David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 1030 (2022-08-20)

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Notes (S1030)

	Session Aims & Highlights
	- Observing Result  - Night Summary Plot  - Session Event Log
	Operational Issues
	- Critical Issues (0),  Major Issues (1),  Minor Issues (5),  Small Defects (1),  Continuous Improvement (8)
	Images from 2022-08-20 >>        [ Local Files >> ]

Session Aims & Highlights (2022-08-20)

Main aims

1. Targets.  Acquire images of a selection of variable stars, nearby stars, comets & deep sky targets as allowed by time & twilight conditions.
2. SH 2-71.  Acquire images of planetary nebula Sh 2-71 (Sharpless),  the Deep Sky Challenge Object in Aug 2022 edition of Ast.Now Magazine.

 Equipment & Software

• 12" LX200 and ST-10XME
• 80mm APO and ZWO ASI 178MC
• CCDApp2, TheSky6, CCDSoft5, DeviceHub 6.6.0.16,  MeadeGeneric 1.3.5.414, UPB 1.5, ASCOM 6.6
• Pegasus UPB & Motor Focus, TCF-S
• SharpCap 3.2, PHD2  2.6.11
   
• AstroMain 3.53.8,  AstroPlan 1.31,   AstroShCap 1.3.12, AstroGuard 1.8.2
  AstroVOE 1.10  AstroSN 1.8.2,  AstroProtect 1.7,  AstroMove 1.9.1
  (AstroWeather 1.17.5, AstroAllSky 3.16,  AstroObsCam 1.9, AstroLaunch 1.9.4)

Highlights

•   Targets. Only 3 out of 21 planned targets were successful acquired. This was due to an issue with CCDSoft / RPC server which prevent access to SBIG Camera with attempted automated fixes couldn't resolve.
•   SH 2-71.  Two out of planned seven 180s frames were acquired.  (5 frames not acquired due to CCDSoft / RPC Server issue). Pl.Neb is visible in the frames acquired and the full number for frames will be attempted in a future session

