David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 1248 Attempt (2024-09-28)

Notes (S1247)

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Notes (S1248)

	Session Aims & Highlights
	- Observing Result  - Night Summary Plot  - Session Event Log
	Operational Issues
	- Critical Issues (0),  Major Issues (1),  Minor Issues (0),  Small Defects (2),  Continuous Improvement (2)
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Session Aims & Highlights (2024-09-28)

Main aims

1. Targets.  Acquire images of a selection of variable stars, nearby stars, comets & deep sky targets as allowed by sky conditions.
2. AstroMain.  Check changes made during 3.69.8 / 3.70 / 3.71 / 3.70.1 version of AstroMain to ensure new code doesn't introduce any negative sideeffects or problems
3. Transient Target Handling.  Check that modified Transient Target Handling that is employed with the release of AstroPlan 1.42 & AstroMain 3.70 is working as per design.
4. ImageLink/TheSky6.  Continue to monitor session for any further incidents of the issue where the ImageLink process freezes for 5 minutes leading to Target Abort & Session Suspension.  Tracing was further extended in AstroMain 3.69.8.  The new version also contains some statements that might potentially resolve the ongoing issue, as no problems have been seen since session S1244 (2024-09-15

• Deferred Aims:  
  -  C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS). Acquire new images of C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS)  12 th Oct onwards
  -  2024 PT5. Attempt to image minor planet/space body 2024-PT5 which is set to temporarily captured into an earth orbit.  Jan 10th-Jan-14th

 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 3.71.1,  AstroPlan 1.42,  AstroShCap 1.3.15, AstroGuard 1.10.5   (any new items or versions in bold)
  AstroVOE 1.14,  AstroSN 1.14,  AstroProtect 1.7,  AstroMove 1.13   
  AstroWeather 1.25, AstroAllSky 3.20.6,  AstroObsCam 1.11.4 (not 1.11.5), AstroLaunch 1.11.3

