David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 1239 (2024-09-06)

Notes (S1238)

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Notes (S1240)

	Session Aims & Highlights
	- Observing Result  - Night Summary Plot  - Session Event Log
	Operational Issues
	- Critical Issues (0),  Major Issues (0),  Minor Issues (3),  Small Defects (4),  Continuous Improvement (1)
	Images from 2024-09-06 >>
	2024-09-08
	Investigation - Interruptions in LAN & Internet Connectivity (2024-09-08)

Session Aims & Highlights (2024-09-06)

Main aims

1. Targets.  Acquire images of a selection of variable stars, nearby stars, comets & deep sky targets as allowed by sky conditions.
2. T CrB. Acquire baseline images of T CrB prior to its forecast nova eruption some time in the next few months or years..

 Equipment & Software

• 12" LX200 and ST-10XME
• 80mm APO and ZWO ASI 178MC
• TheSky6, CCDSoft5, DeviceHub 6.6.1.1,  MeadeGeneric 1.3.9, UPB 1.5, ASCOM 6.6,   Pulsar Dome Firmware 1.51 & Driver 6.3.10
• Pegasus UPB & Motor Focus, TCF-S
• SharpCap 3.2, PHD2  2.6.13, Siril 1.0.6, deCONZ 1.18.2, ASCOM 6.6 SP1
• [ DomeLink 1.0 / 1.1 - not used ]
   
• AstroMain 3.69.5,  AstroPlan 1.40.7,  AstroShCap 1.3.15, AstroGuard 1.10.5   (any new items or versions in bold)
  AstroVOE 1.13.2,  AstroSN 1.11.1,  AstroProtect 1.7,  AstroMove 1.12.13    when did astroSN 1.10.4 go to 1.11 ?
  AstroWeather 1.25, AstroAllSky 3.20.4,  AstroObsCam 1.11.4 (not 1.11.5), AstroLaunch 1.11.3

Highlights-

• Targets. Only 1/25 planned targets observations were completed, with 1 other target partially completed. The other 23 target observations failed due to cloud (haar) & consequential session suspension.
• T CrB. Some images of T CrB were acquired but due to rapidly thickening haar/fog only 2 x 20s locate frames were usable. They did confirm that target N/W offsets were correct such that T CrB and a suitable reference plus check star were appropriately positioned in the image's FOV.
• Cloud/Haar. Sky conditions very rapidly deteriorated and meant that the session was suspended for the majority of the night.
• Dome. No issues opening/closing shutter during session. Dome closed and parked ok at end of session.

Notes:

• Rapid Haar Development at 21:55-22:05 forced session suspension at 22:02, ending the night's observing.
  
  
  