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 20:46:09 Session Monitoring AutoStart monitoring for Live Session opportunity between 21:44 & 03:29 20:46:11   AutoStart Waiting AutoStart waiting till earliest start time at 21:44 21:44:24   AutoStart Delayed Session delayed due to too few stars 22:18:03 Session AutoStarting Session autostarting (22:18) 22:18:31 Session Created Session Created (Live, 2022-08-20 S01030, ImageSaveNum: 1030001) 22:18:34   Scope Switched On Telescope Power has been switched on via UPB Powerbox. 22:20:21   Services Started Observatory Services started 22:20:27 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 22:20:28 Session Pending Session pending (2022-08-20) 22:20:31 Session Initiating Session initiating (2022-08-20) 22:20:33   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.31) 22:21:09   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (Plan ID: 792) 22:21:33   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera connected (set point -10°C) 22:21:40   Telescope Connected Telescope connected (TheSky6) 22:22:04 Session Equilibration Session ready to Open Dome 22:23:45   Dome Opened Dome opened (opening time 45s) 22:23:47 Session Running Session running 22:23:49   Queue Started Observing Queue started (21 targets selected) 22:23:51     Target Started (NrZen) Target started (Focus Field 19, HIP 93376) 22:24:04   Dome Unparked Dome unparked 22:26:21       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:28:33       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1, wide) 22:30:31       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1) 22:30:36       Focusing Started-Foc2 Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 22:32:52       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2, wide) 22:34:41       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2) 22:35:01     Target Completed Target completed (Focus Field 19, HIP 93376) 22:37:01     Target Started (1/21) Target started (1/21, C/2019 U5 (PANSTARRS)) 22:41:22       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is lost (TCF-S) 22:52:20     Target Completed Target completed (1/21, C/2019 U5 (PANSTARRS)) 22:53:09     Target Started (2/21) Target started (2/21, IC 1132 w/SN2022prv) 22:56:14       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-S) 23:12:23     Target Completed Target completed (2/21, IC 1132 w/SN2022prv) 23:15:09     Target Started (3/21) Target started (3/21, SH 2-71) 23:18:15       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 23:19:59       Focusing Failed Foc1 focusing failed (failed QC check - Ambiguous) 23:26:17 Obs.Monitor Frozen Obs.Monitor appears to be frozen at around 23:26 in section Update Foc1 Fields 23:35:00   CCDSoft Restarting CCDSoft being killed and restarted in attempt to fix locked threads 23:35:03     Target Completed Target partially completed (3/21, SH 2-71) 23:43:13     Target Started (4/21) Target started (4/21, AT2022emb (CV)) 23:55:13     Target Started (5/21) Target started (5/21, GCVS SS Cyg) 00:11:28     Target Started (6/21) Target started (6/21, GCVS BL Lac) 00:21:34     Target Started (7/21) Target started (7/21, UGC 6983 w/SN2022pru) 00:43:34     Target Started (8/21) Target started (8/21, NGC 5875 w/SN2022oqm) 01:05:34     Target Started (9/21) Target started (9/21, 61 Cyg) 01:12:26     Target Started (10/21) Target started (10/21, AT2022jsu (CV)) 01:34:26     Target Started (11/21) Target started (11/21, NGC 6745 w/SN2022prr) 01:56:26     Target Started (12/21) Target started (12/21, NGC 5894 w/SN2022pgf) 02:18:26     Target Started (13/21) Target started (13/21, 2022 E3 (ZTF)) 02:36:00     Target Started (14/21) Target started (14/21, NGC 7492) 03:01:08     Target Started (15/21) Target started (15/21, GCVS Z And) 03:11:01     Target Started (16/21) Target started (16/21, WDS GRB 34) 03:19:04     Target Started (17/21) Target started (17/21, GCVS RX And) 03:28:00     Target Started (18/21) Target started (18/21, GCVS TT Ari) 03:40:32     Target Started (19/21) Target started (19/21, GCVS DY Per) 03:51:16     Target Started (20/21) Target started (20/21, GCVS EV Lac) 03:59:54     Target Started (21/21) Target started (21/21, GCVS HH And) 03:59:57   Queue Completed Job Queue completed 04:00:03 Session Closing Session closing 04:00:53   Dome Closed Dome closed (closing time 45s) 04:02:18   Dome Parked Dome parked (parking time 78s), Az: 90.0 deg 04:03:38   Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 78s) 04:03:53   Telescope State Scope parked Turn scope off. (Handbox) 04:04:15   Telescope Switched Off Telescope Power has been switched off via UPB Switch. 04:04:26   Services Stopped Night Services stopped 04:04:28 Session Housekeeping Session Housekeeping started (Create Fits Summary, Transfer Files) 04:04:34 Session Finished Session Finished

Session Alerts

Time     Alert Detail 23:26:50 Obs.Monitor Obs.Monitor appears to be frozen in section Update Foc1 Fields (last cycle at 23:26:17) 23:35:05 Obs.Monitor Obs.Monitor has resumed again after 8.8 mins

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Operational Issues (2022-08-20, S1030)

• Critical Issues (0)
• Major Issues (1)
• Minor Issues (5)
• Small Defects (1)
• Continuous Improvement (8)
  

