David's Astronomy Pages
Notes - Session 1096 (2023-02-10)

 
Bullet Session Aims & Highlights
 - Observing Result
 - Night Summary Plot
 - Session Event Log
Bullet Operational Issues
  - Critical Issues (0),  Major Issues (0),  Minor Issues (3 Small Defects (6),  Continuous Improvement (5)
 
Bullet Images from 2023-02-10 >>         
2023-02-11
Bullet Investigation - Cross-Thread Problem & Non Responsive UI  

Session Aims & Highlights (2023-02-10)

Main aims

  1. ST-10 Imaging. Demonstrate that the problems with dew/condensation inside the LX200 telescope tube have been resolved.
  2. Camera Rotation.  Rotate ST-10 camera to 180.0 +/- 0.1 deg following its reattachment to telescope. Rotate ZWO 178MC camera on secondary scope to 0 deg + /- 0.2 deg, following incident that accidentally rotated camera in last session ).
  3. Resync telescope.  Resync telescope pointing and carry out short mapping job to tie into TPoint Model.
  4. AstroMain. Test new AstroMain version (3.61.1) following several changes since that version 3.61.
  5. Targets.  Acquire images of a selection of variable stars, nearby stars, comets & deep sky targets as allowed by sky conditions including comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF)

 Equipment & Software

Highlights

Notes:

