David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 1269 (2024-11-14)

Notes (S1268)

Notes Main

Home Page

Notes (S1270)

	Session Aims & Highlights
	- Observing Result  - Night Summary Plot  - Session Event Log
	Operational Issues
	- Critical Issues (0),  Major Issues (2),  Minor Issues (5),  Small Defects (3),  Continuous Improvement (4)
	Images from 2024-11-14 >>

Session Aims & Highlights (2024-11-14)

Main aims

1. Targets.  Acquire images of a selection of variable stars, nearby stars, comets & deep sky targets as allowed by sky conditions.
2. Composite Slewing.  Test use of DeviceHub's Composite Slewing to see if it fixes issue with Anomalous Dome Slew

 Equipment & Software

• 12" LX200 and ST-10XME
• 80mm APO and ZWO ASI 178MC
• TheSky6, CCDSoft5, DeviceHub 7.0.2 RC4, MeadeGeneric 1.3.9, UPB 1.5, ASCOM 7.0.2 RC4,  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 7.0.2 RC4
• [ DomeLink 1.0 / 1.1 - not used ]
   
• AstroMain 3.72.4,  AstroPlan 1.42.4  AstroShCap 1.3.15, AstroGuard 1.10.5   (any new items or versions in bold)
  AstroVOE 1.15.1,  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 1.11.5

Highlights

• Targets. 31/32 planned targets observations were completed with 1 other target partially completed.  Due to the 'Guiding Turning-Off' issue a fair number of image frames will likely be rejected and some Target Observations may be rejected entirely.
• DeviceHub.  DeviceHub UI froze part way through the session, this didn't prevent main Dome & Telescope operations and didn't effect target acquisition/imaging, however it prevented a call to Turn Off Dome Slaving at end of session and this led to the inability to Park Dome and Park Telescope under automated control.
• Composite Slewing.  Use of Composite Slewing was technically successful though it caused an issue with PHD2 Guiding and led to dome speeds being under reported.
• Dome Slews.  There were 3 dome slew anomalies during the first part of the session, but none after changing DeviceHub to use Composite Slewing, which seem to be fix or at least workaround the ongoing issues involving anomalous slews.
• Guiding.  Guiding was very poor during the session. After enabling 'Composite Slewing' in DeviceHub, many of the image sets had the issue that PHD2 Guiding was getting turned off part way through the imaging, leave many of the frames unguided. This was due to a sideffect of having Composite Slewing enabled, which causes Telescope.Slewing to become True whilst the Dome is making periodic small azimuth adjustments in position to keep up with the Telescope Tracking, and a "Stop guiding when mount slews" setting in PHD2 Advanced Settings/Guiding which was enabled in PHD2 on the Observatory Computer.  Issue subsequently fixed by disabling the setting.
• Dome. There was no issues opening/closing the shutter during session. Dome closed at end of session, but couldn't be parked due to a DeviceHub Issue

Notes

• Composite Slewing turned on at ~ 22:28 following suggestion/proposal from Bob Denny (on ASCOM Talk forum)
  AT2023rdh (8/32) was the first target that was slewed with Composite Slewing active.
  
• The 'Composite Slewing' state can be determined (read) programatically, if required, by looking at the value in the <UseCompositeSlewingFlag> tag in the file
   "C:\Users\ [username] \AppData\Local\The ASCOM Initiative\DeviceHub\DeviceHubApplication.settings"
  e.g.     <UseCompositeSlewingFlag>true</UseCompositeSlewingFlag>
  
  

Summary Plots & Logs

Observing Plan

Observing Result

Dome & Scope Slewing Performance Due to a side-effect of using DeviceHub's Composite Slewing Dome Slewing Speeds are underestimated. Issue has now been fixed

