David's Astronomy Pages
Notes - Session 1373 (2025-11-08)

 
Bullet Session Aims & Highlights
 - Observing Result
 - Night Summary Plot
 - Session Event Log
Bullet Operational Issues
- Critical Issues (0),  Major Issues (1),  Minor Issues (7),  Small Defects (5),  Continuous Improvement (9)
- Figures (3)
   
Bullet Images from 2025-11-08  >>           
   
2025-11-09
Bullet Pegasus Unity Platform 2.12 & UPB v3 1.6 Firmware
   
2025-11-10
Bullet Investigation - Telescope's Dew Heater / UPB Outputs
Bullet CumulusMX issue getting fresh station data
   

Session Aims & Highlights (2025-11-08)

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

Highlights

NotesNotes

Summary Plots & Logs

Observing Plan
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Observing Result
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Dome & Scope Slewing Performance
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Slew/Centering Performance
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Guiding Performance
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Sky Conditions (Locate Frames)
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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)
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Actual Weather vs Pre-Session Weather Forecast
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Session Event Log
Time     Event Detail
20:02:07 Session Monitoring AutoStart monitoring for Live Session opportunity between 20:02 & 05:46
20:02:10 Session AutoStarting Session autostarting (20:02)
20:02:23   CCDSoft Restarting CCDSoft being restarted (to set AutoSave No.)
20:02:37 Session Created Session Created (Live, 2025-11-08 S01373, ImageSaveNum: 1373001)
20:02:45   Scope Switched On Telescope Power has been switched on via UPB Switch
20:04:35   Services Started Observatory Services started
20:04:44 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode
20:04:47 Session Pending Session pending (2025-11-08)
20:04:49 Session Initiating Session initiating (2025-11-08)
20:05:09   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera connected (Set point -10°C)
20:05:14   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.43.14)
20:06:27   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (Plan ID: 1160)
20:07:11   Telescope Connected Telescope connected (TheSky6)
20:07:35 Session Equilibration Session ready to Open Dome
20:08:20   Dome Opened Dome opened (Opening time 45s, Zigbee 40s)
20:08:22 Session Running Session running
20:08:25   Queue Started Observing Queue started (34 targets selected)
20:08:27     Target Started (NrZen) Target started (Focus Field 23, HIP 113729)
20:08:41       Dome Unparked Dome unparked
20:11:22       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S)
20:13:51       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1, wide)
20:16:14       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1)
20:16:18       Focusing Started-Foc2 Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap)
20:18:15       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2, wide)
20:20:03       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2)
20:20:26     Target Completed (NrZen) Target completed (Focus Field 23, HIP 113729)
20:21:42     Target Started (1/34) Target started (1/34, C/2025 R2 (SWAN))
20:26:21       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-LSI)
20:35:57     Target Completed Target completed (1/34, C/2025 R2 (SWAN))
20:37:20     Target Started (2/34) Target started (2/34, GCVS CY Lyr)
20:41:12       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S)
20:43:49       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 3)
20:45:09       SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars)
20:47:38     Target Completed Target completed (2/34, GCVS CY Lyr)
20:47:40   Queue Paused Queue paused for Session Suspension
20:47:42 Session Suspending Session suspending
20:48:25   Dome Closed Dome closed (Closing time 45s, Zigbee 43s)
20:48:26 Session Suspended Session suspended
21:06:54     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (3/34, SN 2025taz) due to cloud
21:29:14     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (4/34, M31 w/AT2025abws) due to too few stars
21:30:19 Session Resuming Session resuming
21:31:04   Dome Opened Dome opened (Opening time 45s, Zigbee 40s)
21:31:05 Session Running Session running
21:31:08   Queue Resumed Observing Queue resumed
21:31:10     Target Started (5/34) Target started (5/34, IC 1529 w/SN2025kjo)
21:35:27       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-LSI)
21:40:45       SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars)
21:42:50       SoftSuspend Cancelled Soft Suspend is cancelled due to improved conditions
21:51:52     Target Completed Target completed (5/34, IC 1529 w/SN2025kjo)
21:54:18     Target Started (6/34) Target started (6/34, NGC 7606 w/SN2025vzq)
21:58:42       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is lost (TCF-LSI)
22:03:02       SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars)
22:06:23       SoftSuspend Cancelled Soft Suspend is cancelled due to improved conditions
