David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 912 (2021-09-07)

Notes (S911)

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Notes (S913)

	Session Aims & Highlights
	- Observing Result  - Night Summary Plot  - Session Event Log
	Operational Issues
	- Critical Issues (0),  Major Issues (0),  Minor Issues (2),  Small Defects (0),  Continuous Improvement (5)
	Images from 2021-09-07 >>        [ Local Files >> ]

Session Aims & Highlights (2021-09-07)

Main aims

1. Targets. Acquire images of a selection of variable stars, nearby stars, comets & deep sky targets as allowed by time & conditions.
2. AstroMain. Test fixes, improvements and new features in AstroMain 3.41.5. Check for stability.

Equipment & Software

• 12" LX200 and ST-10XME
• 80mm APO and ZWO ASI 178MC
• CCDApp2, TheSky6, CCDSoft5, PHD2 2.6.10,  DeviceHub 6.5.1.4,  MeadeGeneric 1.3.1.361, UPB 1.5, ASCOM 6.5 SP1
• Pegasus UPB & Motor Focus, TCF-S
• SharpCap 3.2, PHD2  2.6.10
   
• AstroMain 3.41.8,  AstroPlan 1.22.7,  AstroShCap 1.3.11, AstroGuard 1.6.2,  AstroVOE 1.7,  AstroSN 1.5.3,  AstroProtect 1.6
  (AstroWeather 1.12.4, AstroAllSky 3.10.4, AstroObsCam 1.5.7)

Highlights

• Perfect Session. No new issues, Good weather conditions, 100% of targets successfully acquired.

Notes:

Summary Plots & Logs

Observing Plan

Observing Result

Dome & Scope Slewing Performance

Slew/Centering Performance

Guiding Performance

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)

