David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 899 (2021-05-31)

Notes (S898)

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Notes (S900A)

	Session Aims & Highlights
	- Observing Result  - Night Summary Plot  - Session Event Log
	Operational Issues
	- Critical Issues (0),  Major Issues (0),  Minor Issues (3),  Small Defects (2),  Continuous Improvement (5)
	Images from 2021-05-31 >>      [ Local Files >> ]
	2021-06-02
	PHD2 Upgrade 2.6.9dev5

Session Aims & Highlights (2021-05-31)

Main aims

1. AstroMain.  Try out AstroMain 3.40.2, following further refactoring of code connected with plate-solving.  Check out fixes and enhancements. Check for any new issues / introduced bugs.
2. Guiding.  Collect information to understand the impact of focuser movements & associated change in weight distribution on guiding
3. Targets. Acquire images of a selection of variable stars, nearby stars, comets & deep sky targets as allowed by time & conditions

Equipment & Software

• 12" LX200 and ST-10XME
• 80mm APO and ZWO ASI 178MC
• CCDApp2, TheSky6, CCDSoft5, PHD2,  DeviceHub 6.5.1.4,  MeadeLX200GPS / MeadeGeneric 1.1.0.337, UPB 1.5, ASCOM 6.5 SP1
• Pegasus UPB & Motor Focus, TCF-S
• SharpCap 3.2, PHD2  2.6.9Dev4
   
• AstroMain 3.40.2,  AstroPlan 1.22.1,  AstroShCap 1.3.11, AstroGuard 1.6,   AstroVOE 1.7, AstroSN 1.5.1,  AstroProtect 1.6
  (AstroWeather 1.12.4, AstroAllSky 3.10.4, AstroObsCam 1.5.5 )

Highlights

•   AstroMain.  No major issues with AstroMain 3.40.2.  A number of minor issues related to transition to new code routines. 

Notes

• Autostart Details:
  

  AutoStart Monitoring                    2021-05-31 23:00  (Local)
    AutoStart Reference:        Info      2021-06-01 00:17 (Local, Sun Altitude -10.0 degs)
    AutoStart Window:           Info      2021-05-31 23:47 (Local, Earliest Start)
                                Info      2021-06-01 01:12 (Local, Latest Start)
    Waiting...                  Info      Waiting till the beginning of AutoStart Window at 23:47
    Delaying AutoStart...       Info      Unable to begin AutoStart at 23:47 due to too few stars
                                           (Few Stars Threshold = 2)
    Waiting...                  Info      Waiting till conditions are fully suitable for observing
  
    AutoStart Check             Ok        Conditions at 00:02 are suitable for starting an observing session

  Create Observing Plan                   2021-06-01 00:05  ( -25 mins )
    Starting Minutes            Info      25 minutes required
  
  Session Equilibration                   2021-06-01 00:06  (Local)
    Now                         Info      2021-06-01 00:06  ( -24 mins )   
    Expected Shutter Opening    Info      2021-06-01 00:06  ( -24 mins ) Actual 00:06
    Expected Equilbrat'n Start  Info      2021-06-01 00:07  ( -23 mins )
    Expected Run Start          Info      2021-06-01 00:13  ( -17 mins ) Actual 00:13
    Expected Near-Zenith Foc1   Info      2021-06-01 00:14  ( -16 mins ) Actual 00:13
    Expected Near-Zenith Foc2   Info      2021-06-01 00:22  (  -8 mins ) Actual 00:19
    Expected Queue Start        Info      2021-06-01 00:28  (  -2 mins )
    Plan Queue Start            Info      2021-06-01 00:30  ( On Track ) Actual 00:23
  

Summary Plots & Logs

Observing Plan

Observing Result

Dome & Scope Slewing Performance

Slew/Centering Performance

Guiding Performance Dec Notes : Av. Dec guiding was reasonable (yellow & green), however several runs (Run ID 2, 4, 6, 8) had at least one poor Frame with 2.0 -3.5" RMS (Red)

Sky Conditions (Locate Frames) Bugs in AstroMain 3.40 caused incorrect Sky Transparency and Elongation values to be drawn on realtime graphs (post session graphs are shown for information)

Night Sky Summary Plot Top axis: Sky Brightness at Zenith (in ADU/s) Lefthand axis: Local Time (hh LT). Righthand axis: Sun Altitude (degs)

