David's Astronomy Pages
Notes - Session 913 (2021-09-08)

 
Bullet Session Aims & Highlights
 - Observing Result
 - Night Summary Plot
 - Session Event Log
 
Bullet Operational Issues
  - Critical Issues (0),  Major Issues (0),  Minor Issues (13),  Small Defects (1),  Continuous Improvement (17)
 
Bullet Images from 2021-09-08 >>        [ Local Files >> ]
2021-09-15
Bullet All Sky Plate Solver (ASPS)
Bullet Schedule Builder - Calibration Targets

Session Aims & Highlights (2021-09-08)

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 3.41.9. Check for stability.

Equipment & Software

Highlights

Notes:

Summary Plots & Logs

Observing Plan
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Observing Result
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Dome & Scope Slewing Performance
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Slew/Centering Performance
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Guiding Performance
Image
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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)
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Actual Weather vs Pre-Session Weather Forecast
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Session Event Log
Time     Event Detail
21:42:57 Session Monitoring AutoStart monitoring for Live Session opportunity between 21:42 & 04:17
21:43:01 Session AutoStarting Session autostarting (21:43)
21:43:32 Session Created Live Session Created (2021-09-08 S00913, ImageSaveNum: 913001)
21:43:34   Scope Switched On Telescope Power has been switched on via UPB Powerbox.
21:45:19   Services Started Observatory Services started
21:45:27 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode
21:45:32 Session Pending Session pending (2021-09-08)
21:45:34 Session Initiating Session initiating (2021-09-08)
21:45:36   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.22.7)
21:46:11   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (, Plan ID: 654)
21:46:24   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -10°C)
21:46:30   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6)
21:46:45 Session Equilibration Session ready for dome & camera equilibration
21:47:27   Dome Opened Dome opened (opening time 41s)
21:47:30   Equilibration Started Dome Equilibration started
21:48:32   Equilibration Ended Dome Equilibration ended (1.1 mins total)
21:48:34 Session Running Session running
21:48:36   Queue Started Observing Queue started (22 targets selected)
21:48:38     Target Started (NrZen) Target started (Focus Field 20, HIP 98535)
21:50:45       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S)
21:54:04       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1, wide)
21:55:58       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1)
21:56:23       Focusing Started-Foc2 Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap)
21:58:43       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2, wide)
22:00:35       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2)
22:00:55     Target Completed Target completed (Focus Field 20, HIP 98535)
22:00:58     Target Started (1/22) Target started (1/22, UGC 10607 w/SN2021xgx)
22:04:40       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S)
22:06:22       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 3)
22:22:04     Target Completed Target completed (1/22, UGC 10607 w/SN2021xgx)
22:22:54     Target Started (2/22) Target started (2/22, NGC 6500 w/SN2021wuf)
22:24:55   SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend is called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars)
22:25:43     Target Failed Target failed due to cloud (2/22, NGC 6500 w/SN2021wuf)
22:25:45   Queue Paused Queue paused for Session Suspension
22:25:47 Session Suspended Session suspended
22:26:30   Dome Closed Dome closed (closing time 45s)
22:41:46     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (2/22, NGC 6500 w/SN2021wuf) due to cloud
22:55:11     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (3/22, GCVS RR Lyr) due to cloud
23:02:43     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (4/22, 61 Cyg) due to cloud
23:21:37     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (5/22, NGC 6184 w/SN2021wkv) due to cloud
23:43:29     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (6/22, UGC 4002 w/SN2021wvy) due to cloud
23:48:37 Session Resuming Session resuming
23:49:22   Dome Opened Dome opened (opening time 45s)
23:49:24 Session Running Session running
23:49:26   Queue Resumed Observing Queue resumed
23:49:28     Target Started (7/22) Target started (7/22, GCVS SS Cyg)
23:53:16       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S)
23:54:47       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 4)
23:58:38     Target Completed Target completed (7/22, GCVS SS Cyg)
00:01:41     Target Started (8/22) Target started (8/22, GCVS HH And)
00:05:01       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S)
00:06:51       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 5)
00:08:34     Target Completed Target completed (8/22, GCVS HH And)
00:09:55     Target Started (9/22) Target started (9/22, 3C 58)
00:13:50       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S)
00:15:34       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 6)
00:49:03   SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend is called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars)
00:53:14     Target Completed Target completed (9/22, 3C 58)
00:53:16   Queue Paused Queue paused for Session Suspension
00:53:18 Session Suspended Session suspended
00:54:08   Dome Closed Dome closed (closing time 50s)
01:12:23     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (10/22, NGC 940 w/SN2021vtl) due to cloud
01:23:33     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (11/22, GCVS RX And) due to cloud
01:43:05     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (12/22, M33 w/AT2021wcf) due to cloud
02:05:27     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (13/22, UGC 1977 w/AT2021irz) due to cloud
02:17:45     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (14/22, GCVS BL Lac) due to cloud
02:26:55     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (15/22, WDS GRB 34) due to cloud
02:45:52     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (16/22, M31 w/ATNova M31 2021-08a?) due to cloud
03:04:23     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (17/22, Nova Cas 2021) due to cloud
03:23:45     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (18/22, UGC 505 w/SN2021ukt) due to cloud
04:04:11     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (19/22, PGC 3792) due to cloud
04:28:03     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (20/22, UGC 2605 w/SN2021wvw) due to cloud
04:44:25     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (21/22, Nova Per 2020) due to cloud
05:09:25     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (22/22, 2019 L3 (ATLAS)) due to cloud
05:09:30   Queue Completed Job Queue completed
05:09:32 Session Closing Session closing
05:09:37   Dome Closed Dome already closed (closed at 00:54, closing time 50s)
05:10:05   Dome Parked Dome parked (parking time 20s), Az: 90.0 deg
05:11:30   Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 81s)
05:11:45   Telescope State Scope parked Turn scope off. (Handbox)
05:12:05   Telescope Switched Off Telescope Power has been switched off via UPB Switch.
05:12:54   Services Stopped Night Services stopped
05:12:56 Session Housekeeping Housekeeping Started (Cleanup FITS, Create Fits Summary, Transfer Files)
05:13:02 Session Finished Session Finished
 
