeRecords have resumed updating
00:27:59 CCDSoft Image file [0000] hasn't been saved to disk, possible CCDSoft issue
01:23:31 CCDSoft Image file has been saved to disk following CCDSoft Restart

Back to Top


Operational Issues (2021-05-10, S897)

[ Prev | Next ]

Critical Issues

Major Issues

Minor Issues

Small Defects

Continuous Improvement

[ Prev | Next ]



Fig 1.
Image

Fig 2.

Image

Fig 3.

Image

Back to Top


2021-05-11


DeviceHub 6.5.1.4

A new pre-release version of DeviceHub was installed today (2021-05-11).  The changes in 6.5.1.4 are

https://github.com/ASCOMInitiative/ASCOMDeviceHub/releases

Results
DeviceHub 6.5.1.4 was successfully used in session S898 (2021-05-22).

Update (2021-09-15)
Device Hub Git Project Site shows that that the latest release version of DH is 6.5.1.7.    At present there is no urgency or strong need to move to 6.5.1.7.   The latest versions 6.5.1.6 and 6.5.1.7 has extra protection by ignoring any extra commands to move the scope whilst it is in the action of parking.  This may be important should anomalies crop up during parking operations in future sessions.

Update (2021-11-03)
A new 6.5.1.7 version of DeviceHub was installed today (see 6.5.1.7 Notes).  The previously used 6.5.1.4 version had been working well but it seemed appropriate to finally move to the latest 6.5.1.7 version which was published some 3 months ago (2021-07-26)

Back to Top


2021-05-18


Refactoring PlateSolve & Other Image Routines

Introduction

Code Refactoring was conducted around a number for routines that support the following operations

Aims

RunResetScopePointing  (Sync & ShortMapping Run)

AnalyseImageDetail

AnalyseImageFull

ImageAndLink (Locate Frames)

PositionAndSync

AnalyseStarsShell   (renamed PlateSolveImage)

OB.LocateImageLite

CalculatePointingError

Back to Top