David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 1355 (2025-09-01)

Notes (S1354)

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Notes (S1356)

	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 (0)
	- Figures (0)
	Images from 2025-09-01  >>
	Current/Latest Session >>

Session Aims & Highlights (2025-09-01)

Main aims

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

 Equipment & Software

• 12" LX200 and ST-10XME
• 80mm APO and ZWO ASI 178MC
• TheSky6, CCDSoft5, DeviceHub 7.0.3 RC3.4694, MeadeGeneric 1.3.12.522 , 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 3.77.11,  AstroPlan 1.43.12, AstroShCap 1.3.15, AstroGuard 1.11  (any new items or versions in bold)
  AstroMag 1.5.8, AstroVOE 1.15.1,  AstroSN 1.14,  AstroProtect 1.10.6,  AstroMove 1.16.2
  AstroWeather 1.27.9, AstroAllSky 3.24.5,  AstroObsCam 1.11.4 (not 1.11.5), AstroNorthCam 1.6.1, AstroLaunch 1.13.6

Highlights

• Targets. 3/12 planned targets were successfully completed with one target partially completed. Other targets failed due cloud session session. Two ToO targets were also attempt.  Images from at least 3 targets will likely be rejected due to cloud.
• CCD Camera.  No issues with CCD Camera during session.
•  Dome. There was no issues opening/closing the shutter during the session. Dome closed and parked at end of session ok.

Notes

• Aurora Images from 2025-09-01 / 2025-09-02  >>
  
  

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) Note:  The NorthCam Star Count line is unreliable and should be ignored (The AstroNorthCam 'Find' Star method is producing many false positives from clouds)

Actual Weather vs Pre-Session Weather Forecast

Session Event Log

Time     Event Detail 00:39:57 Session Monitoring AutoStart monitoring for Live Session opportunity between 00:39 & 04:18 00:40:02 Session AutoStarting Session autostarting (00:40) 00:40:14   CCDSoft Restarting CCDSoft being restarted (to set AutoSave No.) 00:40:29 Session Created Session Created (Live, 2025-09-01 S01355, ImageSaveNum: 1355001) 00:40:36   Scope Switched On Telescope Power has been switched on via UPB Switch 00:42:23   Services Started Observatory Services started 00:42:34 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 00:42:37 Session Pending Session pending (2025-09-01) 00:42:39 Session Initiating Session initiating (2025-09-01) 00:42:58   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera connected (Set point -10°C) 00:43:01   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.43.14) 00:43:30   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (Plan ID: 1141) 00:44:12   Telescope Connected Telescope connected (TheSky6) 00:44:37 Session Equilibration Session ready to Open Dome 00:45:22   Dome Opened Dome opened (Opening time 45s, Zigbee 39s) 00:46:02 Session Running Session running 00:46:05   Queue Started Observing Queue started (12 targets selected) 00:46:07     Target Started (NrZen) Target started (Focus Field 22, HIP 108888) 00:46:22       Dome Unparked Dome unparked 00:49:51       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:52:16       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1, wide) 00:54:27       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1) 00:54:29       Focusing Started-Foc2 Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 00:56:11       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2, wide) 00:57:48       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2) 00:58:07     Target Completed (NrZen) Target completed (Focus Field 22, HIP 108888) 00:59:29     Target Started (1/12) Target started (1/12, GCVS BL Lac) 01:02:38       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:04:42       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 3) 01:08:45     Target Completed Target completed (1/12, GCVS BL Lac) 01:09:47     Target Started (2/12) Target started (2/12, NGC 7331 w/SN2025rbs) 01:13:05       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:15:20       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 4) 01:31:34     Target Completed Target completed (2/12, NGC 7331 w/SN2025rbs) 01:31:38     Target Started (3/13) Target started (3/13, T CrB, ToO) 01:42:31     Target Completed Target completed (3/13, T CrB, ToO) 01:42:35     Target Started (4/13) Target started (4/13, AT2025kml) 01:55:48     Target Completed Target partially completed (4/13, AT2025kml) 01:55:52     Target Started (5/13) Target started (5/13, AT2024wqf) 01:59:06       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is lost (TCF-LSI) 02:11:41       SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars) 02:12:51       SoftSuspend Cancelled Soft Suspend is cancelled due to improved conditions 02:15:48     Target Completed Target completed (5/13, AT2024wqf) 02:15:52     Target Started (6/14) Target started (6/14, NGC 6802, ToO) 02:20:36       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is lost (TCF-LSI) 02:28:49     Target Completed Target completed (6/14, NGC 6802, ToO) 02:28:52     Target Missed (7/14) Target's time slot was missed (7/14, GCVS RX And) 02:28:54     Target Started (8/14) Target started (8/14, UGC 10809 w/SN2025vaw) 02:30:23       SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars) 02:32:57     Target Failed (8/14) Target failed due to cloud (8/14, UGC 10809 w/SN2025vaw) 02:32:59   Queue Paused Queue paused for Session Suspension 02:33:01 Session Suspending Session suspending 02:33:48   Dome Closed Dome closed (Closing time 50s, Zigbee 43s) 02:33:50 Session Suspended Session suspended 02:44:43     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (8/14, UGC 10809 w/SN2025vaw) due to cloud 03:03:03     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (9/14, C/2017 K2 (PANSTARRS)) due to cloud 03:27:23     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (10/14, C/2025 A6 (Lemmon)) due to cloud 03:47:43     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (11/14, AT2022rhq) due to cloud 04:09:43     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (12/14, AT2023uqd) due to cloud 04:21:35     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (13/14, GCVS EV Lac) due to cloud 04:44:31 Session Resuming Session resuming 04:45:16   Dome Opened Dome opened (Opening time 45s, Zigbee 40s) 04:45:18 Session Running Session running 04:45:20   Queue Resumed Observing Queue resumed 04:45:22     Target Missed (14/14) Target's time slot was missed (14/14, C/2022 N2 (PANSTARRS)) 04:45:24   Queue Completed Job Queue completed 04:45:26 Session Closing Session closing 04:46:21   Dome Closed Dome closed (Closing time 50s, Zigbee 43s) 04:47:37   Dome Parked Dome parked (parking time 69s), Az: 90.0 deg 04:48:31   Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 48s total) 04:48:55   Telescope State Handbox reads 'Scope parked Turn scope off.' 04:49:17   Telescope Switched Off Telescope Power has been switched off via UPB Switch. 04:50:43   Services Stopped Night Services stopped 04:50:46 Session Finishing Session Finishing started (Create Fits Summary, Transfer Files) 04:50:58     Dome (Find Park) Find Park started (Search Az 80.0 to 100.0°, Step 1.0°, Wide) 04:51:45     Dome Find Park found (Best Park Az 89.0°) 04:51:51     Dome (Find Park) Find Park started (Search Az 87.0 to 91.0°, Step 0.2°, Narrow) 04:52:33     Dome Find Park found (Best Park Az 88.8°) 04:52:39     Dome Dome has been synced at park position (Az 90.0°, Adjustment: +1.2°) 04:52:41   Dome Parked Dome parked 04:53:21   Dome Charging Dome is parked and re-charging Ok (52mA) 04:53:23 Session Finished Session Finished