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 20:18:50 Session Monitoring AutoStart monitoring for Live Session opportunity between 20:18 & 05:40 20:18:51 Session AutoStarting Session autostarting (20:18) 20:19:12   CCDSoft Restarting CCDSoft being restarted (to set AutoSave No.) 20:19:39   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera connected (Set point -20°C) 20:19:41 Session Created Session Created (Live, 2024-11-14 S01269, ImageSaveNum: 1269001) 20:19:46   Scope Switched On Telescope Power has been switched on via UPB Powerbox. 20:21:48   Services Started Observatory Services started 20:21:57 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 20:22:01 Session Pending Session pending (2024-11-14) 20:22:03 Session Initiating Session initiating (2024-11-14) 20:22:13   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera connected (Set point -15°C) 20:22:20   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.42.4) 20:22:56   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (Plan ID: 1051) 20:23:37   Telescope Connected Telescope connected (TheSky6) 20:24:00 Session Equilibration Session ready to Open Dome 20:24:46   Dome Opened Dome opened (Opening time 45s, Zigbee 40s) 20:25:21 Session Running Session running 20:25:24   Queue Started Observing Queue started (32 targets selected) 20:25:27     Target Started (NrZen) Target started (Focus Field 0, HIP 106) 20:25:43       Dome Unparked Dome unparked 20:28:20       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 20:31:20       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1, wide) 20:33:38       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1) 20:34:02       Focusing Started-Foc2 Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 20:36:06       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2, wide) 20:37:56       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2) 20:38:15     Target Completed (NrZen) Target completed (Focus Field 0, HIP 106) 20:38:49     Target Started (1/32) Target started (1/32, CGCG 424-007 w/SN2023uda) 20:43:17       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 20:45:55       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 3) 21:02:05     Target Completed Target completed (1/32, CGCG 424-007 w/SN2023uda) 21:02:09     Target Started (2/32) Target started (2/32, GCVS BL Lac) 21:05:46       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 21:08:14       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 4) 21:12:15     Target Completed Target completed (2/32, GCVS BL Lac) 21:12:19     Target Started (3/32) Target started (3/32, AT2024vid) 21:16:46       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 21:18:54       Focusing Failed Foc1 focusing failed (failed QC check - RmsE) 21:30:39     Target Completed Target completed (3/32, AT2024vid) 21:30:44     Target Started (4/32) Target started (4/32, M31 w/AT2024aayx) 21:34:32       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 21:37:18       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 6) 21:53:58     Target Completed Target completed (4/32, M31 w/AT2024aayx) 21:54:02     Target Started (5/32) Target started (5/32, AT2023pgq (CV)) 22:04:22     Target Completed Target completed (5/32, AT2023pgq (CV)) 22:04:26     Target Started (6/32) Target started (6/32, AT2024aafw) 22:07:46       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:10:18       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 7) 22:26:29     Target Completed Target completed (6/32, AT2024aafw) 22:26:33     Target Started (7/32) Target started (7/32, GCVS HH And) 22:29:49       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:32:26       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 8) 22:34:28     Target Completed Target completed (7/32, GCVS HH And) 22:34:32     Target Started (8/32) Target started (8/32, AT2023rdh) 22:40:28       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:43:09       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 9) 22:59:09     Target Completed Target completed (8/32, AT2023rdh) 22:59:13     Target Started (9/32) Target started (9/32, AT2024dyj) 23:18:31     Target Completed Target completed (9/32, AT2024dyj) 23:18:35     Target Started (10/32) Target started (10/32, GCVS SS Cyg) 