Actual Weather vs Pre-Session Weather Forecast

Session Event Log

Time     Event Detail 23:00:22 Session Monitoring AutoStart monitoring for Live Session opportunity between 23:47 & 01:12 23:47:33   AutoStart Waiting AutoStart waiting till earliest start time at 23:47 23:47:34   AutoStart Delayed Session delayed due to too few stars 00:02:25 Session AutoStarting Session autostarting (00:02) 00:03:07   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -15°C) 00:03:09 Session Created Live Session Created (2021-05-31 S00899, ImageSaveNum: 899001) 00:03:11   Scope Switched On Telescope Power has been switched on via UPB Powerbox. 00:04:52   Services Started Observatory Services started 00:05:00 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 00:05:02 Session Pending Session pending (2021-05-31) 00:05:04 Session Initiating Session initiating (2021-05-31) 00:05:06   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.22.1) 00:05:48   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (, Plan ID: 638) 00:05:53   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -15°C) 00:05:58   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 00:06:10 Session Equilibration Session ready for dome & camera equilibration 00:07:45   Dome Opened Dome opened (opening time 45s) 00:08:01   Equilibration Started Dome Equilibration started 00:13:01   Equilibration Ended Dome Equilibration ended (5.0 mins total) 00:13:03 Session Running Session running 00:13:05   Queue Started Observing Queue started (8 targets selected) 00:13:07     Target Started (NrZen) Target started (Focus Field 16, HIP 78946) 00:14:16       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:17:29       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1, wide) 00:19:09       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1) 00:19:14       Focusing Started-Foc2 Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 00:21:32       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2, wide) 00:23:19       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2) 00:23:41     Target Completed Target completed (Focus Field 16, HIP 78946) 00:25:00     Target Started (1/8) Target started (1/8, GCVS BL Lac) 00:30:33       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:32:24       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 3) 00:36:07     Target Completed Target completed (1/8, GCVS BL Lac) 00:36:09     Target Started (2/8) Target started (2/8, NGC 5861) 00:40:38       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-S) 00:54:18     Target Completed Target completed (2/8, NGC 5861) 00:54:20     Target Started (3/8) Target started (3/8, GCVS R CrB) 00:57:22       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:59:02       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 4) 01:02:01     Target Completed Target completed (3/8, GCVS R CrB) 01:02:04     Target Started (4/8) Target started (4/8, HIP 87937) 01:05:37       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:07:33       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 5) 01:09:50     Target Completed Target completed (4/8, HIP 87937) 01:13:55     Target Started (5/8) Target started (5/8, GCVS AM Her) 01:17:17       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:19:08       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 6) 01:23:56     Target Completed Target completed (5/8, GCVS AM Her) 01:23:58     Target Started (6/8) Target started (6/8, VV 807 w/AT2021fbu) 01:28:20       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is lost (TCF-S) 01:45:41     Target Completed Target completed (6/8, VV 807 w/AT2021fbu) 01:45:43     Target Started (7/8) Target started (7/8, GCVS SS Her) 01:49:09       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:51:12       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 7) 01:54:25     Target Completed Target completed (7/8, GCVS SS Her) 01:54:27     Target Started (8/8) Target started (8/8, UGC 11177 w/AT2021koq) 01:58:01       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:01:00       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 8) 02:17:06     Target Completed Target completed (8/8, UGC 11177 w/AT2021koq) 02:17:09   Queue Completed Job Queue completed 02:17:12 Session Closing Session closing 02:18:07   Dome Closed Dome closed (closing time 50s) 02:18:53   Dome Parked Dome parked (parking time 39s), Az: 90.0 deg 02:19:49   Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 50s) 02:20:04   Telescope State Scope parked Turn scope off. (Handbox) 02:20:25   Telescope Switched Off Telescope Power has been switched off via UPB Switch. 02:21:14   Services Stopped Night Services stopped 02:21:16 Session Housekeeping Housekeeping Started (Cleanup FITS, Create Fits Summary, Transfer Files) 02:21:27 Session Finished Session Finished

Session Alerts

Time     Alert Detail -- No Alerts                --

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Operational Issues (2021-05-31, S899)

• Critical Issues (0)
• Major Issues (0)
• Minor Issues (3)
• Small Defects (2)
• Continuous Improvement (5)

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Critical Issues

• None

Major Issues

• None

Minor Issues

• Focusing Changes are not being displayed on Guiding Charts during Settling phase.   Extra tracing was added in AstroMain 3.40.1 following identification of issue in last session S898 (2021-05-22).  The tracing shows GuidingChart.DrawFocusChange() is being called ok during settling period,  which indicates an issue within the DrawFocusChange procedure itself.  Code show that subroutine is immediately exiting due to an inappropriate condition check on 'bRecording'.   Fixed in AstroMain 3.30.3.
  Fixed 2021-06-01 (AstroMain 3.40.3)
   
