David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 919 (2021-10-01)

Notes (S918)

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Notes (S920)

	Session Aims & Highlights
	- Observing Result  - Night Summary Plot  - Session Event Log
	Operational Issues
	- Critical Issues (0),  Major Issues (0),  Minor Issues (5),  Small Defects (0),  Continuous Improvement (6)
	Images from 2021-10-01 >>          [ Local Files >> ]

Session Aims & Highlights (2021-10-01)

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/AstroPlan. Test updated TP2 linkage between AstroMain & AstroAllSky with SkyAduRate and DiffStats/Photometric Condition Indicator

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 3.43 ,  AstroPlan 1.24.2  AstroShCap 1.3.2, AstroGuard 1.6.2,  AstroVOE 1.8,  AstroSN 1.6,  AstroProtect 1.6
  (AstroWeather 1.12.4, AstroAllSky 3.11.1, AstroObsCam 1.5.7)

Highlights

• Targets.  Images from a total of x targets were acquired through the session.   Sky clear, but moon light and only moderate seeing
•  AstroMain/AstroPlan.  AstroMain observatory control worked well and their were software or hardware glitches at all. 100% operational success.
•  Seeing  Seeing wasonly moderate and sometimes rather poor

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 00:34:49 Session Monitoring AutoStart monitoring for Live Session opportunity between 00:34 & 05:10 00:34:53 Session AutoStarting Session autostarting (00:34) 00:35:25 Session Created Live Session Created (2021-10-01 S00919, ImageSaveNum: 919001) 00:35:27   Scope Switched On Telescope Power has been switched on via UPB Powerbox. 00:37:11   Services Started Observatory Services started 00:37:18 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 00:37:23 Session Pending Session pending (2021-10-01) 00:37:25 Session Initiating Session initiating (2021-10-01) 00:37:27   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.24.2) 00:39:43   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (, Plan ID: 667) 00:40:02   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -15°C) 00:40:08   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 00:40:32 Session Equilibration Session ready for dome & camera equilibration 00:41:17   Dome Opened Dome opened (opening time 45s) 00:41:19 Session Running Session running 00:41:22   Queue Started Observing Queue started (19 targets selected) 00:41:24     Target Started (NrZen) Target started (Focus Field 0, HIP 106) 00:43:08       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:46:07       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1, wide) 00:48:01       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1) 00:48:04       Focusing Started-Foc2 Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 00:50:33       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2, wide) 00:52:32       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2) 00:52:53     Target Completed Target completed (Focus Field 0, HIP 106) 00:52:55     Target Started (1/19) Target started (1/19, GCVS BL Lac) 00:53:33   SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend is called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars) 00:57:53   SoftSuspend Cancelled Soft Suspend is cancelled due to Improved Conditions 00:58:12       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:00:17       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 3) 01:03:52     Target Completed Target completed (1/19, GCVS BL Lac) 01:03:54     Target Started (2/19) Target started (2/19, Nova Cas 2021) 01:07:56       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:09:44       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 4) 01:13:45   SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend is called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars) 01:20:09     Target Completed Target completed (2/19, Nova Cas 2021) 01:20:11   Queue Paused Queue paused for Session Suspension 01:20:14 Session Suspended Session suspended 01:21:00   Dome Closed Dome closed (closing time 48s) 01:26:01     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (3/20, 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, ToO) due to cloud 01:26:05     Target Missed (4/20) Target's time slot was missed (4/20, Vega) 01:36:14     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (5/20, GCVS RR Lyr) due to cloud 01:43:47     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (6/20, Vega) due to cloud 02:02:39     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (7/20, NGC 6184 w/SN2021wkv) due to cloud 02:15:35     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (8/20, GCVS AM Her) due to cloud 02:23:22     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (9/20, 61 Cyg) due to cloud 02:42:16     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (10/20, AT2021zkf) due to cloud 03:04:08     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (11/20, NGC 9 w/AT2021zju) due to cloud 03:26:00     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (12/20, M31 w/AT2021zdh) due to cloud 03:37:10     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (13/20, GCVS RX And) due to cloud 03:56:42     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (14/20, M33 w/AT2021wcf) due to cloud 04:18:34     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (15/20, NGC 940 w/SN2021vtl) due to cloud 04:40:26     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (16/20, NGC 1166 w/SN2021zby) due to cloud 04:56:48     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (17/20, Nova Per 2020) due to cloud 05:13:48     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (18/20, 88P/Howell) due to cloud 05:26:50     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (19/20, 4P/Faye) due to cloud 05:50:50     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (20/20, C/2019 L3 (ATLAS)) due to cloud 05:50:55   Queue Completed Job Queue completed 05:51:00 Session Closing Session closing 05:51:05   Dome Closed Dome already closed (closed at 01:21, closing time 48s) 05:52:24   Dome Parked Dome parked (parking time 71s), Az: 90.0 deg 05:53:47   Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 80s) 05:54:02   Telescope State Scope parked Turn scope off. (Handbox) 05:54:23   Telescope Switched Off Telescope Power has been switched off via UPB Switch. 05:55:12   Services Stopped Night Services stopped 05:55:14 Session Housekeeping Housekeeping Started (Cleanup FITS, Create Fits Summary, Transfer Files) 05:55:21 Session Finished Session Finished

Session Alerts

Time     Alert Detail 01:05:13 Dome Discrepency Difference between Telescope Az and Dome Az is > 8 deg (Nova Cas 2021)

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Operational Issues (2021-10-01, S919)

• Critical Issues (0)
• Major Issues (0)
• Minor Issues (5)
• Small Defects (0)
• Continuous Improvement (6)