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 21:13:06 Session Monitoring AutoStart monitoring for Live Session opportunity between 21:13 & 04:26 21:13:09   AutoStart Delayed Session delayed due to too few stars 21:13:44 Session AutoStarting Session autostarting (21:13) 21:14:06   CCDSoft Restarting CCDSoft being restarted (to set AutoSave No.) 21:14:34   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera connected (Set point -10°C) 21:14:36 Session Created Session Created (Live, 2024-09-06 S01239, ImageSaveNum: 1239001) 21:14:41   Scope Switched On Telescope Power has been switched on via UPB Powerbox. 21:16:39   Services Started Observatory Services started 21:16:46 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 21:16:48   AutoStart Delayed Session delayed due to too few stars 21:16:49 Session Pending Session pending (2024-09-06) 21:16:51 Session Initiating Session initiating (2024-09-06) 21:17:01   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera connected (Set point -10°C) 21:17:07   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.40.7) 21:17:59   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (Plan ID: 1014) 21:18:39   Telescope Connected Telescope connected (TheSky6) 21:19:03 Session Equilibration Session ready to Open Dome 21:19:48   Dome Opened Dome opened (Opening time 45s, Zigbee 39s) 21:20:08 Session Running Session running 21:20:11   Queue Started Observing Queue started (25 targets selected) 21:20:14     Target Started (NrZen) Target started (Focus Field 19, HIP 93376) 21:20:27       Dome Unparked Dome unparked 21:24:04       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 21:26:51       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1, wide) 21:29:11       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1) 21:29:13       Focusing Started-Foc2 Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 21:31:20       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2, wide) 21:33:03       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2) 21:33:20     Target Completed (NrZen) Target completed (Focus Field 19, HIP 93376) 21:33:35     Target Started (1/25) Target started (1/25, 13P/Olbers) 21:39:13       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - unable to find a star (TCF-S) 21:52:09     Target Completed Target completed (1/25, 13P/Olbers) 21:52:13     Target Started (2/25) Target started (2/25, GCVS T CrB) 21:56:48       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 21:59:35       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 3) 21:59:48       SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars) 22:02:14   Critical Cloud Alert Critical Cloud Alert (Obs.Manager will close the Dome) 22:02:16   HardSuspend Called Hard Suspend called due to Critical Conditions (cloud) 22:02:19     Target Aborted (2/25) Target aborted (2/25, GCVS T CrB) due to cloud 22:02:21   Queue Paused Queue paused for Session Suspension 22:02:24 Session Suspending Session suspending 22:03:14   Dome Closed Dome closed (Closing time 50s, Zigbee 43s) 22:03:17 Session Suspended Session suspended 22:21:52     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (3/25, LEDA 1846725 w/SN2024iss) due to cloud 22:35:01     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (4/25, GCVS CI Cyg) due to cloud 22:46:36     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (5/25, AT2022vqv (CV)) due to cloud 22:56:53     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (6/25, GCVS BL Lac) due to cloud 23:16:53     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (7/25, LEDA 1762640 w/AT2024ety) due to cloud 23:39:13     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (8/25, AT2022jsu (CV)) due to cloud 00:01:33     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (9/25, AT2021afdl (CV)) due to cloud 00:23:33     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (10/25, AT2024ges) due to cloud 00:35:16     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (11/25, GCVS TV Cas) due to cloud 00:46:40     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (12/25, AT2022yek (CV)) due to cloud 00:58:40     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (13/25, AT2024eiy (CV)) due to cloud 01:11:00     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (14/25, AT2023abqc (CV)) due to cloud 01:31:20     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (15/25, NGC 7769 w/SN2022mxv) due to cloud 01:53:20     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (16/25, AT2024jri) due to cloud 02:15:20     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (17/25, M31 w/AT2024hvc) due to cloud 02:27:30     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (18/25, GCVS RX And) due to cloud 02:46:40     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (19/25, AT2024rrb) due to cloud 03:09:00     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (20/25, AT2022wel) due to cloud 03:31:20     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (21/25, NGC 3079) due to cloud 03:53:40     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (22/25, NGC 3206 w/SN2024bch) due to cloud 04:16:00     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (23/25, NGC 3073 w/AT2024unf) due to cloud 04:30:03     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (24/25, GCVS DX Cnc) due to cloud 04:59:13     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (25/25, AT2024ugc) due to cloud 04:59:17   Queue Completed Job Queue completed 04:59:22 Session Closing Session closing 04:59:27   Dome Closed Dome already closed (closed at 22:03, closing time 50s, zigbee 43s) 05:00:53   Dome Parked Dome parked (parking time 75s), Az: 90.0 deg 05:02:07   Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 68s total) 05:02:22   Telescope State Handbox reads 'Scope parked Turn scope off.' 05:02:44   Telescope Switched Off Telescope Power has been switched off via UPB Switch. 05:04:10   Services Stopped Night Services stopped 05:04:13 Session Finishing Session Finishing started (Create Fits Summary, Transfer Files) 05:04:25     Dome (Find Park) Find Park started (Search Az 88.0 to 92.0°, Step 0.2°, Narrow) 05:05:25     Dome Find Park found (Best Park Az 90.2°) 05:05:32     Dome Dome has been synced at park position (Az 90.0°, Adjustment: -0.2°) 05:05:34   Dome Parked Dome parked 05:07:58   Dome Charging Dome is parked and re-charging Ok (52mA) 05:08:00 Session Finished Session Finished

Session Alerts & Alarms

Time     Type       Name Detail 05:04:18 Yellow Alert Disk Space Free Space on C:\ Drive (49.71 GB) is less than 50 GB 05:07:58 Green Clear Dome Charging Dome is parked and re-charging Ok (52mA)

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Operational Issues (2024-09-06 S1239)

• Critical Issues (0)
• Major Issues (0)
• Minor Issues (3)
• Small Defects (4)
• Continuous Improvement (1)
  