23:21:59       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 23:24:34       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 10) 23:29:07     Target Completed Target completed (10/32, GCVS SS Cyg) 23:29:11     Target Started (11/32) Target started (11/32, AT2023vqb) 23:33:29       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 23:36:10       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 11) 23:52:16     Target Completed Target completed (11/32, AT2023vqb) 23:52:20     Target Started (12/32) Target started (12/32, GCVS X TRI) 23:56:10       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 23:58:54       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 12) 00:06:12     Target Completed Target completed (12/32, GCVS X TRI) 00:06:16     Target Started (13/32) Target started (13/32, AT2024ajf) 00:28:17     Target Completed Target completed (13/32, AT2024ajf) 00:28:21     Target Started (14/32) Target started (14/32, AT2024dcg (CV)) 00:31:48       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:34:44       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 13) 00:45:43     Target Completed Target completed (14/32, AT2024dcg (CV)) 00:45:47     Target Started (15/32) Target started (15/32, LEDA 213371 w/AT2023uta) 00:48:55       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:51:09       Focusing Failed Foc1 focusing failed (failed QC check - RmsE) 01:08:14     Target Completed Target completed (15/32, LEDA 213371 w/AT2023uta) 01:08:18     Target Started (16/32) Target started (16/32, AT2023vvj (CV)) 01:12:17       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:14:51       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 15) 01:20:51     Target Completed Target completed (16/32, AT2023vvj (CV)) 01:20:55     Target Started (17/32) Target started (17/32, AT2024vtp) 01:40:45     Target Completed Target completed (17/32, AT2024vtp) 01:40:49     Target Started (18/32) Target started (18/32, SN 2024vcs) 01:45:27       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:48:15       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 16) 02:04:33     Target Completed Target completed (18/32, SN 2024vcs) 02:04:37     Target Started (19/32) Target started (19/32, GCVS RZ LMi) 02:16:23     Target Completed Target completed (19/32, GCVS RZ LMi) 02:16:27     Target Started (20/32) Target started (20/32, GCVS FU Ori) 02:23:14     Target Completed Target completed (20/32, GCVS FU Ori) 02:23:18     Target Started (21/32) Target started (21/32, GCVS RR Tau) 02:27:23       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:29:52       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 17) 02:36:48     Target Completed Target completed (21/32, GCVS RR Tau) 02:36:52     Target Started (22/32) Target started (22/32, GCVS SU Tau) 02:40:26       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:42:53       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 18) 02:47:45     Target Completed Target completed (22/32, GCVS SU Tau) 02:47:49     Target Started (23/32) Target started (23/32, SN 2023esp) 02:51:23       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:54:17       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 19) 03:10:15     Target Completed Target completed (23/32, SN 2023esp) 03:10:19     Target Started (24/32) Target started (24/32, GCVS CN Ori) 03:13:55       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:16:27       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 20) 03:24:05     Target Completed Target completed (24/32, GCVS CN Ori) 03:24:09     Target Started (25/32) Target started (25/32, AT2024sgs) 03:27:49       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:30:03       Focusing Failed Foc1 focusing failed (failed QC check - RmsE) 03:46:13     Target Completed Target completed (25/32, AT2024sgs) 03:46:17     Target Started (26/32) Target started (26/32, SN 2022uiv) 03:50:37       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:53:25       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 22) 04:09:46     Target Completed Target completed (26/32, SN 2022uiv) 04:09:50     Target Started (27/32) Target started (27/32, MRK 0628 w/SN2024aakr) 04:28:53     Target Completed Target completed (27/32, MRK 0628 w/SN2024aakr) 04:28:57     