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Critical Issues

• None

Major Issues

• Request to CCDSoft.Camera producing exceptions 'The RPC server is unavailable'. After Obs.Overseer called the KillAndRestartCCDSoft() routine to kill & restart CCDSoft at  23:35:00, all subsequent requests to the CCDSoft.Camera object produced exceptions "The RPC server is unavailable. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x800706BA)". This prevented the acquistion of any more targets during the session, loosing over 4 hours of good observing conditions. Online support regarding the the RPC Error is a little confusing and unhelpful as the CCDSoft.Camera object doesn't access any network. In this particular case the RPC error supposedly appears when a "pointer" to a COM object is not correctly released from memory before code tries to re-use it.  Computer was  moved to Windows10 Computer in Dec 2021 and  Windows10/CCDSoft were reinstalled on 2022-06-21.  First appearance of this RPC Server error message might date from either of these times.   Fixes have been attempted  2022-08-21 & 22 (AstroMain 3.53.9)  by a) calling garbage collection after setting Camera=Nothing and by b) starting the CCDSoft Application directly instead of 'auto-opening  CCDSoft when CCDSoft.Camera object is created,  just in case these makes a difference.  Closed after review on 2022-09-07, decision based on the fact that the issue hasn't reoccured during any of the following 5 sessions (S1031-1035) however the circumstances which gave rise to issue on S1030 might not have occurred since. There is therefore a continued requirment to monitor for future occurances.
  Believed Fixed 2022-08-21 (AstroMain 3.53.9) 

Minor Issues

• ShCap Connection failed when starting Nighttime Services.  Following initiation of AutoStart 'night services' were started. Fortunately it was noticed that ShCap Service flag turned yellow rather than green and the message "Checking ShCap Connection.. Fail  No communication from server" was reported.   Problem was due to the ShCap Service not properly stopped at the end of the last session because AstroMain had crashed.   Issue was resolved in-session by using the backdoor 'Restart ShCap Service' button (More/Backdoor tab) was used to successfully restart the ShCap service.  Resolved in-session.  A separate continuous improvement ticket is raised to make Start Services automatically attempt to restart the ShCap service.
  Fixed in-session 2022-08-20 (Session, ShCap)  
   
• Obs.Monitor froze for 8.8 mins whilst shooting a 180s image (23:26).  Obs.Overseer reported that Obs.Monitor had become frozen at c. 23:26:17 in section 'Update Foc1 Fields', and the Job Queue also seemed to freeze.  TakeImageAsync() routine began the second of five 180s images of Target 3/21 (SH 2-71) at 23:23:28,  and the wait/monitoring loop recorded the exposure starting at 23:23:30. Messages recording 'Camera.Status: Downloading Light' and 'Camera.Status: Ready' were expected at 23:26:30 but they were not logged.  Instead the Job Queue seemed to hang and the Obs.Overseer reported  that theTakeImage operation was taking longer than expected.   CCD Monitor and Temp.Monitor services probably also hung at the same time. At  23:35:00 the Obs.Overseer concluded that the Job Queue was frozen and called the KillAndRestartCCDSoft() routine to Kill & Restart CCDSoft.  Killing CCDSoft released Obs.Monitor and Job Queue from their frozen states (and presumably also CCD Monitor and Temp.Monitor as well) and they resumed their previous operations.   At 23:35:01 TakeImageAsync recognised that it has passed the TimeOutPoint and exited it's wait/monitoring loop.   There is no indication that there was any problem with the SBIG Camera, the SBIG Driver or indeed any fundamental issue with CCDSoft program, the 180s image was successfully finished and written to disk, and there was no problem when later a disconnection /reconnection to the SBIG Camera was made from CCDSoft's Camara Control dialog. The Obs.Monitor froze for 8.5 minutes in section 'Update Foc Fields during the last session, and was similarly 'released' when CCDSoft program was killed. Could try reinstating full functionality of 'Camera1_IsAccessible() function so that it returns false when bCamera1TakingImage . Currently the condition check on  bCamera1TakingImage is commented out and it returns True.  Changed Camera1_IsAccessible() to return False when bCamera1TakingImage And Now() > Camera1ExpectedStartDownloadTime.   TakeImageAsync() has been changed to update Camera1ExpectedStartDownloadTime based on latest Camera.Status information.
  Fixed attempted 2022-08-21 (AstroMain 3.53.9) 
   