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Critical Issues

• None

Major Issues

• None

Minor Issues

• Problem accessing SkyStats data (Av.SkyAduRate, Av.CloudAduRate).  This is most-likely a teething issue/bug in new code sending across TP2 data from AstroAllSky to AstroMain. Unable to tell if new code is otherwise working or not.  Bug was due to the required code that starts SkyStats collection not being present in ExecuteTarget() but only in ExecuteTarget_OB. Bug is now fixed.
   Fixed 2021-10-02 (AstroMain 3.43.1)
   
• The Conditions section in ExecuteTarget() routine is not reporting new 'Sky Brightness (target)' from AllSky measurements.   This is most-likely a teething issue/bug related to new data that has been added to TP2 data record that is sent from AstroAllSky to AstroMain.  Bug was due to the required code not being present in ExecuteTarget() but only in ExecuteTarget_OB. Bug is now fixed.
   Fixed 2021-10-02 (AstroMain 3.43.1)
   
• AstroAllSky producing (blank) Image Difference Distribution graphs in morning between Sun Alt -6 deg and -2 deg. Graphs should have stopped being made after Sun Alt reached -6 deg. but continued on until NightTime Mode finished at -2 deg.  Graphs are blank as data is specifically code not to draw data when Sun Alt > -6deg, but this condition hasn't been applied to the call to OpenChart ()
   Fixed 2021-10-02 (AstroAllSky 3.11.2)
   
• AltitudePlan chart not generated and not uploaded to website or session folder.  Resolved in session by creating the Altitude chart from the User Button on the Plan Form (done whilst AstroMain was busy taking a focus profile and not slew to targets) and then manually copying it to the Live folder where it was then auto-uploaded to website. Problem would appear to be in AstroPlan for not generating plan in first place. (with no Altitude plan .png file available, AstroMain couldn't then copy on the Live Folder and to Session Folder).  Code indicates AstroPlan 1.24.2 version saves Altitude plan as  "Session.AltitudePlan".png" in "C:\Data\CCD Imaging\Live\ folder", which is not the name or the place that AstroMain is searching for.  But this doesn't explain why Session.AltitudePlan.png was uploaded to the website since it had the right name and place for WebUploader to find it and upload it to website.  It is presumed that the "Session.AltitudePlan"png" file with altitude chart was somehow quickly overwritten by a blank version for the file which happens when a new session is created. This is surprising but there may have been a processing hold-up/delay of some kind.   Code changed so that Chart is written to Charts folder as "AltitudePlan." + Night.NightDate + ".V1.png" from where a little later AstroMain can copy it on to the Live Folder.
  Fix attempted 2021-10-02 (AstroPlan 1.24.3)
   
• Latest Session webpage not reflecting new session name/details when using MS Edge. Page refresh not giving the new session.  IE11 (on same Windows 10 computer) and Safari (on IPad) not giving this problem and immediately give the new session. Resolved in-session by empting the page cache in MS Edge and then refreshing the page.  A further attempt at fixing problem to be made. Closed after review 2021-10-22 as problem is intermittent, but continue to monitor for any pattern.
   Closed 2021-10-22 (Website / MS Edge)

Small Defects

• None

Continuous Improvement

• Foc2 Autofocusing Focus Check (3 final points) should have underlined headers like the standard profile headers
   Done 2021-10-02 (AstroMain 3.43.1)
   
• Tweak the method of determing the selecting the centre of the gaussian peak drawn on Image Difference Graphs.  Selecting the centre of the modelled gaussian distribution using mean,  mode, or weighted combination of the two, haven't given a sufficiently reasonable match to the actual data.  Propose to change to a CentrePeakX value determined as being the center of the curve data at the half-maximum position.  This can be calculated at same time that the FWHM value is determined.  Also tweak the drawing of FWHM line, Centre Line and Zero Line
   Done 2021-10-02 (AstroAllSky 3.11.2)
   
• Taking Image report line should give Sky Brightness and Cloud (Excess)  values instead of the CloudDescription. When Cloud Description is moderate cloud, the report line becomes too long and overflow onto next line in the console's logbox window.   Possible problems come from using FormatNumber() in creating TP2 record in AstroAllSky since default setting for optional parameter GroupDigits can insert an extra "," into record (as in 1,020.1) which confuses the parsing routine in AstroMain which uses "," character to split the record into separate fields.
   Done 2021-10-02 (AstroMain 3.43.1)
   
• Foc1 Autofocusing should have Focus Check (3 final points) at end of focusing when using Near Zenith Focus Field
   Done 2021-10-02 (AstroMain 3.43.1)
   
• Make Session Events relating to Targets being cancelled or aborted due to weather (cloud, rain etc) use Blue rows, rather than Red rows. This is to provide a clear distinguishment between software/hardware/technical/user failures which demand investigation /fixing and pure weather related failures which don't.  'Target Cancelled' events are all given FlagState.Blue.  If it turns out that some targets are being cancelled due to other reasons then extra conditions will be placed around the code.
   Done 2021-10-02 (AstroMain 3.43.1)
   
• Near Zenith Focusing should take and link a single locate frame after slewing to the Focus field.  This is to check everything is working before moving on to the first target. Eventually implemented in AstroMain 3.51.8 (2022-05-16) using HP HighPrecision locate, following an incident in session S1008 (2022-05-10) where Near Zenith Foc1 Focusing failed due to an 8.9' pointing error after the slew which caused the intended bright focus star to lie outside of the CCD field-of-view, leaving a star that was then deemed to be too dim for focusing.  Centering is made by creating local T and OB class variables and calling OB.CentreTarget(). The extra time required for Centering operation (see CI, S1010) is included in 'StartingMins'  from AstroMain 3.51.8 onwards.
   Done 2022-05-16 (AstroMain 3.51.8)

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