Target Started (28/32) Target started (28/32, UGC 5426 w/SN2024aanq) 04:32:31       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 04:35:22       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 23) 04:51:21     Target Completed Target completed (28/32, UGC 5426 w/SN2024aanq) 04:51:25     Target Started (29/32) Target started (29/32, NGC 5162 w/AT2024aawh) 04:57:12       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is lost (TCF-S) 05:13:26     Target Completed Target completed (29/32, NGC 5162 w/AT2024aawh) 05:13:31     Target Started (30/32) Target started (30/32, NGC 5235 w/SN2024grb) 05:36:08     Target Completed Target completed (30/32, NGC 5235 w/SN2024grb) 05:36:12     Target Started (31/32) Target started (31/32, AT2024aart) 05:58:16     Target Completed Target completed (31/32, AT2024aart) 05:58:20     Target Started (32/32) Target started (32/32, MCG -1-33-30 w/SN2024byg) 06:08:58   Critical Cloud Alert Critical Cloud Alert (Obs.Manager will close the Dome) 06:09:00   HardSuspend Called Hard Suspend called due to Critical Conditions (cloud) 06:09:02     Target Aborted (32/32) Target aborted (32/32, MCG -1-33-30 w/SN2024byg) due to cloud 06:09:04   Queue Paused Queue paused for Session Suspension 06:09:06 Session Suspending Session suspending 06:09:53   Dome Closed Dome closed (Closing time 50s, Zigbee 44s) 06:09:56 Session Suspended Session suspended 06:11:58 Session Resuming Session resuming 06:12:43   Dome Opened Dome opened (Opening time 45s, Zigbee 41s) 06:12:46 Session Running Session running 06:12:48   Queue Resumed Observing Queue resumed 06:12:49     Target Started (32/32) Target started (32/32, MCG -1-33-30 w/SN2024byg) 06:13:14   Critical Cloud Alert Critical Cloud Alert (Obs.Manager will close the Dome) 06:13:16   HardSuspend Called Hard Suspend called due to Critical Conditions (cloud) 06:13:18     Target Aborted (32/32) Target aborted (32/32, MCG -1-33-30 w/SN2024byg) due to cloud 06:13:20   Queue Paused Queue paused for Session Suspension 06:13:22 Session Suspending Session suspending 06:14:09   Dome Closed Dome closed (Closing time 50s, Zigbee 44s) 06:14:11 Session Suspended Session suspended 06:16:39 Session Resuming Session resuming 06:17:24   Dome Opened Dome opened (Opening time 45s, Zigbee 41s) 06:17:26 Session Running Session running 06:17:28   Queue Resumed Observing Queue resumed 06:17:30     Target Started (32/32) Target started (32/32, MCG -1-33-30 w/SN2024byg) 06:31:51     Target Completed Target partially completed (32/32, MCG -1-33-30 w/SN2024byg) 06:31:53   Queue Completed Job Queue completed 06:31:55 Session Closing Session closing 06:32:55   Dome Closed Dome closed (Closing time 50s, Zigbee 44s) 06:34:03   Dome Park Aborted Dome Park aborted (0s, Az=134.9°) 08:15:08 Program Opened Program Opened (AstroMain 3.72.4) 08:15:10 Session Resumed Session Resumed (Live, 2024-11-14 S01269, ImageSaveNum: 1269269) 08:15:13   Obs.Overseer Started Obs.Overseer started 08:16:36   Obs.Manager Started Obs.Manager started 08:16:44   Services Started Observatory Services started 08:17:13   Telescope Connected Telescope connected (TheSky6) 08:20:17 User Intervention User request to close and finish session 08:20:19 Session Closing Session closing 08:20:21   Dome Closed Dome already closed (closed at 06:32, closing time 50s, zigbee 0s) 08:21:19   Dome Parked Dome parked (parking time 53s), Az: 90.0 deg 08:21:54   Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 31s total) 08:22:19   Telescope State Handbox reads 'Scope parked Turn scope off.' 08:23:15   Telescope Switched Off Telescope Power has been switched off via UPB Switch. 08:27:50   Services Stopped Night Services stopped 08:27:54 Session Finishing Session Finishing started (Create Fits Summary, Transfer Files) 08:28:37     Dome (Find Park) Find Park started (Search Az 80.0 to 100.0°, Step 1.0°, Wide) 08:29:03     Dome Find Park found (Best Park Az 83.0°) 08:29:10     Dome (Find Park) Find Park started (Search Az 81.0 to 85.0°, Step 0.2°, Narrow) 08:29:56     Dome Find Park found (Best Park Az 83.2°) 08:30:01     Dome Dome has been synced at park position (Az 90.0°, Adjustment: +6.8°) 08:30:03   Dome Parked Dome parked 08:32:25   Dome Charging Dome is parked and re-charging Ok (32mA) 08:32:27 Session Finished Session Finished