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Critical Issues

• None

Major Issues

• None

Minor Issues

• Connectivity to observatory computers was lost (2024-09-07 18:28). The day after the S1239 session (ie on 2024-09-07 the computer connection to both observatory computers (Laptop7 & Laptop9) were lost at the same time, 18:28-18:30 or so, as indicated by Ping Connection flags in the AstroMove program running on the Development/Analysis Computer in the House, and confirmed by failures whilst attempting network folder access in Windows Explorer.  Checking the Observatory web site showed that the Observatory's ObsPic chart had stopped being refreshed at 18:28. The Household's Ethernet connection was working ok including Ethernet over PowerLine to the SkyHD Box.   Data showed that initially the outage last until 19:25 (57 mins outage) at which point the LAN/Router connection was seemingly reestablished (by itself or coincidental user action ?), but a further outage begun at 19:42 which lasted until 21:10 (88 minutes outage), though it was not until 21:40 that all observatory services were fully running again.   The connection to router/Internet went down again at 2024-09-08 00:28,  but the connection had reestablished itself by the morning. ObsEnv records show that LAN connection to the router reestablished itself at 00:43.   Issue was investigated (see Investigation - Interruptions in LAN & Internet Connectivity (2024-09-08) and showed that User attempts to fix/shortern the outages probably didn't work and that certain actions like resetting the Observatory's Ethernet Switch can actually lead to more problems. It is probably best to leave thing to resolve themselves and only intervene if connection is still down after 24 hours. An improvement was made in AstroMain 3.69.6 to provide better recording & alerting of LAN/Internet Outages.
  Resolved itself 2024-09-07 (Observatory, Ethernet Connection, AstroMain 3.69.6)
   
• Connectivity to observatory computers was lost (2024-09-08, 00:28, 20:19  & 20:47). Whilst Lan/Internet Outage to Observatory reestablished itself at  2024-09-07 21:24 (3 hour outage) after earlier connectivity problem,  there were 3 further outages on the following day at 00:28 (15 minutes) , 20:19 (14.5 minutes) and 20:47 (47.4 minutes). In each case the LAN/Internet connectivity to the Observatory re-established itself and the existing routines to restart WebUploaders with AstroPlan and AstroAllSky programs operated automatically.  In the later two cases the outage was effectively logged by the improved routines in AstroMain 3.69.6.   Issue was investigated (see Investigation - Interruptions in LAN & Internet Connectivity (2024-09-08) and showed that User attempts to fix/shortern the outages probably don't work and that the connection typically reestablishes itself within a 15-88 min period.
  Resolved itself 2024-09-08 (Observatory, Ethernet Connection)
   
• Greenhouse Temp/Humidity Sensor 2 are not reading/communicating fresh T/H data (2024-09-07). The Greenhouse2 T/H sensor has been unreachable for 2-3 months (as recorded as a Small Defect in earlier Session Notes (S1231 2024-08-20).  An attempt was made today (2024-09-07) to resolve this. After several attempts the sensor was eventually made to show as 'Reachable' however, the lastupdated date (2024-03-13) is very old, and the T/H values remained 'flat-lined' with the values 13.6°C /  50.4% and wouldn't refresh to any new value after some 24 hours.  If a solution can't be found the sensor will need to be replaced before the 2024/25 winter starts, as it is necessary to have a working back-up T/H sensor in the Greenhouse in order for Regulated Temperature Control to operate correctly during cold winter weather. Fixed, a new replacement sensor has been installed on the Zigbee Network on 2024-09-16 (see Replacement Temperature/Humidity Sensor (Greenhouse2), 2024-09-16 )
  Fixed 2024-09-16 (Zigbee Network, Greenhouse2 Sensor) 

Small Defects

• Warning "task in ExecuteQueue/Paused ForSuspension is taking a long time?" (22:02). Following deterioration in sky conditions at 22:02 a hard suspend was called and the active Target (Target 2/25, GCVS T CrB) was aborted and after this the message "Observing Queue paused for Session Suspension" was reported.   Session state then moved to 'Session Suspending' and the Dome was commanded to close. Whilst the shutter was closing, the Obs.Overseer gave the Warning  "task in ExecuteQueue/Paused ForSuspension is taking a long time? (22:02)" .  The warning suggests to the user that there is a problem or potential problem, however this warning is misleading it seems.  Investigate why the warning was given at this point.  Investigating JobQueue code shows 3 points where the "Observing Queue paused for Session Suspension" message is reported (2 in the QsoQueue.ExecuteQueue() routine and 1 in the OB.TakeMainScopeFramesMaster() routine ).  In each case the code following line is used
      IamAlive(ThisRoutine(), "Paused ForSuspension", "", 3)
  before the code enters a wait loop, that waits for bHardSuspend/bSoftSuspend flags to be lowered.  The 'false' warning about 'task taking a long time'  can be eliminated by increasing the expected duration for the 'Paused ForSuspension'  operation from 3s to 100s  (normal duration is 85s, consistent with period  22:02:19 to 22:03:44). Fixed in AstroMain 3.69.6
  Fixed 2024-09-08 (AstroMain 3.69.6)
   