• Unexpected Initial Az/Alt reported by Telescope.GetAzAlt during Connect Telescope, TheSky6). Initial Telescope Az/Alt coordinates reported through TheSky6 showed a significant difference from those reported from Scope.AzAlt. 
    Telescope Coords...         Ok        Az:  180.7         Alt: 3.5 ASCOM
    Telescope Coords...         Ok        Az:  233.8         Alt: -11.8 TheSky6
  Telescope RaDec2000 coordinates reported from TheSky and Scope.RaDec2000 didn't show the same difference, but matched within expected tolerance. ConnectTelescope() routine modified to include extra tracking to log the angular separation between the AzAlt coordinates from the two sources and if separation is >0.5 degs to repeat the Telescope.GetAzAlt after a 2s delay.
  Fixed 2021-06-04 (AstroMain 3.40.3)
   
• Session started later than expected. AutoStart monitoring was commenced with an AutoStart reference time of 23:47 (SunAlt -10deg minus 30 mins) and a 'Few Stars threshold' of 2, with the intention that the first target would begin at 00:17 (SunAlt -10deg), however in the event Autostart didn't begin until 00:02 and the first target  (GCVS BL Lac) didn't start until 00:23. This was 6 minutes later than expected.   At 23:47 Obs.Manager deemed that there ' too few stars'  and deferred AutoStart till conditions were fully suited for observing.    AutoStart is coded to begin where conditions are acceptable to resume (including Clarity > 28 ) and AllSkyStarState = SkyState.Good.   AllSkyStarState is set to SkyState.Good when AllSkyStarCount >= TooFewStarsThreshold +5  (ie >=7 stars, which didn't happen to  00:02:23) or AllSkyStarCount >= TwoFewStarsThreshold and MinutesSinceSufficientStar >8 (Sufficient Stars(i.e. 2) was reached at 23:54:51, so adding 8 minutes make the condition true at 00:02:51.   This explains why AutoStart didn't begin until 00:02.  Five minutes were then spent on Dome Equilibration so that Near Zenith Focusing wasn't started until 00:13 leading to 1st target not starting until 00:23.  If there Dome Equilibration had been skipped then 1st target could have started at ~ 00:18 which is only 1 minute late to the intended time.   Equilibration should be automatically skipped or reduced to preserve intended Autostart Reference Time.  Request for Observing Plan was made at 00:05 with a 25 mins Starting Time (StartingMins).  A plan was returned with scheduled Start Time of 00:30  (00:05 + 25 mins).   So a shorter Starting Time (20 mins) should have been specified to avoid the 5 minutes spent equilibrating the dome.  Starting time is given by GetPreQueueActivityMins() function + 2 mins (to allow time to create & import plan).   The GetPreQueueActivityMins() function includes 5 minutes equilibration time if current sun altitude >= -12.   This is not suitable for summer operations so the AutoStart Reference Sun Altitude (AutoStart Reference Time) should be used instead.  Fix implemented in AstroMain 3.40.5 but requires live testing before final close-out.
  Fixed 2021-06-07 (AstroMain 3.40.5)

Small Defects

• Slight issue with the formatting of log messages associated with logging of catch 0017 exceptions opening StarDatFile (Image.dat) .
  Fixed 2021-06-01 (AstroMain 3.40.3)
   
• Report Messages overlapping whilst restarting CCDSoft at start of session. . Investigation shows problem cause by Obs.Monitor
  Fixed 2021-06-02 (AstroMain 3.40.3)

Continuous Improvement

• Unneccessary small focus changes should be avoided where no backlash needs to be removed.  During Target 1/8 (GCVS BL Lac), focuser was moved 502 steps in one direction before moving 500 steps in other direction in order to move TCF-S (focuser1) from 4315 to 4317 just before the 2nd frame (a movement of just 2 steps) and later from 4317 to 4319 just before the 3rd frame (again a movement of just 2 steps).  The critical focus zone for 12" LX200 operating at f/10.4 with TCF-S focuser and with 1.5" FWHM is +/-81 steps (increasing to +/-163 steps for 3" FWHM)  (see Critical Focus Zone calculations, 2018-09-04).   The impact on focusing of a such small changes is insignficant but in each case the refocusing task took up nearly 7s of operational time.   Refocusing in such a case should be cancellled.  Besides the time saving there is risk that changes in weight distribution there could be undesirable effects on guiding during the process.   Due to any ongoing temperature changes and longer imaging runs, it is possible that the cummulative focus discrepency increases to the point that it a focus changes is eventually appropriate.    Such time savings are particular important for time critical targets such as GRB's,  or targets sensitive to data density such as exoplanets.   Where there no backlash compensation is required focusing is very quick and there is generally no downside in focusing (e.g. moving 2 steps in the opposite direction from 4317 to 4315 steps taking <1s should be proceed unhindered for a 180s image but where image run is very short say 15 x 2s it is probably unneccessary to make 5 focusing changes as happened with target 4/8 (HIP 87937) with focus changes from 4230 to 4229, to 4228, to 4227, to 4226, to 4225, taking 0.9s each time - so nearly 5s in total .    Changes made to AutoSetFocusPosition() routine in AstroMain 3.30.3
    Done 2021-06-01 (AstroMain 3.40.3)
   