Session Alerts & Alarms

Time     Type       Name Detail 20:22:01 Yellow Alert Disk Space Free Space on C:\ Drive (48.68 GB) is less than 50 GB 21:02:22 Yellow Alert Anomalous Dome Slew Dome slew resumed at Az 250.1° (T+7.2s) 21:31:17 Yellow Alert Anomalous Dome Slew Dome slew resumed at Az 203.2° (T+28.6s) 22:26:52 Yellow Alert Anomalous Dome Slew Dome slew resumed at Az 252.7° (T+13.3s) 00:22:39 Yellow Alert Dome Dome has been stationary for more than 15 mins 00:28:34 Green Alarm Dome Dome Movements have begun again (outage 21.0 mins) 06:34:03 Red Alert Dome Failed To Park Dome at Az 134.9° 08:28:29 Yellow Alert Disk Space Free Space on C:\ Drive (49.16 GB) is less than 50 GB 08:32:25 Green Clear Dome Charging Dome is parked and re-charging Ok (32mA)

Back to Top

Operational Issues (2024-11-14 S1269)

• Critical Issues (0)
• Major Issues (2)
• Minor Issues (5)
• Small Defects (3)
• Continuous Improvement (4)
  

[ Prev | Next ]

Critical Issues

• None

Major Issues

• DeviceHub User-Interface Froze (22:45).  DeviceHub's User-Interface froze at around 22:45 with 4 Telescope Clients and 2 Dome Clients active, with screen showing telescope at RA +18:47:47, Dec 065 02 02, Alt 42 44, Az 327 44, dome at Az 326.9, shutter open.. No usual user function was possible (window couldn't be moved, messages in Activity Log window couldn't be copied, Tools/Setup could be used). The open activity log window shows that message at 22:44:47.991.  This was during that taking of the first 180s image for Target 8/32 ( AT2023rdh) (This was 56s after a periodic Dome Az adjustment but is likely not related, due to the time offset and because it was not the first such adjustment after enabling Composite Slewing).  Although the user-interface froze the operation of the telescope and dome by clients still operated ok and composite slewing worked ok for the remainder of the session, apart from during Closing Stage, when Dome Slaving couldn't be turned off and the Dome couldn't be parked and the Telescope couldn't be parked, as TheSky6 froze when trying to disconnect the Telescope.  The problem is likely just a one-off glitch. Mention of the problem will be made in the ASCOM Talk forum, but the main requirement is to run further sessions with Composite Slewing Active as see if the problem reoccurs at all.
  Closed after review 2024-11-15 (Session, DeviceHub, AstroMain)
   
• Telescope and Dome didn't park at end of session (06:34, 06:36).  This appears to be related to issue using certain Dome Methods during Closing Stage, when DeviceHub couldn't perform a call to Set Dome.Slaving = False that is most likely due to DeviceHub's User-Interface freezing much earlier in the session and not be able to respond later on when Set Dome.Slaving = False command was used. Investigate what response AstroMain should have had to this abnormal situation.
  Investigating showed that Dome was slewed to the NearPark Position (Az 90.0), as per design, but upon reaching Az 90,  the Dome's Slewing flag became False, which allowed DeviceHub to intervene and slew the Dome back to a positon calculated from the Telescope position.  This happened despite sending a Set Dome.Slaving=False command to DeviceHub.Dome.   This didn't produce an exception so it was rightly assumed that Dome.Slaving=False had 'worked'  and that Slaving was turned off. Dome.Park was aborted and the post-slew loop exited due to a 3 minute timeout.  SlewDomeToAzimuth(90, TaskError) has have evidentally returned TaskError=True which led to the "Dome Park aborted" message. In the case of Telescope.Park operation. RunParkScope() routine (which starts Scope.ParkScope2_Auto / ParkScope2 as a threaded operation) was called from ClosingStageNo = 10, and Obs.Manager entered ClosingStageNo = 11 to wait for park operation to be completed.  ObsManager didn't move to ClosingStageNo=12 (Take ObsCam Image) as the condition 'bParkScopeDone And bScopePowerOffDone'  couldn't be met. Logs indicate that Scope was successfully slewed to the PrePark position but the routine froze when attempting to Disconnect TheSky6.Telescope at ~06:36:37 , as TheSky6 internal disconnection from Telescope was likely was held-up due to DeviceHub's Frozen UI / Client Manager ?.  ParkScope2 & TheSky was still held up at 07:34, and likely still held up at 07:50. The only thing that ObsOverseer/ObsManager could have done in this situation was to call RestartTheSky6() or RestartDeviceHub() .  Closed after review 2024-11-15
  Closed after review 2024-11-15 (Session, DeviceHub, AstroMain, TheSky6, User Awareness)