• Observatory's connection to Router/Internet was lost and later re-establised but neither were logged as a General Session Event/Alert (2024-09-08 00:28). Connection to both Observatory computers was lost at 2024-09-08 00:28 (as witnessed from the Development/Analysis Computer operating in the House) which is the indicator that the Observatory lost its connection to Router (& to Internet). The connection had re-established itself at some point during the rest of the night as it was working by the morning when checked. Neither event (lost of connection and the reestablishment of the connection was reported by AstroMain or recorded as a (General) Session Event and/or a (General) Session Alert.  Examining ObsPic pictures recorded every 30s, shows that LAN connection was lost at sometime between 00:28:36 & 00:29:07 , but was working again at 00:43:19, indicating an outage of around 14 minutes.  The AstroMain log records 'Exception2 updating Session.Header.js in WriteLiveHeaderJs()' & "The process cannot access the file 'C:\Data\CCD Imaging\Live\Session.Header.js' because it is being used by another process" at 00:29:24, and proceeds to log a series of "Network Monitor loop has taken 7.5s" & "Network Monitor loop is operating normally again" message pairs. (Message pairs that were previously referred to by  ). These messages ended at 00:43:02, which is broadly consistent with the return of the LAN connection as indicated by ObsPics pictures (00:43:19).    Examaining ObsManager code shows the following line in the 'Check Lan activity' section
      If SecondsSince(LastRouterPingTime) > 180 And SecondsSince(LastAllSkyPingTime) > 180 Then
  this code line means that LAN Connection events/alerts are not issued in situations where connection to router is lost for >180s but the connection to AllSky/Weather Computer (Laptop7) remains working normally (as can happen through the Observatory's Ethernet Switch) and evidentally happened in this case as seen by flags in the recorded ObsPic pictures. A further slight improvement to Session
  Fixed 2024-09-08 (AstroMain 3.69.6)
   
• After restarting AstroMove 'Checking Network' was reported as "Ok    Laptop9 not found (37174 msecs)"  (2024-09-07 19:47)'.  Since Laptop9 was reported as 'not found'  (due to an outage in Observatory's Ethernet Connection)  then the result of Checking Network should probably be reported as "Fail".  Also 37174 msec time period should be reported as 37s instead of 37174 msecs. 18:30)
  Fixed 2024-09-07 (AstroMove 1.12.14)
   
• After uploading a prior Phoscon/deConz configuration the Zigbee Shutter status continued to show '-' even after Top Sensor & Bottom Sensor had valid values. Shutter Status (Zigbee) continued to show '-' even after stopping and restarting services, and even after re-doing 'Query Zigbee Network' .    Fix attempted in AstroMain 3.69 with the following code line 
    Zigbee.SetZigbeeDomeShutterState() ' added 2024-09-08 (SD S1139)
  added to ReportZigbeeNetwork() routine after the call to Zigbee.QueryAllDevices(True).    This copies/emulates the code in Zigbee.StartService.
  Fixed 2024-09-08 (AstroMain 3.69.6)

Continuous Improvement

• Consider installation of a dedicated Cat5/Cat6 Ethernet Cable between House/Router and the Observatory.  LAN/Router communication to/from the Observatory via Ethernet-Over-Powerline is prone to occassional outages. During an outage (which can be from 15-88 mins long in the 5 outages that occured on 2024-09-07 & 2024-09-08), remote access to Observatory Computers is not possible, internet is not available for uploading realtime weather/session data to the Observatory Web Site, and online short-term Radar/Rain Rainfall forecasts are not available for risk-reduction of automated operations. Outages seem to occur in batches with long problem-free periods in between.  The problem is believed to be due to signal quality issues/interference on the power cable connecting the Observatory & the house.   The issue could possibly be overcome by using a dedicated Cat5/Cat6 Ethernet Cable between House/Router and the Observatory.   Look into the length of cable require, its cost and its routing (Done, 2024-10-17).  A Cat6 cable was finally installed 2024-10-18 / 2024-10-19. Besides the expected greater reliability  speed tests are showing that it is 4x faster than the preceedng Ethernet-Over-Poweline connection.
  Done 2024-10-19 (Observatory, LAN Connection)

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2024-09-08

Investigation - Interruptions in LAN/Internet Connectivity (2024-09-08)

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