Highlights

• Targets. 6/20 planned targets observations were completed but were images were all unfocused and were later rejected. Other targets failed due to cloud / session suspension.
• AstroMain.  There were no issues with the new version (AstroMain 3.71.1) however new code sections for more detailed tracing of & reacting to Job Queue/TheSky6 freezes wasn't tested as again no freezes occurred.
• ImageLink/TheSky6.  There were 0 incidents of the issue where the ImageLink process freezes for 5 minutes, leading to Target Abort and Session Suspension. 
  (again is this because of the small changes made to Plate Solution routines or that the random occuring issue simply didn't occur during the session ?).
• Transient Target Handling. AstroSN & AstroPlan ok, but AstroMain 3.71.1 failed to update Targets Database with new NightDateDue values for Targets with ObservationType=2 (Monitor).
• Focusing. Although telescope was focused 2 nights beforehand, the telescope focus was widely off during the session. The primary mirror has evidently shifted either whist parking the scope two nights beforehand or whilst slewing to the Near Zenith Focus Position at start of this session. Although Wide Search Focusing was used during attempted Near Zenith Focusing the new focus position couldn't be established and led to all observational images taken through the telescope to be later rejected.
• Dome. No issues opening/closing shutter during session.  Dome closed and parked ok at end of 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 23:52:39 Session Monitoring AutoStart monitoring for Live Session opportunity between 23:52 & 05:05 23:52:57 Session AutoStarting Session autostarting (23:52) 23:53:20   CCDSoft Restarting CCDSoft being restarted (to set AutoSave No.) 23:53:48   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera connected (Set point -15°C) 23:53:50 Session Created Session Created (Live, 2024-09-28 S01248, ImageSaveNum: 1248001) 23:53:55   Scope Switched On Telescope Power has been switched on via UPB Powerbox. 23:55:53   Services Started Observatory Services started 23:56:00 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 23:56:02 Session Pending Session pending (2024-09-28) 23:56:04 Session Initiating Session initiating (2024-09-28) 23:56:14   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera connected (Set point -15°C) 23:56:21   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.42) 23:57:06   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (Plan ID: 1023) 23:57:47   Telescope Connected Telescope connected (TheSky6) 23:58:11 Session Equilibration Session ready to Open Dome 23:58:56   Dome Opened Dome opened (Opening time 45s, Zigbee 40s) 23:59:21 Session Running Session running 23:59:24   Queue Started Observing Queue started (20 targets selected) 23:59:27     Target Started (NrZen) Target started (Focus Field 23, HIP 113729) 23:59:41       Dome Unparked Dome unparked 00:03:56       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:09:12       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1, wide) 00:13:07       Focusing Failed Foc1 focusing failed (failed QC check - Ambiguous) 00:13:09       Focusing Started-Foc2 Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 00:13:25     Target Completed (NrZen) Target completed (Focus Field 23, HIP 113729) 00:13:29     Target Started (1/20) Target started (1/20, GCVS BL Lac) 00:20:22       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is lost (TCF-S) 00:24:21     Target Completed Target completed (1/20, GCVS BL Lac) 00:24:25     Target Started (2/20) Target started (2/20, WDS GRB 34) 00:29:09       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-S) 00:31:24     Target Completed Target completed (2/20, WDS GRB 34) 00:31:28     Target Started (3/20) Target started (3/20, AT2024wqf) 00:37:08       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is lost (TCF-S) 00:53:26     Target Completed Target completed (3/20, AT2024wqf) 00:53:30     Target Started (4/20) Target started (4/20, AT2021aesn (CV)) 00:57:44       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is lost (TCF-S) 01:04:07     Target Completed Target completed (4/20, AT2021aesn (CV)) 01:05:55     Target Started (5/20) Target started (5/20, GCVS RX And) 01:10:12       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-S) 01:13:40     Target Completed Target completed (5/20, GCVS RX And) 01:15:14     Target Started (6/20) Target started (6/20, Hu 1-2) 01:18:58       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is lost (TCF-S) 01:19:26     Target Failed (6/20) Target failed due to (6/20, Hu 1-2) 01:21:14     Target Started (7/20) Target started (7/20, Nova Vul 2024) 01:24:52       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is lost (TCF-S) 01:25:20     Target Failed (7/20) Target failed due to (7/20, Nova Vul 2024) 01:27:14     Target Started (8/20) Target started (8/20, AT2024vid) 01:32:05       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is lost (TCF-S) 01:33:05       SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars) 01:43:48     Target Completed Target completed (8/20, AT2024vid) 01:43:50   Queue Paused Queue paused for Session Suspension 01:43:53 Session Suspending Session suspending 01:44:41   Dome Closed Dome closed (Closing time 50s, Zigbee 43s) 01:44:43 Session Suspended Session suspended 01:50:30     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (9/20, GCVS HH And) due to cloud 02:09:50     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (10/20, AT2024vhf (CV)) due to cloud 02:31:50     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (11/20, M31 w/AT2024dya) due to cloud 02:54:10     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (12/20, AT2024ugc) due to cloud 03:16:30     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (13/20, AT2024vhz) due to cloud 03:38:30     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (14/20, AT2024tde) due to cloud 03:56:26     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (15/20, GCVS U And) due to cloud 04:17:16     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (16/20, AT2024vlc) due to cloud 04:39:36     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (17/20, AT2024uzm) due to cloud 04:58:20     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (18/20, 364P/PANSTARRS) due to cloud 05:18:20     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (19/20, NGC 2830 w/AT2024vsu) due to cloud 05:50:40     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (20/20, NGC 3683 w/AT2024wny) due to cloud 05:50:44   Queue Completed Job Queue completed 05:50:48 Session Closing Session closing 05:50:53   Dome Closed Dome already closed (closed at 01:44, closing time 50s, zigbee 43s) 05:52:00   Dome Parked Dome parked (parking time 58s), Az: 90.0 deg 05:53:17   Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 71s total) 05:53:32   Telescope State Handbox reads 'Scope parked Turn scope off.' 05:53:54   Telescope Switched Off Telescope Power has been switched off via UPB Switch. 05:55:21   Services Stopped Night Services stopped 05:55:24 Session Finishing Session Finishing started (Create Fits Summary, Transfer Files) 05:55:36     Dome (Find Park) Find Park started (Search Az 88.0 to 92.0°, Step 0.2°, Narrow) 05:56:37     Dome Find Park found (Best Park Az 90.2°) 05:56:43     Dome Dome has been synced at park position (Az 90.0°, Adjustment: -0.2°) 05:56:45   Dome Parked Dome parked 05:59:04   Dome Charging Dome is parked and re-charging Ok (33mA) 05:59:06 Session Finished Session Finished

Session Alerts & Alarms

Time     Type       Name Detail 05:59:04 Green Clear Dome Charging Dome is parked and re-charging Ok (33mA)

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Operational Issues (2024-09-28 S1248A)

• Critical Issues (0)
• Major Issues (1)
• Minor Issues (0)
• Small Defects (2)
• Continuous Improvement (2)
  

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Critical Issues

• None

Major Issues

• All images from the session were out of focus.  All images from the S1248A session were significant out-of-focus (see Fig 1). Although the Observatory's LX200 telescope was focused 2 nights beforehand (2024-09-26), the telescope focus was widely off during the S1248A session (2024-09-28), and neither Wide Search focussing attempt on Near Zenith Focus Field or susbequent focusing attempts could determine and adjust the best focus position (see Fig 2).  The refocusing on 2024-09-26 followed adjustment of the telescopes primary mirror to bring focus back to the middle of the TCF-S Focuser's focus range (c. 3500 out of 0-7000 range). Whilst best focus was demonstrated by a well shaped focus profile to lie at 3554 position (Fig 2b), the focus profile taken at start of the S1248A session (Fig 2a) shows that best focus lies at position of 6000+, a difference that is far more than a temperature change could induce.  It is evident that the primary mirror position shifted after its adjustment on 2024-09-26.  This must have occured either whist parking the scope two nights beforehand or whilst slewing to the Near Zenith Focus Position at the start of this session. All images from the session had out-of-focus stars and they all had to be rejected. Problem is associated with a limitation of the telescope as its focus lock mechanism seems to be broken or is otherwise not working  (see  'Broken' Mirror Lock & Attemped But Unsuccessful Fix, 2023-10-08 / 2023-11-11).  A fresh attempt to adjust the primary mirror position and refocus the telescope was successfully made ahead of the S1248 Session (2024-09-30).
  Fixed  2024-09-30 (Session, LX200 Telescope)