Actual Weather vs Pre-Session Weather Forecast

Session Event Log

Time     Event Detail 21:38:16 Session Monitoring AutoStart monitoring for Live Session opportunity between 21:38 & 04:15 21:38:21 Session AutoStarting Session autostarting (21:38) 21:39:05   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -10°C) 21:39:07 Session Created Live Session Created (2021-09-07 S00912, ImageSaveNum: 912001) 21:39:09   Scope Switched On Telescope Power has been switched on via UPB Powerbox. 21:40:50   Services Started Observatory Services started 21:40:57 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 21:41:01 Session Pending Session pending (2021-09-07) 21:41:03 Session Initiating Session initiating (2021-09-07) 21:41:05   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.22.7) 21:41:35   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (, Plan ID: 653) 21:41:39   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -10°C) 21:41:45   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 21:42:00 Session Equilibration Session ready for dome & camera equilibration 21:42:46   Dome Opened Dome opened (opening time 46s) 21:42:49   Equilibration Started Dome Equilibration started 21:44:01   Equilibration Ended Dome Equilibration ended (1.3 mins total) 21:44:03 Session Running Session running 21:44:05   Queue Started Observing Queue started (25 targets selected) 21:44:07     Target Started (NrZen) Target started (Focus Field 20, HIP 98535) 21:46:09       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 21:49:31       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1, wide) 21:51:25       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1) 21:51:29       Focusing Started-Foc2 Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 21:53:54       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2, wide) 21:55:46       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2) 21:56:06     Target Completed Target completed (Focus Field 20, HIP 98535) 21:56:08     Target Started (1/25) Target started (1/25, NGC 6184 w/SN2021wkv) 22:00:19       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star Is too dim (TCF-S) 22:17:13     Target Completed Target completed (1/25, NGC 6184 w/SN2021wkv) 22:17:53     Target Started (2/25) Target started (2/25, NGC 6500 w/SN2021wuf) 22:21:12       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:22:57       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 3) 22:38:52     Target Completed Target completed (2/25, NGC 6500 w/SN2021wuf) 22:39:45     Target Started (3/25) Target started (3/25, GCVS RR Lyr) 22:43:31       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:45:24       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 4) 22:51:30     Target Completed Target completed (3/25, GCVS RR Lyr) 22:51:32     Target Started (4/25) Target started (4/25, Du 1) 22:57:00       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:58:46       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 5) 23:30:20     Target Completed Target completed (4/25, Du 1) 23:30:22     Target Started (5/25) Target started (5/25, GCVS SS Cyg) 23:33:12       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 23:34:54       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 6) 23:38:34     Target Completed Target completed (5/25, GCVS SS Cyg) 23:43:25     Target Started (6/25) Target started (6/25, Nova Cas 2021) 23:46:57       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 23:48:30       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 7) 23:58:59     Target Completed Target completed (6/25, Nova Cas 2021) 23:59:25     Target Started (7/25) Target started (7/25, UGC 10607 w/SN2021xgx) 00:05:02       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:06:57       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 8) 00:22:38     Target Completed Target completed (7/25, UGC 10607 w/SN2021xgx) 00:22:41     Target Started (8/25) Target started (8/25, GCVS HH And) 00:26:23       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:28:05       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 9) 00:29:50     Target Completed Target completed (8/25, GCVS HH And) 00:30:03     Target Started (9/25) Target started (9/25, WDS GRB 34) 00:32:55       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:34:38       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 10) 00:36:24     Target Completed Target completed (9/25, WDS GRB 34) 00:38:18     Target Started (10/25) Target started (10/25, UGC 505 w/SN2021ukt) 00:43:16       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star Is too dim (TCF-S) 01:00:34     Target Completed Target completed (10/25, UGC 505 w/SN2021ukt) 01:00:36     Target Started (11/25) Target started (11/25, NGC 514 w/SN2020uxz) 01:04:10       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:06:04       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 11) 01:16:45     Target Completed Target completed (11/25, NGC 514 w/SN2020uxz) 01:17:31     Target Started (12/25) Target started (12/25, M33 w/AT2021wcf) 01:24:19       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star Is too dim (TCF-S) 01:42:11     Target Completed Target completed (12/25, M33 w/AT2021wcf) 01:42:13     Target Started (13/25) Target started (13/25, UGC 4002 w/SN2021wvy) 01:46:34       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:48:16       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 12) 02:04:11     Target Completed Target completed (13/25, UGC 4002 w/SN2021wvy) 02:04:13     Target Started (14/25) Target started (14/25, Nova Per 2020) 02:07:59       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:09:43       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 13) 02:18:04     Target Completed Target completed (14/25, Nova Per 2020) 02:18:06     Target Started (15/25) Target started (15/25, C/2019 L3 (ATLAS)) 02:22:10       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:24:02       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 14) 02:30:15     Target Completed Target completed (15/25, C/2019 L3 (ATLAS)) 02:30:17     Target Started (16/25) Target started (16/25, 2019 L3 (ATLAS)) 02:34:40       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:36:38       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 15) 02:44:45     Target Completed Target completed (16/25, 2019 L3 (ATLAS)) 02:44:47     Target Started (17/25) Target started (17/25, GCVS BL Lac) 02:51:25       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:53:07       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 16) 02:56:41     Target Completed Target completed (17/25, GCVS BL Lac) 02:56:43     Target Started (18/25) Target started (18/25, GCVS EV Lac) 03:00:10       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:01:54       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 17) 03:04:09     Target Completed Target completed (18/25, GCVS EV Lac) 03:04:11     Target Started (19/25) Target started (19/25, GCVS U And) 03:07:44       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:09:20       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 18) 03:19:15     Target Completed Target completed (19/25, GCVS U And) 03:19:17     Target Started (20/25) Target started (20/25, NGC 660) 03:22:50       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:24:43       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 19) 03:40:32     Target Completed Target completed (20/25, NGC 660) 03:40:34     Target Started (21/25) Target started (21/25, NGC 940 w/SN2021vtl) 03:43:29       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:45:34       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 20) 04:01:35     Target Completed Target completed (21/25, NGC 940 w/SN2021vtl) 04:01:37     Target Started (22/25) Target started (22/25, GCVS RX And) 04:04:33       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 04:06:14       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 21) 04:08:54     Target Completed Target completed (22/25, GCVS RX And) 04:09:21     Target Started (23/25) Target started (23/25, GCVS DY Per) 04:12:56       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 04:14:37       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 22) 04:19:09     Target Completed Target completed (23/25, GCVS DY Per) 04:19:29     Target Started (24/25) Target started (24/25, UGC 2605 w/SN2021wvw) 04:22:53       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 04:24:47       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 23) 04:40:48     Target Completed Target completed (24/25, UGC 2605 w/SN2021wvw) 04:41:21     Target Started (25/25) Target started (25/25, GCVS GK Per) 04:44:44       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 04:46:30       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 24) 04:49:32     Target Completed Target completed (25/25, GCVS GK Per) 04:49:35   Queue Completed Job Queue completed 04:49:37 Session Closing Session closing 04:50:30   Dome Closed Dome closed (closing time 50s) 04:51:10   Dome Parked Dome parked (parking time 32s), Az: 90.0 deg 04:52:30   Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 77s) 04:52:45   Telescope State Scope parked Turn scope off. (Handbox) 04:53:06   Telescope Switched Off Telescope Power has been switched off via UPB Switch. 04:53:57   Services Stopped Night Services stopped 04:53:59 Session Housekeeping Housekeeping Started (Cleanup FITS, Create Fits Summary, Transfer Files) 04:54:21 Session Finished Session Finished

