Issue

1)  Dome Slewing Anomalies during 4 slewing operations, , dome slewing paused (00:14, 01:33, 01:55, 03:52).

 2) Dome Slewing Anomaly during 2 slewing operations, difference between Dome Az and Slave Az >1 deg (00:49, 05:52).

Description

Analysis

1. 00:14, 01:33, 01:55, 03:52.  During 4 slews there were Yellow Alerts raised by the SlewMonitor with the messages like "Dome slew resumed at Az 201.8° (T+7.2s)".  This is issue that dome goes to a particular Az. Stops slewing and the Slews again. 
   
   TimeLine (00:14)
   
   
00:11:45.04 | Dome >>   | SlewToAzimuth Start 205.610794265871   (Slaving Nudge)
00:11:45.06 | Dome >>   | - Slewing Get False(TRUE)  - Slewing starts
00:11:47.878| Dome >>   | - Slewing Get True (FALSE) - Slewing stops

00:13:54.53 | Scope.Slew| - Calling Telescope.SlewToRaDec
00:13:54.65 | ScopePath | Time: 0.9, Slewing: 0, Slew: 0.000, Az: 207.45, Alt: 60.73, Angle: 0.000
00:13:54.91 | Telescope | - SlewToCoordinatesAsync
00:13:54.91 | Dome >>   | - Slewing Get True (False)

00:13:54.93 | Dome >>   | - SlewToAzimuth Start 201.206699186663
00:13:55.05 | Dome >>   | - Slewing Get False (TRUE) - Slewing starts
00:13:55.41 | ScopePath | Time: 1.7, Slewing: 0, Slew: 0.017, Az: 207.46, Alt: 60.73, Angle: 0.017
00:13:55.69 | Telescope | - SlewToCoordinatesAsync Completed
00:13:57.20 | Telescope | - Slewing Result = True (FALSE)  - Slewing stops

00:13:57.23 | ScopePath | Time: 3.5, Slewing: 1, Slew: 0.021, Az: 207.47, Alt: 60.73, Angle: 0.004
00:13:59.42 | ScopePath | Time: 5.7, Slewing: 1, Slew: 1.664, Az: 207.48, Alt: 59.09, Angle: 1.643
00:14:00.07 | Dome >>   | - Slewing Get True(FALSE)

00:14:00.07 | Dome >>   | - SlewToAzimuth Start 206.516480089712
00:14:00.08 | Dome >>   | - Slewing Get False (TRUE) - Slewing starts
00:14:00.94 | ScopePath | Time: 7.2, Slewing: 1, Slew: 8.283, Az: 211.99, Alt: 52.96, Angle: 6.620
00:14:00.95 | Monitor   | Resetting bDomeSlewStopped as dome slew resumed at Az 201.8° (T+7.2s)
00:14:02.74 | ScopePath | Time: 9.0, Slewing: 1, Slew: 18.075, Az: 211.18, Alt: 43.19, Angle: 9.791
00:14:05.75 | ScopePath | Time: 12.0, Slewing: 1, Slew: 28.820, Az: 206.48, Alt: 33.09, Angle: 10.745
00:14:08.29 | ScopePath | Time: 14.5, Slewing: 1, Slew: 43.501, Az: 202.75, Alt: 18.80, Angle: 14.681
00:14:10.85 | ScopePath | Time: 17.1, Slewing: 1, Slew: 49.597, Az: 201.41, Alt: 12.84, Angle: 6.096
00:14:12.37 | ScopePath | Time: 18.6, Slewing: 1, Slew: 49.940, Az: 201.45, Alt: 13.18, Angle: 0.343
00:14:15.23 | ScopePath | Time: 21.5, Slewing: 1, Slew: 50.129, Az: 201.53, Alt: 13.35, Angle: 0.189
00:14:17.63 | ScopePath | Time: 23.9, Slewing: 1, Slew: 50.162, Az: 201.56, Alt: 13.35, Angle: 0.033
00:14:18.09 | Dome >>   | - SlewToAzimuth Start 201.074169698127
00:14:19.76 | ScopePath | Time: 26.0, Slewing: 1, Slew: 50.232, Az: 201.63, Alt: 13.33, Angle: 0.070
00:14:20.56 | ScopePath | Time: 26.8, Slewing: 1, Slew: 50.239, Az: 201.64, Alt: 13.33, Angle: 0.008
00:14:22.66 | Telescope | - Slewing Result = True    FALSE
00:14:23.45 | Telescope | - Slewing Result = False   TRUE

