David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 1288 (2024-12-31)

Notes (S1287)

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Notes (S1289)

	Session Aims & Highlights
	- Observing Result  - Night Summary Plot  - Session Event Log
	Operational Issues
	- Critical Issues (0),  Major Issues (0),  Minor Issues (1),  Small Defects (0),  Continuous Improvement (3)
	Images from 2024-12-31 >>

Session Aims & Highlights (2024-12-31)

Main aims

1. Targets.  Acquire images of a selection of variable stars, nearby stars, comets & deep sky targets as allowed by sky conditions.

 Equipment & Software

• 12" LX200 and ST-10XME
• 80mm APO and ZWO ASI 178MC
• TheSky6, CCDSoft5, DeviceHub 7.0.3 RC3.4694, MeadeGeneric 1.3.11.516 , UPB 1.5,  Pulsar Dome Firmware 1.51 & Driver 6.3.10
• Pegasus UPB & Motor Focus, TCF-S 6.0.6
• SharpCap 3.2, PHD2  2.6.13, Siril 1.0.6, deCONZ 1.18.2, ASCOM 7.0.3 RC3
• [ DomeLink 1.0 / 1.1 - not used ]
   
• AstroMain 3.73.9,  AstroPlan 1.42.5  AstroShCap 1.3.15, AstroGuard 1.10.6   (any new items or versions in bold)
  AstroVOE 1.15.1,  AstroSN 1.14,  AstroProtect 1.10.6,  AstroMove 1.14   
  AstroWeather 1.27.3, AstroAllSky 3.22.2,  AstroObsCam 1.11.4 (not 1.11.5), AstroColorCam 1.2.1, AstroLaunch 1.11.14

Highlights

• Targets. 7/24 planned targets observations were completed with 1 target partially completed.   Remaining targets failed due to cloud or early session termination due to cloud
•   Dome. There was no issues opening/closing the shutter during session. Dome closed and parked at end of session Ok

Notes

• Aurora Images from night, 2024-12-31  >>
  
  

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 23:08:55 Session Monitoring AutoStart monitoring for Live Session opportunity between 23:08 & 06:27 23:08:59 Session AutoStarting Session autostarting (23:08) 23:09:20   CCDSoft Restarting CCDSoft being restarted (to set AutoSave No.) 23:09:47   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera connected (Set point -15°C) 23:09:49 Session Created Session Created (Live, 2024-12-31 S01288, ImageSaveNum: 1288001) 23:09:54   Scope Switched On Telescope Power has been switched on via UPB Powerbox. 23:11:49   Services Started Observatory Services started 23:11:58 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 23:11:59 Session Pending Session pending (2024-12-31) 23:12:01 Session Initiating Session initiating (2024-12-31) 23:12:10   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera connected (Set point -20°C) 23:12:13   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.42.5) 23:12:48   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (Plan ID: 1071) 23:13:29   Telescope Connected Telescope connected (TheSky6) 23:13:54 Session Equilibration Session ready to Open Dome 23:14:39   Dome Opened Dome opened (Opening time 45s, Zigbee 40s) 23:15:14 Session Running Session running 23:15:17   Queue Started Observing Queue started (24 targets selected) 23:15:20     Target Started (NrZen) Target started (Focus Field 7, HIP 34070) 23:15:35       Dome Unparked Dome unparked 23:19:30       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 23:22:33       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1, wide) 23:24:53       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1) 23:24:56       Focusing Started-Foc2 Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 23:27:09       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2, wide) 23:29:03       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2) 23:29:21     Target Completed (NrZen) Target completed (Focus Field 7, HIP 34070) 23:29:25     Target Started (1/24) Target started (1/24, GCVS BL Lac) 23:33:46       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 23:36:27       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 3) 23:40:28     Target Completed Target completed (1/24, GCVS BL Lac) 23:40:32     Target Started (2/24) Target started (2/24, CGCG 116-017 w/SN2024aegm) 23:44:48       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 23:47:37       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 4) 00:03:40     Target Completed Target completed (2/24, CGCG 116-017 w/SN2024aegm) 00:03:44     Target Started (3/24) Target started (3/24, AT2024adzo) 00:07:11       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:09:54       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 5) 00:27:15     Target Completed Target completed (3/24, AT2024adzo) 00:27:19     Target Started (4/24) Target started (4/24, GCVS SY Cnc) 00:30:58       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-S) 00:32:30     Target Completed Target completed (4/24, GCVS SY Cnc) 00:32:34     Target Started (5/24) Target started (5/24, GCVS U Gem) 00:36:04       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:38:57       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 6) 00:42:10     Target Completed Target completed (5/24, GCVS U Gem) 00:42:14     Target Started (6/24) Target started (6/24, MRK 0628 w/SN2024aakr) 00:45:35       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:48:27       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 7) 01:04:38     Target Completed Target completed (6/24, MRK 0628 w/SN2024aakr) 01:04:42     Target Started (7/24) Target started (7/24, AT2024accj) 01:08:14       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:11:06       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 8) 01:27:19     Target Completed Target completed (7/24, AT2024accj) 01:27:23     Target Started (8/24) Target started (8/24, AT2024aeey) 01:44:14       SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars) 01:47:54   Critical Cloud Alert Critical Cloud Alert (Obs.Manager will close the Dome) 01:47:56   HardSuspend Called Hard Suspend called due to Critical Conditions (cloud) 01:47:58     Target Aborted (8/24) Target aborted (8/24, AT2024aeey) due to cloud 01:48:00   Queue Paused Queue paused for Session Suspension 01:48:02 Session Suspending Session suspending 01:48:44   Dome Closed Dome closed (Closing time 45s, Zigbee 43s) 01:48:46 Session Suspended Session suspended 01:56:35 User Intervention User request to close and finish session 01:56:38   Queue Aborted Job Queue aborted 01:56:40 Session Closing Session closing 01:56:45   Dome Closed Dome already closed (closed at 01:48, closing time 45s, zigbee 43s) 01:57:22   Dome Parked Dome parked (parking time 29s), Az: 90.1 deg 01:58:19   Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 52s total) 01:58:44   Telescope State Handbox reads 'Scope parked Turn scope off.' 01:59:06   Telescope Switched Off Telescope Power has been switched off via UPB Switch. 02:00:32   Services Stopped Night Services stopped 02:00:35 Session Finishing Session Finishing started (Create Fits Summary, Transfer Files) 02:00:47     Dome (Find Park) Find Park started (Search Az 80.0 to 100.0°, Step 1.0°, Wide) 02:01:40     Dome Find Park found (Best Park Az 91.0°) 02:01:46     Dome (Find Park) Find Park started (Search Az 89.0 to 93.0°, Step 0.2°, Narrow) 02:02:28     Dome Find Park found (Best Park Az 90.8°) 02:02:34     Dome Dome has been synced at park position (Az 90.0°, Adjustment: -0.9°) 02:02:36   Dome Parked Dome parked 02:02:45   Dome Charging Dome is parked and re-charging Ok (17mA) 02:02:47 Session Finished Session Finished