Minor Issues

• Three Anomalous Dome Slews recorded during session (21:02, 21:31, 22:26).   3 out of 8 slews in first part of session had anomalous dome slews.  After turning off DeviceHub's  'Report Composite Slewing When Dome Is Slaved' (by unchecking the option in DeviceHub's Setup Window) , there were no further anomalous dome slews in the session (i.e. 0/25 slews).   This seems to resolve the issue but produces a sideeffect whereby AstroMain's existing SlewMonitor is raising false warnings for dome hold-up, due to the dome being stationary for a while after reaching the target, but Dome.Slewing is still True, due to the Composite Reporting of the Slewing Flag.  The underlying problem causing Anomalous Dome Slews is deemed to be successfully worked around by setting DeviceHub to use Composite Slewing, but the mitigations/fixes for side-effects to AstroMain's SlewMonitor are being handled under separate Minor Issue/Continuous Improvement tickets.
  Resolved 2024-11-15  (DeviceHub Composite Slewing setting)
   
• CCD Camera remained running with CCD Cooling operating at -15 degC set point at end of session (11:30). After AstroMain crashed earlier at around 08:00, CCDSoft and other observatory software closed/stopped and other AstroMain Program//Session S1269 was restarted, and the 'Close/Finish Session' button option used to finish parking the dome and telescope and perform finishing tasks.  During the "Closing Stage 14 (Closedown Camera)" and "Disconnect Camera   Ok" was quickly reported. The "Closing Stage 15 (Wait for Closedown Camera)"  waited for 4 minutes with no messages until the CloseDownCamera routine timed out after 4 minutes.  Later on it was realised that there was a chance that the SBIG Camera was still running with CCD Cooling active and at the setpoint temperature it had when AstroMain crashed.  Checking the camera by connecting to it from CCDSoft, confirmed that CCD Cooling was still active and hadn't been shutdown.  Temperature regulation was turned off from CCDSot and the camera allowed to warm-up before the camera was finally disconnected.
  Resolved 2024-11-15 (Session, User Awareness)
   
• AstroMain's SlewMonitor is recorded false dome holdups and slower than actual dome speeds (22:34-05:58).  After DeviceHub was changed to use 'Composite Slewing' at around 22:28 (to test/fix the ongoing anomalous dome slew issue) some 16-19 / 27 slews were reported to have apparent dome-ups of up to 20s, and/or have very slow dome speeds. They all seem to be due to cases where the dome finishes physically slewing 6-20s before the telescope finishes slewing. This happens because Dome.Slewing reported by DeviceHub (where Dome is Slaved and Composite Slewing is turned on) doesn't become False until the Telescope also stops slewing,  and SlewMonitor detects that the Dome is still 'Slewing' but not changing its Az , and therefore reports a hold-up.    SlewMonitor should be changed so that the 'End of Dome.Slew is taken at the point where DomePath Az becomes equal to the final 'post-slew' Dome Az, and used for calculating Dome Slew Duration & Speed, and the 'hold-up' after this time is ignored.
  Fixed 2024-11-15  (AstroMain 3.72.5)
   
• PHD2 Guiding is turning off during imaging  (21:02, 21:31, 22:26).   PHD2 Guiding noted to stop part way through the acquisition of an image set (see Fig 1). Examining the log file shows lines like the following at the points where PHD2 Guiding switches off.
  22:43:51.09 | AT2023rdh           Report PHD2 Alert    Warning | Guiding stopped: the scope started slewing.
22:43:51.92 | AT2023rdh (Monitor) Detect Dome.Movement Warning | Dome has moved 1.0° (Az 325.9 to 326.9°)
  This is due to a sideffect of having Composite Slewing enabled, which causes Telescope.Slewing to become True whilst the Dome is making periodic small azimuth adjustments to keep up with the Telescope Tracking, and a "Stop guiding when mount slews" setting in PHD2 Advanced Settings/Guiding which was enabled in PHD2 on the Observatory Computer.  Issue fixed by disabling the setting.  Since PHD2 is operated from AstroMain Observatory Control program via PHD2 Server (OpenPHD2), PHD2 Guiding is already being stopped before the telescope is slewed to a new target.
  Resolved 2024-11-15  (DeviceHub Composite Slewing setting)
   