00:13:54.91 | Dome >>   | - Get Azimuth = 205.6
00:13:54.91 | Dome >>   | - Slewing Get True   (FALSE)
00:13:54.93 | Dome >>   | - SlewToAzimuth Start 201.206699186663
00:13:55.05 | Dome >>   | - Slewing Get False  (TRUE)
00:13:55.16 | DomePath  | Time: 1.4, Slewing: 1, Slew: 0.0, Az: 205.6
00:13:55.65 | Dome >>   | - Get Azimuth = 205.1
00:13:57.07 | Dome >>   | - Get Azimuth = 202.8
00:13:57.65 | DomePath  | Time: 3.9, Slewing: 1, Slew: 4.0, Az: 201.6
00:13:59.07 | Dome >>   | - Get Azimuth = 201.2
00:14:00.06 | Dome >>   | - Slewing Get True  (FALSE) - Dome stops slewing
00:14:00.06 | DomePath  | Time: 6.3, Slewing: 0, Slew: 4.4, Az: 201.2
00:14:00.07 | Dome >>   | - SlewToAzimuth Start 206.516480089712
00:14:00.08 | Dome >>   | - Slewing Get False  (TURE) - Dome start sliewing
00:14:00.80 | Dome >>   | - Get Azimuth = 201.8
00:14:00.96 | DomePath  | Time: 7.2, Slewing: 1, Slew: 3.8, Az: 201.8
00:14:02.09 | Dome >>   | - Get Azimuth = 204
00:14:03.43 | DomePath  | - Get Azimuth = 205.9
00:14:04.10 | Dome >>   | - Get Azimuth = 206.4
00:14:04.26 | DomePath  | Time: 10.5, Slewing: 1, Slew: 0.8, Az: 206.4
00:14:04.26 | Dome >>   | - Slewing Get False (TRUE)
00:14:05.09 | Dome >>   | - Slewing Get True  (FALSE) - Dome stops slewing (Az 206.5)
00:14:05.51 | Dome >>   | - Get Azimuth = 206.5
00:14:06.61 | DomePath  | Time: 12.9, Slewing: 0, Slew: 0.9, Az: 206.5
00:14:15.97 | Dome >>   | - Slewing Get True
00:14:18.09 | Dome >>   | - SlewToAzimuth Start 201.074169698127
00:14:19.02 | DomePath  | Time: 25.3, Slewing: 1, Slew: 0.1, Az: 205.7
00:14:19.87 | DomePath  | Time: 26.1, Slewing: 1, Slew: 2.1, Az: 203.5
00:14:21.36 | DomePath  | Time: 27.6, Slewing: 1, Slew: 3.9, Az: 201.7
00:14:22.86 | DomePath  | Time: 29.1, Slewing: 0, Slew: 4.5, Az: 201.1
00:14:22.86 | DomePath  | Time: 29.1, Slewing: 0, Slew: 4.5, Az: 201.1
00:14:27.10 | Monitor   | 1 holdups > 5s. Dome slew held up at Az. 206.4° (Delay 12s)

2. 00:49, 05:52. There were 2 yellow-alert cases where difference between Dome Az and Slave Az was >1 deg (00:49, 05:52).  During 2 slews yellow alerts were raised for 'Dome Discrepency' with the message "Difference between Dome Az and Slave Az is > 1 deg".
   
   
   

Ideas

Conclusion

Actions:

• SlewTheSkyScope should start a DomeSlewMonitor thread, as soon as a Telescope.SlewToRaDec command is issue.
  This allows Dome to be monitored every 0.5s and not be held up by Scope Monitoring waits.
  
  or otherwise proceed every 0.5s.

Update

1. 
   

The Observatory has an existing Oculus AllSky Camera which produces realtime and near-real time  AllSky Images, Panoramic Images of the North Sky and South Sky, a Night Summary Plot and a continuous provided AllSky Star count. The camera's main roles are 1) as a visual full sky indicator of cloud vs cloud-less sky conditions,  2) a digital indicator of the quality of the sky for opening the obsevatory shutter to high star count or closing it due to deteriorating star count, 3) for recording Aurora Displays (northern lights) and 4) for recording any other astromonic / atmospheric phenomema (bright meteors, rockets, moon bows, unsual cloud formations & movements).   Whilst highly useful, the Oculus All Sky camera lacks the ability to record aurora colours (mainly green and red), it is also a night-time only camera as it's images are totally saturated during daytime.  