Session Alerts & Alarms

Time     Type       Name Detail 04:53:21 Green Clear Dome Charging Dome is parked and re-charging Ok (52mA)

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Operational Issues (2025-09-01 S1355)

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

Critical Issues

• None

Major Issues

• None

Minor Issues

• AstroAllSky's 'Capture SpaceWeather Pictures' facility has stopped working.  AstroAllSky is designed to capture hourly and daily spaceweather pictures files and save them to the current session folder.  The facility hasn't been working for a while, and meant that key pictures weren't captured to complete the documentation the Aurora on night 2025-09-01/2025-09-02 in manner normally used.  Looking back the facility broke on/around 2025-08-14. The issue is not related to a new program version, as AstroAllSky 3.24.5 executable dates from 2025-07-04. Picture files download ok when run on Development Computer.  Logs indicates an error message like
  The underlying connection was closed
    2025-09-02 12:42:42.26 | (1) File mkstackplot_2025-09-02.gif failed to download
  2025-09-02 12:42:42.26 | (1)The underlying connection was closed: An unexpected error occurred on a receive.
  There are also exceptions in the log
    Mail Failure: System.Net.Mail.SmtpException: Failure sending mail. ---> System.IO.IOException:
    Unable to read data from the transport connection: An established connection was aborted by the software in your host machine.
    System.Net.Sockets.SocketException: An established connection was aborted by the software in your host machine
  This suggests a firewall issue.   This is hard to diagnose/fix as Karspersky Manage Applications facility isn't allowing it to be opened.
  Fixed by installing 'Kaspersky Standard' (replaces 'Kaspersky Internet Security').   Subscription, Ports Rules, Application Rules etc carried over ok from previous product.  Download Space Weather related files is now working again.
  Fixed 2025-09-02 (Observatory Computer / Kaspersky, AstroAllSky)

Small Defects

• None