• AstroMain crashed when trying to use the 'Disconnect TheSky6 Telescope' button.  When trying to recover the situation after Closing Stage stalled and was unable to make progress, the 'X' (Disconnect TheSky6 Telescope) button routine was attempted to reduce the number of connections to the Telescope,  however it caused AstroMain to crash with the a System.NullReferenceException 'Object reference not set to an instance of an object' in ObsConsole.btnDisconnectScope_Click routine.  The problem most-likely related in someway to TheSky6 & ParkScope2 being frozen due to earlier stalling of TheSky6 when trying to disconnect the Telescope due to a frozen DeviceHub.  The call to TheSky.DisconnectTelescope() is already within a Try..Catch..End Try block, but a proceeding reference to Telescope.IsConnected is not. Fixed in AstroMain 3.72.5 by placing the Telescope.IsConnected reference within a Try..Catch..End Try block..
  Fixed 2024-11-15  (AstroMain 3.72.5)
   
• After a Restart of the Delopment Computer (following a Windows Update),  File Explorer windows began to be combine together on the task bar (2024-11-15). The 'Taskbar' option 'Combine taskbar buttons and hide labels' is normally set to 'Never', but after restarting the Development Computer following a window update and updating ExplorerPatcher, it was noticed that the taskbar wasn't showing expected folders on the Taskbar, but they were still present/accessible by clicking on the Windows Explorer button on the Taskbar.  Resolved by going to ' Settings/Personalisation/ Taskbar/Taskbar Behaviours' and changing the setting for 'Combine taskbar buttons and hide labels' from 'Always' to 'Never'.
  Resolved 2024-11-15 (Development Computer, User Awareness)

Small Defects

• Destination's Local Hour Angle (LHA2) is not being written SlewTable.  Although LHA2 was added to SlewTable Header on 2024-09-20 in response to a Continuous Improvement ticket (CI S1247) and calculation of LHA2 was added to WriteSlewTableRecord() routine it was not actually getting written, causing a mismatch between the data items written in righthand columns and the header. Fixed in AstroMain 3.72.5.
  Fixed 2024-11-15  (AstroMain 3.72.5)
   
• ObsManager was pending for 33s during Closing State, in 'Resolve CloseShutter Issue' section (08:21). Obs.Overseer reported a warning at 08:22 with the warning "Obs.Manager is pending in 'Resolve CloseShutter Issue' (last cycle at 08:21:56)", follow by an all-clear message "Obs.Manager has resumed again at 08:22:29 after 33 sec".  This implies ObsManager was pending between 08:21:56 & 08:22:29 or so.  This 'outage' began during the time that Scope Parking routine was Getting Scope Handbox display , and ended when Scope Mode was put changed from 'Paked' to 'Waiting'. The issue seems to occur when the Shutter is already closed going into the Closing Stage ?.  The "Resolve CloseShutter Issue" management section is entered when the bShutterNotFullyClosedReported is entered.  However the ObsManager shouldn't have become stuck in that stage as the ObsOverseer Warning would have cited the specific sub-section where the ObsManager was held up.  It is more likely that the ObsManager was stuck in an 'unnamed' code section directly below which references Get Scope.Connected and Get Scope.Tracking (when Observatory Mode is Manual) would could be problematic and cause a hold-up when Telescope is parked but not yet disconnected.
  Although SessionState was 'Closing' the Mode was still Manual as 'Close/Finish Session' button option was called from the Manual Mode . Fixed in AstroMain 3.72.6., the previously unnamed code section is now called "SetScopeWaitingWhenManual", and is not entered if  ScopeUse.ScopeMode = ScopeMode.Parked.
  Fixed 2024-11-16  (AstroMain 3.72.6)
   