Session Alerts

Time     Alert Detail 22:53:13 Dome Discrepency Difference between Telescope Az and Dome Az is > 8 deg (Du 1) 23:45:23 Dome Discrepency Difference between Telescope Az and Dome Az is > 8 deg (Nova Cas 2021) 23:55:23 Dome Dome has been stationary for more than 10 mins 23:59:34 Dome Dome Movements have begun again (outage 15.1 mins) 04:10:59 Dome Discrepency Difference between Telescope Az and Dome Az is > 8 deg (GCVS DY Per)

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Operational Issues (2021-09-07, S912)

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

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Critical Issues

• None

Major Issues

• None

Minor Issues

• When Analysing Reduced Images,  FWHM is reported as null (-99) when Image is linked with ASTAP.   It should be possible to get FWHM in pixels from Inventory as normal and ImageScale from ASTAP link in order to deliver FWHM in arc secs. Problem would seem to be that dImageScale is vcNull when GetInventoryDetails() routine is called. This results in peakFWHM,  BrightestFWHM & Av5_FWHM to all be returned with the vcNull value (-99).  Issue fixed by setting dImageScale to SavedImageScale before calling the routine that calculates FWHM values.
  Fixed 2021-09-09 (AstroMain 3.41.10)
   
• When Analysing Reduced Images,  unable to PlateSolve/Image Link the images from 'DU 1'   Images contain some 870 objects (Star Inventory count) and it is not possible to link using ASTAP, GSC or UCA/USNO.   Attempts to employ All Sky Plate Solver as an additional/alternative plate solver for analysing CCD images unfortunately failed as well (see notes : All Sky Plate Solver (ASPS), 2021-09-15).   Fix in AstroMain 3.45.2 by autoadjusting Sextractor's detect threshold to 60 (for >400 stars), or to 30 (for > 250-400 stars), instead of nornally used threshold value of 8 , works for some targets (eg AT 2021zkf in session S928, 2021-10-25) but not for DU 1.  Was telescope pointing at correct coordinates ? Answer is yes.  Stars in image match those in TheSky6's Virtual Sky.   Using an extreme Detection Thresholds (120 to 500) reduces the original 875 stars down to just 100 or just 11 stars but TheSky6 links still refuses to solve.   Out of 10 frames for DU 1 all 10 fail to link.
   Fixed attempted 2021-10-26 (AstroMain 3.45.2)

Small Defects

• None

Continuous Improvement

• Add a button to AstroPlan's Main Form 'Latest Session' that opens Plan and Sessions form for the Latest Session. This is to make the process of post-session housekeeping, analysis and building session webpage a little faster.  Note:  Potential bug in PlanChart.DrawChart,  where LabelWidth is seemingly referred to before being set
  Done 2021-09-08 (AstroPlan 1.22.8)
   
• Create a Virtual Handbox for manipulating buttons on the AutoStar Handbox.   Virtual Handbox has been created in AstroMain. (Note : Gaps in MeadeGenerics Action Parameters (no ScrollUp or ScrollDown parameters have been worked around using CommandBlind Calls.  Issue has been logged on the MeadeGeneric bitbucket site as new issue #29)
  Done 2021-09-08 (AstroMain 3.41.9)
   
• Create a button routine to set the Telescope' Park Position. This will be routine executed by the user when needing to remotely set the telescope's park position (this will typically be after scope has 'lost' its park position  for some reason, but normally after scope has been powered off with being Parked).  At the moment Observatory has to be visited in order to use the AutoStar II handbox. After seeking user confirmation this routine should move scope to the normal Park Position (Az 180, Alt 3) and  then use Handbox / EK commands to go to Setup 'Telescope' >  'Park Position' > 'Set Current'.  Code written, debugged and successfully tested during daytime session (2021-09-09).
  Done 2021-09-09  (AstroMain 3.41.10)
   
• When Analysing Reduced Images, report FWHM of the spectra of the brightest star.
  Done 2021-09-18 (AstroMain 3.42.2)
   
• When Analysing an S Filter Image Set  add a button facility option to auto-extract & rotate spectra of target or brightest star and create a 70x450 picture file showing star and spectra.   For live S filter images the spectra of the identified target star is now rotated and cropped to a 500 x 70 recentangle (currently this is still just a FIT file and the JPG Tab picture is not automatically created as yet.)  The spectra is however automatically extracted from the FIT, calibrated using zero order star position and a provided dispersion value, and the corrected using a provided reference Instrumental Response curve. This chart is automatically uploaded to website and presented side-by-side with picture of raw S Filter image (AstroMain 3.44, 2021-10-12). It is now a small step to provide this capability to reduced images. This  was originally described as an option for Reduced Image Analysis, but upon reflection is best added as a Image Set processing option. Feature added to AstroMain 3.46.3.
  Done 2021-11-14  (AstroMain 3.46.3)

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