Summary Plots & Logs

Observing Plan
Image
  
Observing Result
Image
   
Image
 
Dome & Scope Slewing Performance
Image
  
Slew/Centering Performance
Image
  
Guiding Performance
Poor performance (black points) due to cloud
Image
 
  
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)
Image   
  
Actual Weather vs Pre-Session Weather Forecast
Image
Image   
  
Session Event Log
Time     Event Detail
18:40:54   CCDSoft Restarting CCDSoft being restarted (to set AutoSave No.)
18:41:09 Session Created Session Created (Live, 2023-02-10 S01096, ImageSaveNum: 1096001)
18:49:59   Obs.Manager Started Obs.Manager started
18:50:08   Services Started Observatory Services started
18:50:55   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera connected (set point -15°C)
18:51:26 Foc1FieldsUpdater Frozen Foc1FieldsUpdater appears to be frozen at around 18:51 in section 'Update Foc1Fields'
18:51:27   Observatory Door Observatory Door has opened
18:51:35 TempMonitor Frozen TempMonitor appears to be frozen at around 18:51 in section 'Get CcdTemp Data'
18:51:59   Observatory Door Observatory Door has closed (open time 31 sec)
18:52:07   Observatory Door Observatory Door has opened
18:52:10   Observatory Door Observatory Door has closed (open time 3 sec)
18:54:34   CCDSoft Restarting CCDSoft being restarted (user action)
18:54:41   SBIG Camera Reset SBIG Camera being power-cycled
18:55:24   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera connected (set point -15°C)
18:55:53   Scope Switched On Telescope Power has been switched on via UPB Powerbox.
18:57:37   Services Started Observatory Services started
18:58:00   Telescope Connected Telescope connected (TheSky6)
18:59:10   Dome Opened Dome opened (opening time 43s)
18:59:12       Dome Unparked Dome unparked
19:08:29       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S)
19:09:10       Focusing Aborted Foc1 Focusing Aborted
19:09:36       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S)
19:12:46       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2, wide)
19:15:13       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2)
19:17:41 Telescope Running 'ResetScopePointing' under user supervision
19:19:05 Telescope Running 'ResetScopePointing' under user supervision
19:20:05   Telescope Telescope pointing successfully synced
19:20:48   Telescope Pointing Mapping run started
19:20:54   Automapping Started Automapping started (12 points planned)
19:32:06   Automapping Completed Automapping completed (11 points mapped out of 12 points)
19:32:46   Telescope Pointing Mapping run finished (Mapped 11 / 12)
19:38:28   Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 69s)
19:38:43   Telescope State Handbox reads 'Scope parked Turn scope off.'
19:39:05   Telescope Switched Off Telescope Power has been switched off via UPB Switch.
19:39:22   Services Stopped Observatory Services stopped
19:39:37 Session Closed Session closed by User
19:39:40 Program Closed Program closed by User
19:40:24 Program Opened Program Opened (AstroMain 3.61.3)
19:40:26 Session Resumed Session Resumed (Live, 2023-02-10 S01096, ImageSaveNum: 1096016)
19:40:28   Obs.Overseer Started Obs.Overseer started
19:40:40   Obs.Manager Started Obs.Manager started
19:40:48   Services Started Observatory Services started
19:43:42   Scope Switched On Telescope Power has been switched on via UPB Powerbox.
19:45:25   Services Started Observatory Services started
19:46:04   Telescope Connected Telescope connected (TheSky6)
19:49:07   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera connected (set point -10°C)
19:52:00   Observatory Door Observatory Door has opened
19:52:05   Observatory Door Observatory Door has closed (open time 4 sec)
20:00:41 Session Monitoring AutoStart monitoring for Live Session opportunity between 20:00 & 05:44
20:00:43 Observatory (AutoStart) Observatory placed in Auto-Start Mode
20:01:27   Observatory Door Observatory Door has opened
20:02:13   Observatory Door Observatory Door has closed (open time 46 sec)
20:09:13 Session AutoStarting Session autostarting (20:09)
20:09:34   Services Started Observatory Services started
20:09:39 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode
20:09:43 Session Pending Session pending (2023-02-10)
20:09:45 Session Initiating Session initiating (2023-02-10)
20:09:47   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.36.1)
20:10:59   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (Plan ID: 868)
20:11:15   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera connected (set point -10°C)
20:11:20   Telescope Connected Telescope connected (TheSky6)
20:11:49 Session Running Session running
20:11:51   Queue Started Observing Queue started (31 targets selected)
20:11:55     Target Started (NrZen) Target started (Focus Field 6, HIP 28634)
20:15:28       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S)
20:17:25       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 4)
20:17:50       Focusing Started-Foc2 Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap)
20:19:37       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 5, wide)
20:21:19       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 5)
20:21:36     Target Completed (NrZen) Target completed (Focus Field 6, HIP 28634)
20:21:41     Target Started (1/31) Target started (1/31, NGC 2283 w/SN2023axu)
20:31:39     Target Completed Target partially completed (1/31, NGC 2283 w/SN2023axu)
20:31:41   Queue Aborted Job Queue aborted
20:33:19   Observatory Door Observatory Door has opened
20:33:23   Observatory Door Observatory Door has closed (open time 4 sec)
20:33:45   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera connected (set point -15°C)
20:34:02 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode
20:34:07 Session Pending Session pending (2023-02-10)
20:34:09 Session Initiating Session initiating (2023-02-10)
20:34:15   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (Plan ID: 868)
20:34:23   Observatory Door Observatory Door has opened
20:34:27   Observatory Door Observatory Door has closed (open time 4 sec)
20:34:30   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera connected (set point -15°C)
20:34:33   Telescope Connected Telescope connected (TheSky6)
20:34:53 Session Running Session running
20:34:55   Queue Started Observing Queue started (30 targets selected)
20:39:15     Target Started (2/31) Target started (2/31, IC 1756 w/SN2023Q)
20:45:17       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - unable to find a star (TCF-S)
21:01:37     Target Completed Target completed (2/31, IC 1756 w/SN2023Q)
21:01:42     Target Started (3/31) Target started (3/31, NGC 1363 w/SN2022ackv)
21:07:57       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - unable to find a star (TCF-S)
21:23:57     Target Completed Target completed (3/31, NGC 1363 w/SN2022ackv)