• Close CCD Camera operation didn't immediately finish at Camera was not connected and timed out after 4 minutes  (08:23).  After AstroMain crashed earlier at around 08:00, CCDSoft and other observatory software closed/stopped and other AstroMain Program//Session S1269 was restarted, and the 'Close/Finish Session' button option used to finish parking the dome and telescope and perform finishing tasks.  During the "Closing Stage 14 (Closedown Camera)" and "Disconnect Camera   Ok" was quickly reported. The "Closing Stage 15 (Wait for Closedown Camera)"  waited for 4 minutes with no messages until the CloseDownCamera routine timed out after 4 minutes.  If the Camera is not connected the Wait for Closedown Camera should be skipped if waiting 4 minutes serves no purpose. A warning should be given to say that CCD Camera 'Regulate Temperature setting hasn't been checked. Fixed in AstroMain 3.72.5, bCloseDownCameraDone flag set to True  before leaving CloseDownCamera2() routine
  Fixed 2024-11-15 (Session, DeviceHub, AstroMain)
  

Continuous Improvement

• Modify AstroMain's SlewMonitor to work better when using DeviceHub's Composite Slewing option.  Up to now the DeviceHub has been used without Composite Slewing in order to determine the end of the dome slew and end of the telescope separate using their respective Slewing Flag in order to calculate the respective slew speed in order to record, monitor and visualise Slewing Performance.   However since the upgrade  to DeviceHub 7.0.1+ the frequency of 'anomalous' dome slews has increased. This is were the dome slew might stop part way through the slew before it continues or where the slewing is thought to have finished (Dome Slewing & Telescope Slewing are both False, but the Dome has yet to make its final slew to target. A possible fix for this (using DH Composite Slewing) is being tried, and it looks to be workable fix, however it has a knock on impact to the calculation Dome and Telescope Slew Times and Speeds as Telescope.Slewing is now a Composite value, and the detection of a Dome Holdup (hold-up azimuth and hold-up duration).  SlewMonitor will assume that Composite Slewing is enabled in DeviceHub.
  To do  2024-11-15 (AstroMain 3.72.5) 
   
• Modify AstroMain's SlewDomeToAzimuth to use new routines put in place for Composite Slew. Two new Dome routines, MonitorDomeSlew() & AnalyseDomeSlew() and a modified DumpDomeSlewPointsToLogFile() routine have been added to AstroMain on 2024-11-15 to improve the operation of AstroMain's SlewMonitor.  The SlewDomeToAzimuth() routine now needs to be updated to use these same new Dome routines. Implemented in AstroMain 3.72.5.
  To do  2024-11-16 (AstroMain 3.72.5)
   
• Order cables for Tapo CW325WB Camera.  The Tapo camera that will be used for monitoring and recording Aurora in Colour will be fitted on a mast adjacent to the Observatory and will require cables of 6 - 7m long, dependant on final position, with will require and extension cable for 9v power (existing cable from A?C Adapter only 2.8m long) and for Ethernet Cable connection.  A 5m extension cable (5.5 x 2.1mm)  and a 7.5m long Cat6 Ethernet cable have been ordered today (2024-11-16)from Amazon and should arrive tomorrow
    Done  2024-11-16 (Observatory, Tapo Camera)
   
• Order accessories and cable for Ecowitt Wittboy Weather Station.   The Observatory's new Ecowitt Wittboy Weather Station will be position around 11m from the Observatory in approximately the same position as the old Oregon Scientiific Weather Station.   A 1" Mounting Pole, a second T/H sensor and a 20m long 12v Power Cable for Sonic Aneomometer & Haptic Rain Sensor  2.1mm)  have been ordered from today from WeatherSpares (2024-11-16).  Items arrived 2024-11-20.
  Done  2024-11-16 (Observatory, Tapo Camera)

[ Prev | Next ]

[ Prev | Next ]

Back to Top