David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 1363 (2025-09-16)

Notes (S1363A)

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Notes (S1364)

	Session Aims & Highlights
	- Observing Result  - Night Summary Plot  - Session Event Log
	Operational Issues
	- Critical Issues (0),  Major Issues (0),  Minor Issues (0),  Small Defects (2),  Continuous Improvement (0)
	- Figures (0)
	Images from 2025-09-16  >>

Session Aims & Highlights (2025-09-16)

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 3.78,  AstroPlan 1.43.14, AstroShCap 1.3.16, AstroGuard 1.12  (any new items or versions in bold)
  AstroMag 1.5.9, AstroVOE 1.15.1,  AstroSN 1.14,  AstroProtect 1.10.6,  AstroMove 1.16.2
  AstroWeather 1.28, AstroAllSky 3.25,  AstroObsCam 1.11.7, AstroNorthCam 1.6.1, AstroLaunch 1.13.6

Highlights

• Targets. 16/29 planned targets were completed with 1 target partially completed. Remaining targets failed due to cloud / session suspension. 1 arget (C/2023 R1 (PANSTARRS) was also acquired as a ToO target.
• CCD Camera.  No issues with CCD Camera during session.
•  Dome. There were no significant issues opening/closing the shutter during the session. Dome closed and parked at end of session ok.