Session Alerts
Time     Alert Detail
00:22:10 Dome Dome has been stationary for more than 10 mins
00:26:36 Dome Dome Movements have begun again (outage 15.9 mins)
00:36:37 Dome Dome has been stationary for more than 10 mins
00:45:28 Dome Dome Movements have begun again (outage 18.9 mins)

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Operational Issues (2021-09-08, S913)

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Critical Issues

Major Issues

Minor Issues

Post-Session

Small Defects

Continuous Improvement

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2021-09-15


All Sky Plate Solver (ASPS)

All Sky Plate Solver (v 1.4.5.11) was downloaded and installed today on the Development Computer in order to test out its ability to plate solve images that have proven difficult to plate solve using either CCDSoft/TheSky6 or ASTAP.

After installation of the program the relevant index files were downloaded and installed via the program's Index Installation wizard. For my telescope (~3000mm), the wizard installed index files relevant to FOV from 2.0' to 22.0'

[ Note: at the commencement of the installation a messge was shown that Microsoft Web Expression 4 application had to be closed for the installation, why they could be sharing the same system file or whatever is unclear ]

1) All Sky Plate Solver
Running the program from its normal window, it was found that plate solving was fairly slow.   There is no way to enter an initial best estimate of image's RA/Dec  position and it is uncertain whether it takes RA/DEC from the FITS image. If not the latter then it will undoubtedly take a long time to plate solve.  

2) COM object access (asps.dll)
a)
Tried to access PlateSolver from my AstroMain program using
    Dim ASPS as Object
    ASPS = CreateObject("AllSkyPlateSolver.PlateSolver")

but this produced an exception at run time saying that the ActiveX Conponent could not be created.

b)  Added AllSkyPlateSolver reference to my AstroMain project  and used the following code
    Dim ASPS as AllSkyPlateSolver.PlateSolver    '  this allowed the PlateSolver's method and properties to be selected after typing ASPS.
    ASPS = New AllSkyPlateSolver.PlateSolver

but this produced an exception at run time saying

{"Retrieving the COM class factory for component with CLSID {BB5A41D4-511E-4AA6-ACB2-7B1EE7269216} failed due to the following error: 80040154 Class not registered (Exception from HRESULT: 0x80040154 (REGDB_E_CLASSNOTREG))."}

 Examining RegEdit suggest that the PlateSolver is registered, but to be double sure the following command was used to re-register the ASPS.dll

     C:\Windows\SysWow64\regsvr32.exe  C:\Windows\SysWow64\ASPS.dll"

3) Command Line Access
Using the method of calling the All SKy Plate solver from command line with arguements works but there seemed to be some critical issues

Submitting the following as a shell command

"C:\Program Files (x86)\PlateSolver\PlateSolver.exe" /SOLVEFILE "C:\Data\MyAstroImage.fit" "C:\Data\Result.txt" 3000 20.4 1.39983305555556 12.9458333333333 1.0

based on the format required
   PlateSolver.exe /solvefile <FileName> <OutputFile> [<FocalLength>] [<PixelSize>] [<CurrentRA>] [<CurrentDec>] [<NearRadius>]

Eventually after several minutes produced an output file with the following:

OK
21.0170919267
12.9154788080
17
11
1.40
-0.93
2998

Whilst a plate solution was achieved (OK), and whilst the  returned Declination, Fov dimensions, plate scale, camera angle and focal length values were close to expected the value returned for RA (21.017..) is completed off.. It's a very along way from image's actual RA (1.3998).  Its unclear how PlateSolver managed to return such as incorrect result. Given the NearRadius value of 1.0 (degrees) that was specified, it is unclear why the PlateSolver would have moved so far from its starting location.