21:24:01     Target Started (4/31) Target started (4/31, UGC 3044 w/SN2023cf)
21:28:44       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is lost (TCF-S)
21:45:15     Target Completed Target completed (4/31, UGC 3044 w/SN2023cf)
21:46:15     Target Started (5/31) Target started (5/31, 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann)
21:49:15       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S)
21:51:43       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 6)
22:01:52     Target Completed Target completed (5/31, 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann)
22:02:51       SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend is called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars)
22:02:53   Queue Paused Observing Queue pausing for Session Suspension
22:02:56 Session Suspending Session suspending
22:03:41   Dome Closed Dome closed (closing time 45s)
22:03:43 Session Suspended Session suspended
22:15:17 Session Resuming Session resuming
22:16:02   Dome Opened Dome opened (opening time 45s)
22:16:04 Session Running Session running
22:16:06   Queue Resumed Observing Queue resumed
22:16:09     Target Started (6/31) Target started (6/31, IC 1874 w/SN2023fu)
22:29:08     Target Completed Target partially completed (6/31, IC 1874 w/SN2023fu)
22:29:13     Target Started (7/31) Target started (7/31, UGC 2926 w/SN2022acyd)
22:35:44   Critical Cloud Alert Critical Cloud Alert (Obs.Manager will close the Dome)
22:35:46   HardSuspend Called Hard Suspend is called due to Critical Conditions (cloud)
22:35:49     Target Aborted (7/31) Target aborted (7/31, UGC 2926 w/SN2022acyd) due to cloud
22:35:51   Queue Paused Queue paused for Session Suspension
22:35:53 Session Suspending Session suspending
22:36:34   Dome Closed Dome closed (closing time 45s)
22:36:36 Session Suspended Session suspended
22:44:35     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (7/31, UGC 2926 w/SN2022acyd) due to cloud
23:00:36 Session Resuming Session resuming
23:01:21   Dome Opened Dome opened (opening time 45s)
23:01:24 Session Running Session running
23:01:26   Queue Resumed Observing Queue resumed
23:01:28     Target Started (8/31) Target started (8/31, C/2022 E3 (ZTF))
23:17:05     Target Completed Target partially completed (8/31, C/2022 E3 (ZTF))
23:17:09     Target Started (9/31) Target started (9/31, WDS GRB 34)
23:22:35     Target Completed Target completed (9/31, WDS GRB 34)
23:22:39     Target Started (10/31) Target started (10/31, C/2020 V2 (ZTF))
23:25:42       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S)
23:27:51       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 7)
23:45:14     Target Completed Target completed (10/31, C/2020 V2 (ZTF))
23:45:18     Target Started (11/31) Target started (11/31, M31 w/AT2023ax)
23:49:04       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is lost (TCF-S)
00:02:02       SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend is called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars)
00:02:32       SoftSuspend Cancelled Soft Suspend is cancelled due to improved conditions
00:06:08       SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend is called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars)
00:06:10     Target Completed Target completed (11/31, M31 w/AT2023ax)
00:06:12   Queue Paused Queue paused for Session Suspension
00:06:15 Session Suspending Session suspending
00:07:03   Dome Closed Dome closed (closing time 50s)
00:07:05 Session Suspended Session suspended
00:17:33     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (12/31, AT2023vp (CV)) due to cloud
00:37:33     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (13/31, AT2023vq) due to cloud
00:59:53     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (14/31, NGC 2777 w/SN2022aagp) due to cloud
01:22:13     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (15/31, MCG +5-26-43 w/SN2023af) due to cloud
01:44:13     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (16/31, AT2023nf (CV)) due to cloud
01:57:21     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (17/31, GCVS RZ LMi) due to cloud
02:12:13     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (18/31, GCVS CN Leo) due to cloud
02:31:33     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (19/31, NGC 2528 w/SN2023jo) due to cloud
02:53:53     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (20/31, NGC 5631 w/SN2022aaiq) due to cloud
03:16:13     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (21/31, NGC 5548 w/AT2022abcs) due to cloud
03:38:33     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (22/31, NGC 5784 w/SN2023bch) due to wind
04:00:53     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (23/31, NGC 3938 w/SN2022xlp) due to cloud
04:15:13     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (24/31, C/2022 A2 (PANSTARRS)) due to wind
04:35:13     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (25/31, IC 1525 w/AT2023aov) due to cloud
04:49:33     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (26/31, AT2023ds (CV)) due to cloud
05:01:33     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (27/31, AT2023fm (CV)) due to cloud
05:20:04     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (28/31, GCVS SS Cyg) due to too few stars
05:27:54 Session Resuming Session resuming
05:28:39   Dome Opened Dome opened (opening time 45s)
05:28:41 Session Running Session running
05:28:43   Queue Resumed Observing Queue resumed
05:28:46     Target Started (29/31) Target started (29/31, GCVS BL Lac)
05:34:44     Target Completed Target partially completed (29/31, GCVS BL Lac)
05:34:48     Target Started (30/31) Target started (30/31, 81P/Wild)
05:41:15       SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend is called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars)
05:57:45     Target Completed Target completed (30/31, 81P/Wild)
05:57:47   Queue Paused Queue paused for Session Suspension
05:57:49 Session Suspending Session suspending
05:58:32   Dome Closed Dome closed (closing time 45s)
05:58:34 Session Suspended Session suspended
06:23:17     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (31/31, UGC 10407 w/AT2022adyb) due to too few stars
06:23:22   Queue Completed Job Queue completed
06:23:24 Session Closing Session closing
06:23:29   Dome Closed Dome already closed (closed at 05:58, closing time 45s)
06:24:17   Dome Parked Dome parked (parking time 39s), Az: 90.0 deg
06:25:22   Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 61s)
06:25:37   Telescope State Handbox reads 'Scope parked Turn scope off.'
06:25:59   Telescope Switched Off Telescope Power has been switched off via UPB Switch.
06:27:22   Services Stopped Night Services stopped
06:27:25 Session Housekeeping Session Housekeeping started (Create Fits Summary, Transfer Files)
06:27:40 Session Finished Session Finished
 