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) 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 20:10:32 Session Monitoring AutoStart monitoring for Live Session opportunity between 20:10 & 04:55 20:10:35   AutoStart Delayed Session delayed due to too few stars 20:36:47 Session AutoStarting Session autostarting (20:36) 20:37:00   CCDSoft Restarting CCDSoft being restarted (to set AutoSave No.) 20:37:14 Session Created Session Created (Live, 2025-09-16 S01363, ImageSaveNum: 1363001) 20:37:21   Scope Switched On Telescope Power has been switched on via UPB Switch 20:39:07   Services Started Observatory Services started 20:39:17 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 20:39:20   AutoStart Delayed Session delayed due to too few stars 20:39:22 Session Pending Session pending (2025-09-16) 20:39:24 Session Initiating Session initiating (2025-09-16) 20:39:38   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera connected (Set point -10°C) 20:39:41   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.43.14) 20:40:18   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (Plan ID: 1150) 20:40:58   Telescope Connected Telescope connected (TheSky6) 20:41:22 Session Equilibration Session ready to Open Dome 20:42:10   Dome Opened Dome opened (Opening time 48s, Zigbee 40s) 20:42:45 Session Running Session running 20:42:48   Queue Started Observing Queue started (29 targets selected) 20:42:51     Target Started (NrZen) Target started (Focus Field 19, HIP 93376) 20:43:20       Dome Unparked Dome unparked 20:47:37       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 20:50:10       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1, wide) 20:52:12       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1) 20:52:14       Focusing Started-Foc2 Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 20:54:03       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2, wide) 20:55:42       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2) 20:56:01     Target Completed (NrZen) Target completed (Focus Field 19, HIP 93376) 20:56:06     Target Started (1/29) Target started (1/29, C/2024 E1 (Wierzchos)) 21:02:56       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-LSI) 21:11:17     Target Completed Target completed (1/29, C/2024 E1 (Wierzchos)) 21:11:21     Target Started (2/29) Target started (2/29, UGC 10809 w/SN2025vaw) 21:14:37       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 21:16:56       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 3) 21:32:54     Target Completed Target completed (2/29, UGC 10809 w/SN2025vaw) 21:32:58     Target Started (3/29) Target started (3/29, KIC 8462852) 21:36:06       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 21:38:23       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 4) 21:42:40     Target Completed Target completed (3/29, KIC 8462852) 21:43:19     Target Started (4/29) Target started (4/29, GCVS BL Lac) 21:46:35       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 21:48:56       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 5) 21:52:43     Target Completed Target completed (4/29, GCVS BL Lac) 21:53:38     Target Started (5/29) Target started (5/29, GCVS CY Lyr) 21:57:13       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 21:59:20       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 6) 22:03:05     Target Completed Target completed (5/29, GCVS CY Lyr) 22:03:55     Target Started (6/29) Target started (6/29, T CrB) 22:07:20       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:09:57       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 7) 22:14:34     Target Completed Target completed (6/29, T CrB) 22:14:51     Target Started (7/29) Target started (7/29, SN 2025taz) 22:18:43       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:21:18       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 8) 22:37:17     Target Completed Target completed (7/29, SN 2025taz) 22:37:21     Target Started (8/29) Target started (8/29, Nova Ser 2025) 22:40:47       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-LSI) 22:46:53     Target Completed Target completed (8/29, Nova Ser 2025) 22:49:31     Target Started (9/29) Target started (9/29, HIP 87937) 22:52:06       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:54:17       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 9) 22:57:20     Target Completed Target completed (9/29, HIP 87937) 22:57:54     Target Started (10/29) Target started (10/29, AT2025xea) 23:01:59       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 23:04:26       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 10) 23:20:23     Target Completed Target completed (10/29, AT2025xea) 23:20:28     Target Started (11/29) Target started (11/29, GCVS EV Lac) 23:24:21       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 23:26:50       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 11) 23:29:40     Target Completed Target completed (11/29, GCVS EV Lac) 23:29:44     Target Started (12/29) Target started (12/29, GCVS Z And) 23:32:55       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 23:35:12       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 12) 23:39:14     Target Completed Target completed (12/29, GCVS Z And) 23:39:45     Target Started (13/29) Target started (13/29, AT2025xdz) 23:43:44       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-LSI) 23:59:48     Target Completed Target completed (13/29, AT2025xdz) 00:02:05     Target Started (14/29) Target started (14/29, AT2022aefj (CV)) 00:05:46       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-LSI) 00:11:50     Target Completed Target completed (14/29, AT2022aefj (CV)) 00:11:54     Target Started (15/30) Target started (15/30, C/2023 R1 (PANSTARRS), ToO) 00:15:16       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:17:35       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 13) 00:26:02     Target Completed Target completed (15/30, C/2023 R1 (PANSTARRS), ToO) 00:26:06     Target Started (16/30) Target started (16/30, AT2022ugz) 00:41:13     Target Completed Target partially completed (16/30, AT2022ugz) 00:41:17     Target Started (17/30) Target started (17/30, GCVS SS Cyg) 00:47:02     Target Completed Target completed (17/30, GCVS SS Cyg) 00:47:06     Target Started (18/30) Target started (18/30, AT2022wxa) 00:50:27       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-LSI) 01:06:32     Target Completed Target completed (18/30, AT2022wxa) 01:09:28     Target Started (19/30) Target started (19/30, AT2025usz) 01:12:39       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-LSI) 01:28:43     Target Completed Target completed (19/30, AT2025usz) 01:28:53       SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars) 01:28:55   Queue Paused Observing Queue pausing for Session Suspension 01:28:57 Session Suspending Session suspending 01:29:48   Dome Closed Dome closed (Closing time 50s, Zigbee 43s) 01:29:50 Session Suspended Session suspended 01:51:04     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (20/30, UGCA 3) due to cloud 02:13:04     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (21/30, NGC 7606 w/SN2025vzq) due to cloud 02:35:24     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (22/30, M31 w/Nova M31 AT2025wwe) due to cloud 02:51:56     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (23/30, C/2022 N2 (PANSTARRS)) due to cloud 03:04:16     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (24/30, AT2022vdr (CV)) due to cloud 03:27:36     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (25/30, C/2025 A6 (Lemmon)) due to cloud 03:47:36     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (26/30, AT2023ud) due to cloud 04:05:32     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (27/30, GCVS U And) due to cloud 04:26:22     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (28/30, UGCA 68) due to cloud 04:48:22     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (29/30, UGC 1206 w/SN2025pao) due to cloud 05:20:42     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (30/30, UGCA 51) due to cloud 05:20:46   Queue Completed Job Queue completed 05:20:51 Session Closing Session closing 05:20:56   Dome Closed Dome already closed (closed at 01:29, closing time 50s, zigbee 43s) 05:22:08   Dome Parked Dome parked (parking time 64s), Az: 90.0 deg 05:22:53   Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 40s total) 05:23:17   Telescope State Handbox reads 'Scope parked Turn scope off.' 05:23:39   Telescope Switched Off Telescope Power has been switched off via UPB Switch. 05:25:03   Services Stopped Night Services stopped 05:25:06 Session Finishing Session Finishing started (Create Fits Summary, Transfer Files) 05:25:28     Dome (Find Park) Find Park started (Search Az 80.0 to 100.0°, Step 1.0°, Wide) 05:25:56     Dome Find Park found (Best Park Az 83.0°) 05:26:02     Dome (Find Park) Find Park started (Search Az 81.0 to 85.0°, Step 0.2°, Narrow) 05:26:46     Dome Find Park found (Best Park Az 83.0°) 05:26:52     Dome Dome has been synced at park position (Az 90.0°, Adjustment: +7.0°) 05:26:54   Dome Parked Dome parked 05:28:31   Dome Charging Dome is parked and re-charging Ok (18mA) 05:28:33 Session Finished Session Finished