Conclusion
Given the slow performance seen and the return of false postive (incorrect) plate solutions it is concliuded that AllSKy Plate Solver provides me with no benefits above the plate solution methods already used.  Therefore after 5-6 hours working with AllSky Plate Solver it was decided to give up and uninstall the program.  To remove the Index files (some 30 GB) the 'astrometry' folder in user / appdata folder area had to be manually deleted.

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Schedule Builder - Calibration Targets

A new scheduling initiative is the capability to include a before and/or after calibration star/starfield for a given target.  For example this to automatically obtain calibration spectra for an offset star for later calibration of a target's spectra.

This requires the following work (red & green boxes indicate current status of work)

AstroPlan 1.23 / Database :

Image Creation of new project(s) to contain the various calibration star/starfields that will be added 
    Spectral Calibration (program ID=50)

Image Extension to the target table to include 3 new fields   (AstroPlan 1.22.10)
    CollectCalibration (integer),  0 or 1
    CalibrationBeforeID (integer) - which relates to a specific calibration star/starfield
    CalibrationAfterID (integer) - which relates to a specific calibration star/starfield

Image Extension to TTargetRecord object
    CollectCalibration (boolean)
    CalibrationBeforeID (integer) - which relates to a specific calibration star/starfield
    CalibrationAfterID (integer)

Image Addition of checkbox field on target form
     CollectCalibration (checkbox)

Image Addition of new tab on target form which appears or not dependant on the UseCalibrationFields setting, with new fields
    tabCalibration (tab)
    txtCalibrationBeforeID (textbox)
    txtCalibrationBeforeObjectName (textbox)
    txtCalibrationAfterID (textbox)
    txtCalibrationAfterObjectName (textbox)
    btnSelectCalibrationAfter (button)
    btnSelectCalibrationBefore (button)
   Other derived fields for Con, Offsets, Notes etc

Image Add functionality to allow Select of Calibration Star/Starfield

Image Functionality for saving/loading target data from database including new calibration fields
 
Image Extension to TTargetRecord object  
  
    IsCalibrationField (boolean)  (integer or string, before / after)
    CalibrationForTargetID  (integer) - the target that item relates to

Image Extension to Plan table  (AstroPlan 1.22.11)
    ElementType (string)  CalA, CalB, MI, 
 
Image Extension to Observation table  ( (AstroPlan 1.22.11)
   ElementType (string)  CalA, CalB, MI, ToO, ToO-F

Image Modification to ScheduleBuilder
    UseCalibrationFields (boolean)
    CalibrationFieldType (integer or string, before / after)
    Inclusion of Calibration Star/Starfields into plan before/after target as appropriate (new code)
    Maintainance of target & before/after calibrations as an unsplittable entity (new code)
 
Image Extension to Plan Chart
    indication of Item type (calibration / must include)  

Image Extension to Result Chart
    Indication of Item type (Calibration / Must include / ToO , FastReact)
 
AstroMain :
 
Image Extension to TClass object
    ElementType (string)  CalA,CalB, MI, ToO, ToO-F
    CollectCalibration  (boolean)
    '  IsCalibrationField  (boolean)
    ' CalibrationType     (integer/enum before/after)
    CalibrationForID   (integer) - the ID of the Target that item relates to
 
Image Add handling for new field : ElementType. 
      Retrieve ElementType from Plan
      Update ElememtType with ToO or ToO-F for Targets of Opportunity
      Update InsertObservation routine (save ElementType to observation)
 
Image Extend Reporting
     Calibration Before/After Items
      IsCalibration,  CalibrationType and Name of Target that item relates to.

 Other

Image AstroVOE and AstroSN to use new TTargetRecord with updated InsertNewTarget (AstroVOE 1.8, AstroSN 1.6)

2021-09-16  19:00  New versions released

AstroMain 3.42, AstroPlan 1.23, AstroVOE 1.8, AstroSN 1.6


Schedule Builder Notes:

- GetActiveTargetSet() only brings back Targets which are Active and from Projects which are active and set to Use.
  (This could be a problem since Calibrated Targets are generally not active Targets.  They only become active because of their association with a Target require collection of calibration data. For timing being set the "Spectral Calibration" project to 'Active' and 'Use For Scheduling', but set rank of calibration stars to lowest rank (4).  Calibration stars need to get into TS() array in order for Airmass Calculations etc to be made. ChooseTarget() routine could be modified so that targets in "Spectral Calibration" project  are specifically excluded from being choosen as 'primary' targets.)

- TActiveTarget structure needs to be extended to include following extra fields:
    CollectCalibration (boolean)
    CalibrationBeforeID (integer) - which relates to a specific calibration star/starfield
    CalibrationAfterID (integer)

   and GetActiveTargetSet() needs to be extended to read this extra fields.

- GetActiveTargetSet()  needs to be extended in order to cross-reference the CalibrationBeforeID and CalibrationAfterID with their respective TS array position.

- TObservation structure (element with a plan) needs to be extended to include

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