Session Alerts & Alarms

Time     Type       Name Detail 23:11:59 Yellow Alert Disk Space Free Space on C:\ Drive (45.71 GB) is less than 50 GB 02:00:40 Yellow Alert Disk Space Free Space on C:\ Drive (44.96 GB) is less than 50 GB 02:02:45 Green Clear Dome Charging Dome is parked and re-charging Ok (17mA)

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Operational Issues (2024-12-31 S1288)

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

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Critical Issues

• None

Major Issues

• None

Minor Issues

• Observatory's 'Aurora Watch' web page isn't showing fresh forecast  NOAA/Ovation Aurora Forecast pictures (2025-01-01). The Observatory's 'Aurora Watch' web page contains a section that is meant to show a NOAA/Ovation Picture with the lastest Aurora Forecast.   Since the turn of the year the picture shown is the final forecast picture from 2024, and isn't showing fresh forecast pictures from 2025. The spaceweather.com home page has the same problem, and has a note "The auroral oval is currently stuck on 2024. NOAA is working on the problem and it should be repaired soon".   The issue with the source image was eventually fixed by NOAA on 2025-01-04.
  Resolved 2025-01-04 (Website)

Small Defects

• None

Continuous Improvement

• Make improvements to the display of Aurora flag on NorthCam Custom Videos.   Improvements made in AstroColorCam 1.2.2:   Aurora Flag annotation moved to the top right of image, the 'thousands' grouping (comma) has been removed, and the decimal place & decimal figure have been removed.
  Done 2025-01-02 (AstroColorCam 1.2.2)
   
• Make improvements to the AstroColorCam's  'Create Video' Tab.   Improvements made in AstroColorCam 1.2.2: i) default gamma correction changed to 0.65, added Video Quality to change quality from standard live time video quality ( '30')  to a value of '28' or '26 which gives better quality but at the expense of increasing video file size,  ii) Aurora Flag annotation only shown when 'Auto-Detect Aurora' option is checked,   iii) an Abort button has been added.
  Done 2025-01-02 (AstroColorCam 1.2.2)
   
• Complete and Upload the backlog of Images and analysis to Observatory Website for session in Dec 2024.  Due to continuing backlog from including finalising images/session pages from Nov 2024, there is a knock-on backlog in Dec 2024. Finalisation of 10 sessions from Dec 2024 are still outstanding as of 2025-01-12.
  To do  2025-03-30  (Post-Session Analysis, Observatory Website) 

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