Session Alerts & Alarms
Time     Type       Name Detail
18:50:06 Red Alert Program Hung AstroMain UI appears to have stopped responding at 18:50
18:50:11 Green Clear Program Resumed AstroMain UI has resumed again after 10s
18:53:07 Red Alert Foc1Fields Updater Foc1FieldsUpdater appears to be frozen (last cycle at 18:51:26) in section 'Update Foc1Fields'
18:54:07 Red Alert TempMonitor TempMonitor appears to be frozen (last cycle at 18:51:35) in section 'Get CcdTemp Data'
18:54:37 Green Clear Foc1Fields Updater Foc1FieldsUpdater has resumed again (18:54) after 3.2 mins
18:54:39 Green Clear TempMonitor TempMonitor has resumed again (18:54) after 2.9 mins
 

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Operational Issues (2023-02-10, S1096)

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2023-02-11


Investigation - Cross-Thread Problem & Non Responsive UI

Issue 1.  Focuser1 and PowerBox objects have historically need to be connected/disconnected on Form's Main Thread.

Issue 2.  AstroMain UI appears to have stopped responding whilst Starting Observatory Services

The two issue turned out to be connected and are discussed together.

Description

Issue 1 
When developing AstroMain program it's been found neccessary in the past to start and stop PowerBox and Focuser1 Services using

  objConsole.Invoke(Sub() PowerBox.Connect())      ' where routine contains  objFocuser2.Connected = True
  objConsole.Invoke(Sub() StartFocuser1())         ' where routine contains  objFocuser1.Connected = True

  objConsole.Invoke(Sub() objFocuser2.Connected = False)
  objConsole.Invoke(Sub() objFocuser1.Connected = False)

  ' where objConsole is the Form.

rather than simply

  PowerBox.Connect()
  StartFocuser1()

  objFocuser2.Connected = False
  objFocuser1.Connected = False

This is to prevent exceptions like "CheckDotNetExceptions ASCOM.Simulator.Focuser ConnectedSet System.InvalidOperationException: Cross-thread operation not valid: Control 'FocuserHandboxForm' accessed from a thread other than the thread it was created on" when attempting to disconnect the two focusers.

FocuserHandboxForm is not a component or form belonging to AstroMain so its proved difficult to resolve. The only solution found to work was to connect/disconect on the program forms main thread.  This solution seems a bit of fudge for something that should work using the simple format that keeps on the work within a program thread without touching the form's main thread.

Issue 2
The ObsOverseer raises this a "AstroMain UI appears to have stopped responding" alert if the GuiChecker thread is finding that a simple BeginInvoke operation to post a string value to a specific TextBox in AstroMain's form is taking more than 5s to finish.  This is useful diagnostic tracker to help understand issue that may occur during operation or new code development.

The alert is frequently raised near the start of the program on the Observatory Computer and it was thought that it might be just a startup issue and changes have been made to GuiChecker and ObsOverseer in an attempt to prevent false alerts. However it does now seem to be a real observation.  It seems to happen when Observatory Services are being started and it is hypothesized that the GUI is very busy during this period with mutiple routines starting up equipment and connections with changes to multiple components on the form and multiple messages being writte to the program's mutliline Textbox (console ). 

It is possible that the Gui appears to freeze because of a particular situation in which the Start Focuser1 service is explicitly performed on the form's main thread (done this way as it prevents the "Cross-thread operation not valid" problem, see Issue 1 above).

Analysis

Connecting to Devices on Development Computer uses Simulators that aren't prone to real world delays relating to communications and hardware and the alert doesn't normally occur during development testing. 

Conducting a test however in which a Thread.Sleep (15000) line is placed in the StartFocuser1() routine causes the alert to be raised confirming that initiating StartFocuser1()  using objConsole.Invoke(Sub() StartFocuser1()) show that the running the routine this way can evidentally block the program's UI, and thus likely explain the alert that is frequently seen on the Observatory Computer.

A second test was conducted in which  objConsole.Invoke is only used to connect/disconnect to Focuser when operating with a Simulator Focuser , whilst connectdisconnect is performed by a direct assignment when running with a real focuser.

   ' Connect Focuser
  If VM.UseSimFocuser1 Then
     objConsole.Invoke(Sub() objFocuser1.Connected = True)  ' executed on Development Computer
  Else
     objFocuser1.Connected = True                           ' executed on Observatory Computer
  End If


  ' Disconnect Focuser
  If VM.UseSimFocuser1 Then
     objConsole.Invoke(Sub() objFocuser1.Connected = False)  ' executed on Development Computer
  Else
     objFocuser1.Connected = False                           ' executed on Observatory Computer
  End If

Running the program with this pieces of code

1) works fine when working on Development Computer where Simulator Focuser is used , which creates a Form that has to then be closed/destroyed with Focuser is disconnected

2) works fine when running on Observatory Computer where a real Focuser is used. It has the advantage that the Forms Main Thread isn't involved and therefore the Connection to focuser doesn't block/hold-up the UI, and therefore doesn't generate the alert saying that the Program UI appears to be not responding.

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