• Targets from 4/21 onwards unexpectedly ending after the Pre-Slew Conditions section with a reported exception, but with no final 'Result' information in the Report File or on the Target Info chart.   Due to an issue with CCDSoft.Camera object after killing and restarting CCDSoft request to CCDSoft.Camera in OB.ExecuteTarget() routine led to the routine unexpectedly ending part way through operations for each target. Whilst the exception is getting caught in the calling routine ( 'ExecuteQueue()' ) and reported as
  
     Reconnect Camera1 ...  Fail    The RPC server is unavailable. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x800706BA)
  
  a Result section isn't being reported for the target and the Observation Status  'Failed'  due to 'Exception isn't been recorded and saved in the Target Database (under Plan Observations), leaving each target left with status 'Waiting to Start'. 
  Note that the  'RPC server is unavailable'  exception issue itself is dealt with separately under 'Major Issues'.
  Fixed 2022-08-21 (AstroMain 3.53.9) 
   
• Unable to find particular SharpCap image files during Foc2 Autofocusing. 'Unable to find SharpCap Image' messages were reported for focus frame 11/16 (7828) of Focus Profile 2 (Wide) at 22:31:59, and focus frame 8/14 (7968) of Focus Profile 2 at 22:33:45 but didn't compromise either focus profile and the Foc2 Autofocusing for Near Zenith Focus Field 19 was successfully achieved despite the issue.  This issue hasn't been noticed before.  In both cases the associated fits files (Focus_02_wide_7828.fits' and 'Focus_02_7968.fits') was presented in the expected location 'C:\Data\ZWO Imaging\SharpCap\2022-08-20 S01030\FOCUS' but the absence of associated .fSrc files shows that CCDSoft's Show Inventory operation wasn't applied to either file.  Normally Normally 'Get FocusPosition' and 'Get FocusImage' messages are written to log file but instead of these 'Get ShCap.Fwhm'  messages were written
  
    Focus Field 19    Get ShCap.Fwhm    Fail  | FocPosition (0) from ShCap doesn't match the expected value (7828)
  Focus Field 19    Get ShCap.Fwhm    Fail  | FocPosition (0) from ShCap doesn't match the expected value (7968)
  Collection of Focus Frame & Data is performed by CollectFocusData() routine. This calls ShCap.MakeFwhmMeasurement(FocNote, .Steps, Result) routine.  (this was evidently successful as the frame was collected and saved Ok in SharpCap (from ShCap log and the presence of a saved fits image with expected frame name).   The routine then enters a monitoring loop and waits for a 'FocusFrameCompleted' event from ShCap, which holds FIlePath (path to fits file)and ''Steps" (focus position used to confirm that we have correct frame ). The (ShCap) log file shows the MakeFwhmMeasurement request going out to ShCap but no 'FocusFrameCompleted' event message is received.   The monitoring loop times out after 5s. Problem would seem to be in AstroShCap.  (Python Code).   Until the underlying bug can be located and fixed, a mitigation has been incorporated in AstroMain 3.53.9 where the file path to the expected ShCap image file is constructed and if file exists it is used.
  Mitigation attempted 2022-08-21 (AstroMain 3.53.9) 
   
• Report lines from Kill & Restart CCDSoft' routine are being intermixed with those from Job Queue. After killing CCDSoft the job queue if previously frozen will typically resume again and its report message become intermixed with those from restarting CCDSoft. The bRestartingCCDSoft flag can be used to put a hold on Job Queue until RestartCCDSoft operation has completed.
  Fix attempted 2022-08-21 (AstroMain 3.53.9)  

Small Defects

• The reporting of exceptions in ConnectCamera() routine is less than clear.  Following an exception to 'Connecting camera...' the result was reported as 'Failed' rather than 'Fail' and the exception message was shown on the next line rather than on the same line. This can make the reporting unclear/ambiguous.  The exception wasn't reported to log file and shown have been.
  Fixed 2022-08-21 (AstroMain 3.53.9) 