The AllSky uses a 30s exposure during the night (shorter during dusk and dawn) which is about right for generally monitoring and processing.   However it is too long for active aurora where the display is changing every 5-10s or so, causes the display to be blurred.  Images are generally displayed with a contrast / black-white range that is suited for showing stars etc, but it produces saturated pictures of very bright parts of an Aurora, even if the raw images aren't saturated. 
Whilst the exposure can be turned down, it is hard to do this on the fly and without compromising the camera's primary role.

The idea of getting an additional camera specifically for recording Aurora in colour using a northward direction has been in the concept stage for a while, but early examination of the market place didn't land on a particular camea.  A further effort was made in Late Nov 2024  to identify a specific colour camera that was particularly recommended for its very good low light capability, and as a result it was decided taken today (2024-11-02) to purchase an Tapo 2K 4MP QHD, C325WB  Outdoor Camera , Wireless & Wired. Whilst primarily a Security Camera (and consideration will be given to purchasing a second camera for that role) postings online suggests that it adapts to a range of roles.   A YouTube video showing Aurora in Ontario, Canada imaged with Tapo C325WB and C320WS camera's is shown at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svi3zM5h9NY 

The C325WB model was deemed to be better than the C320WS model (comparison here : https://www.tp-link.com/se/compare/?typeId=19&productIds=67663%2C53904 ).

The viewing angle of  C325WB camera is 127° diagonal.  This is not quite as wide as I would like but it can capture the principle direction required
which is just short of WNW to ENE.    Existing AllSky Panoramic Images cover 180° from W-N-E.  The puprose of the new camera is not to replace the existing AllSky Camera, but to complement it by providing colour pictures with finer resolution.

The details of how to get data to AllSky/Weather Computer will be worked out later.

It is anticipated that the Camera will be conected by an Ethernet cable to the Observatory's Ethernet Switch, rather than WIFI which is the camera's other connection capability. . It is anticiptaed that camera images can be streamed through ONVIF (Open Network Video Interface Forum) or RTSP (Real-Time Streaming Protocol) , see https://www.tapo.com/uk/faq/34/ , and that a program like iSpy or VLC willl collect the data,  Processing images including stacking to reduce noise and increase signal will be worked out later.

That camera can also operated during day-time and it is anticapted the the camera can act to some degree as a weather camera as well.

The camera is by design a security camera and if it doesn't work out as an night sky observing camera, it could be re-purposed as a security camera.

Notes:

The C325WB camera has 'ColourPro Night Vision' which is a mode that offers more significant night vision that traditional colour night vision cameras. The camera's advertising highlights the camera ability in "capturing vivid colors under ultra low-light conditions even without any spotlights, Enjoy its professional protection with clearer view even during pitch-black nights ". 

Frame Rate is 20 fps. Ideally I would have been happy at a lower rate.   But this frame rate might be good for meteor detection

Specification

 

Update 2024-11-13

- Tapo C325WB Camera unpacked
- Connected Power Cable (at only 2.5m long this will be too short for its final location)
- Connected Ethernet Cable to Camera (note that not all Ethernet Plugs will fit through the Ethernet Cable Cover that is designed to protect the cable connection from water)
- Connected Ethernet Cable to Home Lan
- The station gateway appears in router's network list as 'C325WB', with IP:  192.168.1.63

- Added Camera within the Tapo App   "Tapo_C325WB_01"  in  "North Sky"

- Set up Camera Account (username & password) to allo 3rd party programs to access the camera.

- Downloaded and installed 'Agent DVR' from   ispyconnect.com
  Installs in the directory : C:\Program Files\Agent,  and runs local server on port 8090
 Installs FFMPEG 6
- Used Wizard to add Camera
  Make 'Tapo: 325WB',   Entered Camera Name & Password
  Entered IP address :  http://192.168.1.63
  From long list of Network Camera Connections chose rtsp://...stream1

Changed {0:yyyy-MM-dd_HH-mm-ss_fff}.jpg   to 

VLC

rtsp://192.168.1.63:554/stream1

To Do

- Select / Install Software to access video stream on PC

- Identify how software can capture individual frames from the video stream

- Integrate with existing AstroAllSky program or (more likely) create a new AstroSuite program.