22:08:48       SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend called due to Deteriorating Conditions (reducing clarity)
22:08:50   Critical Cloud Alert Critical Cloud Alert (Obs.Manager will close the Dome)
22:08:52   HardSuspend Called Hard Suspend called due to Critical Conditions (cloud)
22:08:54     Target Aborted (6/34) Target aborted (6/34, NGC 7606 w/SN2025vzq) due to cloud
22:08:56   Queue Paused Queue paused for Session Suspension
22:08:59 Session Suspending Session suspending
22:09:48   Dome Closed Dome closed (Closing time 50s, Zigbee 43s)
22:09:50 Session Suspended Session suspended
22:13:14     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (6/34, NGC 7606 w/SN2025vzq) due to cloud
22:35:34     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (7/34, AT2024wqf) due to cloud
22:49:54     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (8/34, AT2025md (CV)) due to cloud
23:01:02     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (9/34, GCVS SS Cyg) due to cloud
23:16:13     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (10/34, GCVS U And) due to cloud
23:27:01     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (11/34, GCVS BL Lac) due to cloud
23:47:01     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (12/34, M31 w/Nova M31 2025-10a?) due to cloud
23:59:11     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (13/34, GCVS RX And) due to cloud
00:18:21     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (14/34, NGC 600 w/AT2025abzu) due to cloud
00:33:32     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (15/34, GCVS TT Ari) due to cloud
00:53:37     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (16/34, SN 2025aarn) due to cloud
01:15:37     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (17/34, LEDA 3092696 w/AT2025nzh) due to cloud
01:37:38     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (18/34, AT2025abne) due to cloud
01:48:41     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (19/34, Capella) due to cloud
02:02:13     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (20/34, C/2022 N2 (PANSTARRS)) due to cloud
02:12:39     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (21/34, GCVS GK Per) due to too few stars
02:17:38 Session Resuming Session resuming
02:18:23   Dome Opened Dome opened (Opening time 45s, Zigbee 41s)
02:18:25 Session Running Session running
02:18:27   Queue Resumed Observing Queue resumed
02:18:30     Target Started (22/34) Target started (22/34, GCVS RZ LMi)
02:23:46       Dome Unparked Dome unparked
02:24:54       SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars)
02:28:27     Target Completed Target completed (22/34, GCVS RZ LMi)
02:28:29   Queue Paused Queue paused for Session Suspension
02:28:32 Session Suspending Session suspending
02:29:19   Dome Closed Dome closed (Closing time 50s, Zigbee 43s)
02:29:21 Session Suspended Session suspended
02:36:31     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (23/34, GCVS RR Tau) due to cloud
02:46:04     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (24/34, GCVS U Gem) due to cloud
02:57:52     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (25/34, GCVS DX Cnc) due to cloud
03:17:21     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (26/34, NGC 3106 w/SN2025aauj) due to cloud
03:39:21     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (27/34, AT2023clj (CV)) due to cloud
04:01:21     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (28/34, LEDA 3089972 w/SN2025lxm) due to cloud
04:23:21     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (29/34, NGC 4710 w/AT2025acfi) due to cloud
04:48:41     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (30/34, C/2025 K1 (ATLAS)) due to cloud
05:09:25     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (31/34, 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann) due to cloud
05:30:15     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (32/34, ESO 565-G19 w/SN2025efc) due to cloud
05:52:35     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (33/34, NGC 2986 w/SN2025gj) due to cloud
06:17:01     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (34/34, GCVS RR Leo) due to cloud
06:17:05   Queue Completed Job Queue completed
06:17:08 Session Closing Session closing
06:17:13   Dome Closed Dome already closed (closed at 02:29, closing time 50s, zigbee 43s)
06:17:32   Dome Parked Dome parked (parking time 10s), Az: 90.0 deg
06:18:22   Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 42s total)
06:18:46   Telescope State Handbox reads 'Scope parked Turn scope off.'
06:19:09   Telescope Switched Off Telescope Power has been switched off via UPB Switch.
06:20:35   Services Stopped Night Services stopped
06:20:38 Session Finishing Session Finishing started (Create Fits Summary, Transfer Files)
06:20:55     Dome (Find Park) Find Park started (Search Az 88.0 to 92.0°, Step 0.2°, Narrow)
06:21:40     Dome Find Park found (Best Park Az 90.2°)
06:21:46     Dome Dome has been synced at park position (Az 90.0°, Adjustment: -0.2°)
06:21:48   Dome Parked Dome parked
06:23:38   Dome Charging Dome is parked and re-charging Ok (15mA)
06:23:40 Session Finished Session Finished
 
Session Alerts & