David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 945 (2021-12-28)

Notes (S945A)

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Notes (S946)

	Session Aims & Highlights
	- Observing Result  - Night Summary Plot  - Session Event Log
	Operational Issues
	- Critical Issues (0),  Major Issues (0),  Minor Issues (4),  Small Defects (1),  Continuous Improvement (1)
	Images from 2021-12-28 >>         [ Local Files >> ]

Session Aims & Highlights (2021-12-28)

Main aims

1. Guiding Manager. Test out new method for limiting impact of Dec Backlash
2. 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, DeviceHub 6.5.1.9,  MeadeGeneric 1.3.3.373, UPB 1.5, ASCOM 6.5 SP1
• Pegasus UPB & Motor Focus, TCF-S
• SharpCap 3.2, PHD2  2.6.10
   
• AstroMain 3.48.11,  AstroPlan 1.29.1,   AstroShCap 1.3.12, AstroGuard 1.6.3,  AstroVOE 1.9,  AstroSN 1.7.1,  AstroProtect 1.6
  (AstroWeather 1.15.2, AstroAllSky 3.14.3,  AstroObsCam 1.8, AstroLaunch 1.8.1)

Highlights

•  Centering. Excellent centering. Average centering error was just 5" (0.09').
•  Guiding Manager. Modified routine to adjust star lock position to fix issues during settling phase worked well
•  Guiding Performance. MGuiding performance was good (or at least a lot better than it has been prior to telescope rebalancing, polar alignment adjustment, software improvements
•  Targets. Multiple targets werre successfully imaged. Conditions good & no significant issues with software or equipment.

Notes:

  Summary Plots & Logs

Observing Plan

Observing Result

Dome & Scope Slewing Performance

Slew/Centering Performance

Guiding Performance Reasons for poor Dec guiding : Red point  (14)    -  Ineffective Dec Guiding (plus cloud during Frame 4) Red point (22)    - Guide Star moved to 'wrong side' of zero line. Target changed DecMode crossing Meridian. Large Dec jump from single pulse guide. Orange points (9 18)   -  Ineffective Dec Guiding (Near Zenith) Yellow points (15, 17)    - Ineffective Dec Guiding (Near Zenith) Yellow points (8,12)    - Wrong side of Dec Zero Line (Close to Meridian)

Sky Conditions (Locate Frames) Sky Brightness measurements are invalid due to a SBIG camera bias level issue (eventually fixed 2022-01-02)

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 20:06:03 Session Monitoring AutoStart monitoring for Live Session opportunity between 20:06 & 06:27 20:06:05 Session AutoStarting Session autostarting (20:06) 20:06:33 Session Created Live Session Created (2021-12-28 S00945, ImageSaveNum: 945001) 20:06:35   Scope Switched On Telescope Power has been switched on via UPB Powerbox. 20:08:18   Services Started Observatory Services started 20:08:24 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 20:08:27 Session Pending Session pending (2021-12-28) 20:08:29 Session Initiating Session initiating (2021-12-28) 20:08:31   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.29.2) 20:09:03   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (, Plan ID: 699) 20:09:25   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -20°C) 20:09:32   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 20:09:56 Session Equilibration Session ready for dome & camera equilibration 20:10:41   Dome Opened Dome opened (opening time 45s) 20:11:31 Session Running Session running 20:11:33   Queue Started Observing Queue started (34 targets selected) 20:11:36     Target Started (NrZen) Target started (Focus Field 2, HIP 9508) 20:13:19       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 20:16:27       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1, wide) 20:18:53       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1) 20:18:55       Focusing Started-Foc2 Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 20:21:02       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2, wide) 20:22:47       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2) 20:23:05     Target Completed Target completed (Focus Field 2, HIP 9508) 20:23:34     Target Started (1/34) Target started (1/34, NGC 1587) 20:27:20       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 20:29:08       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 3) 20:46:44     Target Completed Target completed (1/34, NGC 1587) 20:46:49     Target Started (2/34) Target started (2/34, Nova Cas 2021) 20:52:26       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 20:54:13       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 4) 21:01:36     Target Completed Target completed (2/34, Nova Cas 2021) 21:01:40     Target Started (3/34) Target started (3/34, 132P/Helin-Roman-Alu) 21:17:50     Target Completed Target completed (3/34, 132P/Helin-Roman-Alu) 21:17:54     Target Started (4/34) Target started (4/34, UGC 1161 w/SN2020acch) 21:20:37       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 21:22:37       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 5) 21:39:08     Target Completed Target completed (4/34, UGC 1161 w/SN2020acch) 21:39:12     Target Started (5/34) Target started (5/34, GCVS BL Lac) 21:43:14       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 21:45:24       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 6) 21:49:25     Target Completed Target completed (5/34, GCVS BL Lac) 21:49:29     Target Started (6/34) Target started (6/34, NGC 7446 w/SN2021agdd) 21:51:53       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 21:53:51       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 7) 22:10:24     Target Completed Target completed (6/34, NGC 7446 w/SN2021agdd) 22:10:28     Target Started (7/34) Target started (7/34, C/2019 L3 (ATLAS)) 22:25:04     Target Completed Target completed (7/34, C/2019 L3 (ATLAS)) 22:25:08     Target Started (8/34) Target started (8/34, Nova Per 2020) 22:27:51       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:29:38       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 8) 22:38:40     Target Completed Target completed (8/34, Nova Per 2020) 22:38:45     Target Started (9/34) Target started (9/34, IC 2149) 22:41:28       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:44:55       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 9) 23:04:49     Target Completed Target completed (9/34, IC 2149) 23:04:53     Target Started (10/34) Target started (10/34, UGC 1971 w/SN2021afkk) 23:08:15       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 23:10:13       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 10) 23:27:33     Target Completed Target completed (10/34, UGC 1971 w/SN2021afkk) 23:27:38     Target Started (11/34) Target started (11/34, NGC 1569 w/AT2021aczn) 23:30:42       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 23:32:29       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 11) 23:49:02     Target Completed Target completed (11/34, NGC 1569 w/AT2021aczn) 23:49:06     Target Started (12/34) Target started (12/34, AT2021agdv (CV)) 00:02:11     Target Completed Target partially completed (12/34, AT2021agdv (CV)) 00:02:16     Target Started (13/34) Target started (13/34, GCVS SY Cnc) 00:05:10       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:08:04       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 12) 00:11:23     Target Completed Target completed (13/34, GCVS SY Cnc) 00:11:27     Target Started (14/34) Target started (14/34, AT2021aghu) 00:15:15       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:17:01       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 13) 00:34:06     Target Completed Target completed (14/34, AT2021aghu) 00:34:10     Target Started (15/34) Target started (15/34, UGC 3855 w/SN2021agco) 00:37:16       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:39:02       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 14) 00:52:46     Target Completed Target partially completed (15/34, UGC 3855 w/SN2021agco) 00:52:50     Target Started (16/34) Target started (16/34, GCVS FU Ori) 00:55:44       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:58:07       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 15) 01:01:35     Target Completed Target completed (16/34, GCVS FU Ori) 01:01:39     Target Started (17/34) Target started (17/34, UGC 4002 w/SN2021wvy) 01:04:23       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:06:27       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 16) 01:23:00     Target Completed Target completed (17/34, UGC 4002 w/SN2021wvy) 01:23:04     Target Started (18/34) Target started (18/34, UGC 4671 w/SN2021afsj) 01:26:03       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:28:29       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 17) 01:45:01     Target Completed Target completed (18/34, UGC 4671 w/SN2021afsj) 01:45:05     Target Started (19/34) Target started (19/34, NGC 2713) 01:47:54       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:49:40       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 18) 02:06:12     Target Completed Target completed (19/34, NGC 2713) 02:06:16     Target Started (20/34) Target started (20/34, NGC 2716) 02:08:53       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is lost (TCF-S) 02:25:00     Target Completed Target completed (20/34, NGC 2716) 02:27:45     Target Started (21/34) Target started (21/34, 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko) 02:30:26       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - unable to find a star (TCF-S) 02:38:08   SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend is called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars) 02:38:18   SoftSuspend Cancelled Soft Suspend is cancelled due to improved conditions 02:44:17     Target Completed Target completed (21/34, 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko) 02:46:42     Target Started (22/34) Target started (22/34, NGC 2761 w/AT2021aggu) 02:49:29       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:50:00       Focusing Failed Foc1 focusing failed - star lost 03:06:36   SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend is called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars) 03:07:22     Target Completed Target completed (22/34, NGC 2761 w/AT2021aggu) 03:07:24   Queue Paused Queue paused for Session Suspension 03:07:27 Session Suspended Session suspended 03:08:17   Dome Closed Dome closed (closing time 50s) 03:18:48     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (23/34, GCVS RZ LMi) due to cloud 03:39:40     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (24/34, NGC 3254) due to cloud 04:01:32     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (25/34, NGC 3389 w/AT2021hkw) due to cloud 04:23:24     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (26/34, NGC 3836 w/SN2021aefs) due to cloud 04:45:16     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (27/34, NGC 4774 w/AT2021cjd) due to cloud 05:07:08     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (28/34, NGC 4896 w/SN2021wad) due to cloud 05:29:30     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (29/34, NGC 4921) due to cloud 05:51:22     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (30/34, UGC 8975 w/AT2021adpe) due to cloud 06:07:52     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (31/34, C/2017 K2 (PANSTARRS)) due to cloud 06:27:29     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (32/34, IC 3322A w/SN2021hiz) due to cloud 06:39:17     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (33/34, GCVS AM CVn) due to cloud 07:08:54     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (34/34, UGC 8426 w/AT2021knq) due to cloud 07:08:59   Queue Completed Job Queue completed 07:09:01 Session Closing Session closing 07:09:06   Dome Closed Dome already closed (closed at 03:08, closing time 50s) 07:10:06   Dome Parked Dome parked (parking time 51s), Az: 90.0 deg 07:11:12   Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 59s) 07:11:32   Telescope State Scope parked Turn scope off. (Handbox) 07:12:08   Telescope Switched Off Telescope Power has been switched off via UPB Switch. 07:13:03   Services Stopped Night Services stopped 07:13:05 Session Housekeeping Housekeeping Started (Cleanup FITS, Create Fits Summary, Transfer Files) 07:13:27 Session Finished Session Finished

Session Alerts

Time     Alert Detail 23:53:16 Dome Discrepency Difference between Telescope Az and Dome Az is > 8 deg (AT2021agdv) 00:00:01 Dome Alert DomeRecords have stopped updating 00:00:21 Dome Alert DomeRecords have resumed updating

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Operational Issues (2021-12-28, S945)

• Critical Issues (0)
• Major Issues (0)
• Minor Issues (4)
• Small Defects (1)
• Continuous Improvement (1)

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Critical Issues

• None

Major Issues

• None

Minor Issues

• Aurora/SpaceWeather files failing to download from observatory (files not found). .mkstackplot, planetary-k-index, crk2-magnetometer and swx-overview files reported as could not be found at \ \Laptop7\G\All Sky - Sessions\AllSky 2021-12-28.   Checking shows that the files are present.   It would seem that files were probably still archiving at the time since a later attempt picked up first 2 files ok.  The last 2 files (crk2-magnetometer and swx-overview) seem to be located  in  C:\Data\AllSky Imaging\Sessions\AllSky 2021-12-29 on this occasion.
  Resolved 2021-12-29 (AstroMove 1.8.1) 
   
• JPG Picture creation suddenly stopped after the second locate frame for C/2019 L3 Atlas (picture id 0077, 22:15).    Upload of JPG pictures to website  which had been working ok for the the first 7 targets suddenly stopped at 22:15 and the remainder of frames/targets weren't created and therefore not uploaded to website.  A blank command/shell window was noticed to be open on the task bar the following morning.  The window process was clearly the window was blocking the creation of new pictures. This is the second time that this has occurred (first time S942 session 2021-12-16) and is therefore more than just a rare glitch, so propose to build some form of monitoring process which can close/kill the blocking window. Unfortunately the details about the stalled process were again not collected. This is necessary in order to identify a means of stopping the process.   Fixed in AstroMain 3.48.12 by recording ProcID associated with last Shell Command and killing process if it is still running, and by killing processes with process name 'magick' before submitting new Shell Command. 
  Fixed 2021-12-29 (AstroMain 3.48.12, Shell/MagicK)
   
• Sky Brightness graph on the SkyConditionsChart is showing sky brightness below 40 (ie below the Y Axis) for nearly all images even though sky in dark (no moon).   There is definately a real issue that is associated with swap to new Observatory Computer.  Longer exposure sky brightness values looks normal when analysing the Reduced Images on the Development Computer.     Investigating shows an unexplained discrepency.   10s & 180s darks have ADU of only around 175-190.   10s light frame (#945001) has 1145 ADU peak (light flux of 96 ADU/s).  180s light frame (#945004) has 4117 ADU peak ( light flux of 22 ADU/s) .  The difference between the 180s and 10s light frames corresponds to a 2972 ADU peak (light flux of 17.5 ADU/s over 170s).   Subtracting a light flux of 17.5 ADU/s from the 10s light frame would suggest a residual dark current of  970 ADU.  This is far higher than the peak ADU of a 10s dark which is only 190 ADU.  This discrepency can't be readily explained.  It was thought that ADU count of dark frames would increase with exposure, but re-examining darak frames doesn't seem to show this.   Their ADU rates vary with session, but within a session the ADU rate of a 10s dark is barely different to a 180s dark  (at -20 degC).  This might  just confirm that that the CCD Camera's dark current is very low, but this is at odds with the the apparent residual dark current calculated for a 10s light frame.  Hypothesis is that the light flux in 10s locate frame is elevated by the IR leakage from the ObsCam's LEDs, whilst light flux in 180s is unaffected.   In order to get correct sky brightness values the ObsCam needs to be turned off whilst acquiring Locate Frames (i.e. whilst Centering).  This was implemented in AstroMain 3.48.12 , but results from S947 session showed that it didn't make a significant difference and hadn't fixed the issue.  Eventually resolved 2022-01-02 by checking the 'Auto Bias Level Correction' option on the SBIG 'Configure Driver' tab . See SBIG Camera Bias Level (Sky Brightness Issue & Fix) 2021-01-02.
  Fixed 2022-01-02 (SBIG Driver)
   
• Three dome slews took an unexpectedly long time. Dome drive must have been spinning but not moving the dome. Dome Slew details as follows. 
  Target               Time   Az1   Az2  Slew Angle Speed
                     hh:mm  deg   deg  time  deg  deg/s
132P/Helin-Roman-Alu 21:01 297.8 211.5 231s  86.3 0.37
C/2019 L3 (ATLAS)    22:10 285.6 116.3 240s 169.3 0.71
AT2021agdv           23:49 302.8 218.9 240s  83.9 0.35
  Propose to wipe/clean the dome flange, tighten the drive tension and monitor next session.  Next session (S946) didn't have any problems even though proposed fixes haven't yet been performed.  Tracing has now been added to AstroMain (sometime before 2022-05-16) to dump out detailed dome slew information for any slow dome slews.  This was used after session to indicate the specific azimuth point where slewing 'stalls'/ runs very slowly across.  (Update at 2022-06-09.  Code added to AstroMain 3.51.13 (2022-06-03) to automatically identify and report holdups in dome rotation (azimuth & holdup seconds), and issue yellow/red Session Events for hold-ups longer than 30s/60s.  Issue is still ongoing (e.g. occurred in S1018 on 2022-06-09).  Daytime testing 2022-06-08 failed to replicate the issue for a slew operation that was norminally identical to the one having  issue in S1018).  Closed after review 2022-06-09, the underlying issue (not perfectly circular dome walls) is not resolvable until the dome observatory is rebuilt as a future site.  Issue was eventually determined to be due to a loose/worn Drive Wheel Connector and was resolved by installing a Replacement Drive Wheel & Connector on 2023-11-17 (see Pulsar Dome - Replacement Rotation Drive Wheel, 2023-11-17).
  Fixed 2023-11-17 (Observatory, Pulsar Dome)
  

Small Defects

• Dome Monitor giving an alert (probably false) that Dome Records stopped updating at 00:01. This similar to an issue that has previously been reported and was thought to have been resolved.  The alert is believed to be false because it is made at 00:01 or so (ie directly after midnight) and is followed by a green message at around 00:20 saying that dome records have resumed again.   The ASCOM.Pulsar_Observatories_Dome file (one that was first opened on 2021-12-21 which has remained open for 8 days) shows a volatile message at 23:59:59.441 (2021-12-28) , followed by a volatile message at 00:00:00.433  (2021-12-29) with the next message at 00:00:01.409. The ASCOM Log file does not contains dates so the Dome monitor assumed that the latest message is from the current day.   It is hypothesized that the 23:59:59.441 (2021-12-28) message was analysed shortly after the clock progressed to 2021-12-29  and was therefore assumed to from a 23:59:59.441 (2021-12-29) message.   The message  00:00:00.433 (2021-12-29) appeared not to be more recent that the apparent message or otherwise produced a siutuation where the DomeRecord was invalidated ( Alert is raised when DomeRecord.Valid turns false)  Fixed in 3.48.12 by introducing a check that the assumed DateTime hasn't been overestimated by one day and rolls it back by one day if it has been.
  Fixed 2021-12-29 (AstroMain 3.48.12) 
   
• Too many LockPosition adjustments are being made during Settling when the Principal GuideMode is South. Code reveals a slight error when Guide Mode is 'South' (fixed so that adjustment made when G.dy < -1.0 rather than Gy < 1.0).
  Fixed 2021-12-29 (AstroMain 3.48.12) 
   
• Focus Temperature chart showed a Scope Temperature line which suddenly deviates off-graph to an unexpected position < -4 .  Off-chart value initially thought to vcNull (i.e. -99) but this would have been caught within the AddTemperatureData() routine and the relevant line segments wouldn't have been drawn. 
  Fix attempted 2021-12-30 (AstroMain 3.48.13)

Continuous Improvement

• Extend capabability of Scope.Jog() and Scope.JogUsingPulseGuide() routines to allow PulseGuide jogs of up to 5 arc min in size. Implemented in AstroMain, 3.48.13 by adding a text box on More/Cam1 tab to specify the threshold jog amount for using PulseGuide Jogs in preference to normal 'Slew' based' jogs (default is 5 arc mins) , and by implementing CommandBlind(:Mg{d}{duration}#, True) for PulseGuide durations over 9999ms (since 9999 is the  limit for newer PulseGuiding in PulseGuide method in the current MeadeGeneric driver).
  Done 2021-12-31 (AstroMain 3.48.13) 
  

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