Session Alerts & Alarms

Time     Type       Name Detail 02:48:15 Red Alert Dome Alert Shutter Data isn't being refreshed 02:48:21 Yellow Alert Dome Shutter Pulsar Shutter appears to be asleep (last fresh data was at 02:28:15) 02:48:41 Green Clear Dome Shutter Pulsar Shutter has woken up (fresh data at 02:48:31, outage 20.4 min) 02:48:45 Green Clear Dome Alert Shutter Data has resumed updating 05:28:31 Green Clear Dome Charging Dome is parked and re-charging Ok (18mA)

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Operational Issues (2025-09-16 S1363)

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

Critical Issues

• None

Major Issues

• None

Minor Issues

• None

Small Defects

• Frost motes were showing in corner of first few images from session. Images from Near Zenith Focusing and Target 1/27 (C/2024 E1 (Wierzchos) were showing frost motes in the corners. Whilst this quickly dispersed it shows that the CCD Camera's dessicator needs to be renewed. Dessicator was renewed in oven at 150 deg C the following day (2025-09-17) and replaced into SBIG Camera, some 6 hours before session S1364 (2025-09-17). Images from S1364 were free of any frost artefacts.
  Resolved 2025-09-17 (Session, SBIG CCD Camera)
   
• No target circles were drawn on realtime JPG pictures for AT2022ugz (00:41). The expected blue circle showing the respective target position was missing from Focus and Main Frame JPG pictures for Target 16/30 (AT2022ugz , id=2445  , #1363124 et al). This is the precisely the same issue that affected 3 targets in session S1358 and 1 target in session S1361, where it was ascertained that the issue occurs in situations where just a single Locate Frame is taken and where the issue can't be replicated on playback on the Development Computer (see S1358 notes) Additional tracing was added in AstroMain 3.77.12  and AstroMain 3.77.14, and a potential fix included in AstroMain 3.77.14, but the issue is still occuring. Logs to be examined.   A major finding is that the X/Y locations stored for first Locate Frame is 1/3 of that stored for second and subsequent Locate Frames.   When only one Locate Frame is taken, the matching of focus frame and main frames doesn't succeed because a match is trying to be made against X/Y values which are 1/3rd on what they are meant to be.   Possibly happens because IV.Bin has value of 1 instead of 3, So Star X = X * 1 / 3   instead of Star X = X * 3 / 3. It doesn't explain why the issue can't be duplicated upon playback, but neverthess the hypothesis seems reasonable and on this basis a workaround has been added in AstroMain 3.78.1 to set LocateInfo.Binning = 3 and IV.Bin = 3 in OB.CentreTarget prior to the loop that takes Locate Frames, links and makes centering jogs. 
  Fix to be tested   2025-09-17 (AstroMain 3.78.1)