Minor Issues

• None

Small Defects

• Focus Star used for previous Near Zenith Focusing is a double star and not suited for optimal focusing (2024-09-26).  The focus star used for establishing best focus position with TCF-S Focuser following adjustment of the LX200's Primary Mirror focus on 2024-08-26, appears to be a double star and therefore one that isn't optimal for measuring FWHM even though it didn't effect the determination of best focus position (see Fig 2b & Fig 3).  Near Zenith Focusing selected Focus Field 20 and Locate Frames indicate that the selected Focus Star was HIP 98535 which is correct intended target for Focus FIeld 20. However this star is also WDS STF2619 (a double star from the Washington Double Star Catalog) which explains the observation that it seems to be a double star, rather than a single point star.   Issue resolved 2024-09-29 by changing the target star for Focus Field 20 from HIP 98535 to HIP 99625 (mag 7.0), this was done by editing the file "C:\Data\CCD Imaging\Analysis\Reference\FocusFields.txt".
  Fixed 2024-09-29 (Observatory Computer, FocusFields.txt)  
   
• The NightDateDue date for Transient, Variable Star & Nearby Star targets isn't be updated by AstroMain.  AstroMain 3.70 (precursor to 3.70.1 used during the session) was modified so that targets with Observation Type = 2 ("Monitor") would update the Target's NightDateDue date in the Targets Database when an observation was either completed (adding 100% of required frequency in days) or partially completed (adding 20% of required frequency in days).  Post-session the targets that had completed observations (the nearby star WDS GRB 34, the variable stars BL Lac & GCVS RX And , and the transient objects AT2024wqf, AT2021aesn & AT2024vid) were checked in AstroPlan / Targets Database which showed that they all still had their pre-session NightDateDue values, none of them showed their expected new NightDateDue value. The action of determing the new NightDateDue and updating the database with the new value is performed in the RecordCompletedTargetVisit() and the RecordPartCompletedTargetVisit() routines.  Examining the log file shows that the following error messages are recorded for each of the affected targets  "Exception in RecordCompletedTargetVisit. Error: SQL logic error" .  Running a test version of the Update sql shows full exception message is "SQL logic error, no such column: MonitorNightTargetDue" .  The bug is due to the incorrect column name being used for MonitorNightDateDue in the following code line: 
      sb.Append("MonitorRequiredFrequency, MonitorNightTargetDue")
  This line should be shown as
      sb.Append("MonitorRequiredFrequency, MonitorNightDateDue")
  Bug fixed in AstroMain 3.70.2
  Fixed 2024-09-29 (AstroMain 3.70.2) 

Continuous Improvement

• Add extended annotation on Image Set Picture Builder to support T CrB.  Allow 3 star annotation to be quicked saved and reused. Add facility to add T CrB (V), 98 (C), 112 (K) labels to chart. Implemented in AstroMain 3.70.3, using extra label field (Label 3) & ImageSettings Version 2.  TextLabel1b, TextLabel2b, TextLabel3b used for writing a supplementary label (eg "(C)") below the main label.
  Done 2024-10-01 (AstroMain 3.70.3) 
   
• Consider adding a means to AstroPlan Target Form (a button/pop-up list) to allow commonly used Monitor Frequency times to be added with using keyboard entry.
  To do  2024-09-26+ (AstroMain 3.71.1+)

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Fig 1.   Typical Image from Session showing out-of-focus character (S1248A)

Fig 2.   Main Mirror Focus Issue (S1248A)
Focus Profile from start of S1248A session (top picture) compared with Focus Profile after Primary Mirror Refocusing on 2024-09-26 (bottom picture)

a) Focus Profile (Wide), Near Zenith Focusing Attempt (2024-09-29) ,  Best Focus at 6000+ ( which is close to the end of TCF-S's  focusing range (0-7000)  ).

b) Focus Profile after Primary Mirror Refocusing (2024-09-26) ,  Best Focus at 3554 which is close to the center of TCF-S's  focusing range (0-7000)

 

Fig 3.   Focus Star HIP 98535 (2024-09-26)
Focus Star used for Focus Field 20 on 2024-09-26 is a double star and is sub-optimal choice for focusing (or at least sub-optimal for FWHM measurements)

 

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