• Add an inner Try-Catch block to catch exceptions occuring in RunTempMonitor without closing the Monitor.  Log new exceptions as soon as they occur otherwise log continuation of previous exception every 2 minutes.
  Done 2022-08-21 (AstroMain 3.53.9) 
   
• Modify the 'Red' colour using for several close/end buttons. The colour used for 'Close/Finish Session', 'Park & Close Down', 'Close (Camera)', 'Abort Autoguide' should be changed from Colour.Red to  Color.Tomato.  The 'Red' colour is too bright, and should be toned down and made consistent with other Close service buttons. .
  Done 2022-08-21 (AstroMain 3.53.9) 
   
• Add a backdoor facility to Kill & Restart CCDSoft and if relevant reconnect to the CCD Camera.  A button 'Restart CCDSoft' has been added to More/Backdoor tab which after confirmation by user calls  KillAndRestartCCDSoftByThread().   When CCDSoft is being killed and restarted the traffic light associated with CCDSoft on ObsViewer / ObsPic changes to magenta colour and 'CCDSoft restarting' text is shown.
  Done 2022-08-21 (AstroMain 3.53.9) 
   
• Change the Traffic Light associated with CCDSoft on AstroMain's ObsViewer/ObsPic to show when the application is being restarted.  When CCDSoft is being killed and restarted the traffic light associated with CCDSoft on ObsViewer / ObsPic has been changed to a magenta colour and 'CCDSoft restarting' text is shown.
  Done 2022-08-21 (AstroMain 3.53.9) 
   
• Modify AstroSN to make use of Tier1/Tier2 Must-Includes.   MustInclude usage has been recently changed to be Integer rather than boolean, and is already reflected in AstroPlan and AstroMain.   Proposal is to add a similar handling in AstroSN.  AstroSN 1.8.3 to include MustInclude Supernova as Tier 2.
  A future update can look into placing hightest ranking Supernova into Tier1.
  Done 2022-08-21 (AstroSN 1.8.3)
   
• AstroPlan's Must-Include form to show a flag when the MustInclude checkbox has changed and request user permission to apply or cancel changes.  
  Done 2022-08-22 (AstroPlan 1.31.1)  
   
• AstroPlan's Must-Include form to have an extra column to display when the Target was last imaged.   
  Done 2022-08-22 (AstroPlan 1.31.1) 
   
• Make Start Services automatically attempted to restart ShCap service if there is a communication problem when first starting the service. ShCap Connection Check failed at the beginning of S1030 session whilst starting Nighttime Services.  It was noticed that ShCap Service flag turned yellow rather than green and the message "Checking ShCap Connection.. Fail  No communication from server" was reported.   The problem was due to the ShCap Service not properly stopped at the end of the last session because AstroMain had crashed,  and was resolved in-session by manual intervention using the backdoor 'Restart ShCap Service' button to successfully restart the ShCap service.  Implemented in AstroMain 3.53.10 with changes to ShCap.StartClient() routine which raises bShCapServiceFailed flag in the event of a connection problem and change to StartObservatoryServices() routine that calls RestartShCapService() routine in follow-up section in the event that bShCapServiceFailed is raised.
  Done 2022-08-24  (AstroMain 3.53.10) 
   
• AstroAllSky's Annotated AllSky Images seems to just show annotated stars in Zenith, W & NW Sky, but not show any/many in SE, E & NE sky. May need to recalibrate AllSky Camera ?.   Problem particular severe during observing session S1034 (2022-08-31) and so it was finally decided to get on and perform an overdue re-calibration of the AllSky Camera.   So finally a new calibration was performed today (2022-09-01) using 6 AllSky Fits files taken from night date 2022-08-31 (22:30, 00:00, 01:00, 02:00, 03:00 & 04:00 local times).
  Done 2022-09-01 (AstroAllSky Calibration) 

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