• Time Savings can be achieved ahead of taking non-C filter images.  During Target 1/8 (GCVS BL Lac), 10s was taken at 00:32:14 to move TCF-S focuser from 3587 (last Focus Profile point) to 4164 (Best Focus Position for the C Filter). This was a1077 step move followed by 500 step move in order to take out backlash.  Immediately after this (at 00:32:25) the TCF-S was moved from 4164 (Best Focus Position for C Filter) to 4315 (Best Focus Position for R Filter) in order to take the first of three R Filter images of the the target.  This took a further 7.4s involving a 651 step movement in one direction followed by a 500 step movement in the other to again remove focuser backlash.  Around 8s could have been saved by not changing the focuser position to 4164 (Best focus position of C Filter) at end of focus profile, but moving directly from 3587 (last focus Profile Point) to 4315 (best focus position for R Filter) ahead of the first instead.   Removal of end of focus profile move to best focus position, should only apply to automated mode observing (ie not manual mode), and should be retrospectively added in the event that target or job queue is aborted.
    Done 2021-06-01 (AstroMain 3.40.3)
   
• Reset Camera 1 to 'Clear' Filter and Focuser1 to Best Focus Position after returning Observatory Mode to Manual.  This is to ensure that Camera and Focuser have most appropriate settings following a return to Manual.  (following a Hard Suspend / or Abort Job scope might be a non-C filter and/or have the wrong focuser position (either due to filter used or a deferred focuser change that never comes)
    Done 2021-06-01 (AstroMain 3.40.3)
   
• Change BackColor so that Scope Tracking and AllSkyStarCount are shown with Color.Salmon when values are vcNull.  Currently the two fields are shown with Light Grey background, but the salmon (red) background is more appropriate for vcNull (-99, text '--') state.
    Done 2021-06-01 (AstroMain 3.40.3)
   
• Variety of improvements to Log and Report Messaging.  Variety of changes made to improve the clarity and presentation of log and report messages.
    Done 2021-06-04 (AstroMain 3.40.3)

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2021-06-02

PHD2 Update 2.6.9dev5

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2021-06-04

Session Attempt (2021-06-04)

Main aims

1. AstroMain.  Try out AstroMain 3.40.3, following further refactoring of code connected with reporting and logging.  Check out fixes and enhancements. Check for any new issues / introduced bugs.
2. Guiding.  Collect information to understand the impact of focuser movements & associated change in weight distribution on guiding
3. Targets. Acquire images of a various targets as allowed by time & conditions

Equipment & Software

• 12" LX200 and ST-10XME
• 80mm APO and ZWO ASI 178MC
• CCDApp2, TheSky6, CCDSoft5, PHD2,  DeviceHub 6.5.1.4,  MeadeLX200GPS / MeadeGeneric 1.1.0.337, UPB 1.5, ASCOM 6.5 SP1
• Pegasus UPB & Motor Focus, TCF-S
• SharpCap 3.2, PHD2  2.6.9Dev5
   
• AstroMain 3.40.3,  AstroPlan 1.22.1,  AstroShCap 1.3.11, AstroGuard 1.6,   AstroVOE 1.7, AstroSN 1.5.1,  AstroProtect 1.6
  (AstroWeather 1.12.4, AstroAllSky 3.10.4, AstroObsCam 1.5.5 )

Highlights

•   AstroMain.  Autostart Monitoring ran but there were no opportunities to start session within the specified AutoStart window.

Lowlights

•   Conditions. Conditions unsuitable for observing until close to dawn.

Notes

• Operational Issues associated with session attempt on 2021-06-04 have been included with the Operational Issues from 2021-05-31.

Summary Plots & Logs

Night Sky Summary Plot Top axis: Sky Brightness at Zenith (in ADU/s) Lefthand axis: Local Time (hh LT). Righthand axis: Sun Altitude (degs)

Actual Weather vs Pre-Session Weather Forecast

Session Event Log

Time     Event Detail 23:34:34 Dome Shutter Pulsar Shutter is deemed to be asleep (last fresh data was at 23:06:23) 23:34:53 Dome Shutter Pulsar Shutter has woken up (fresh data started at 23:34:53, outage 28.5mins)

Session Alerts

Time     Alert Detail -- No Alerts                --

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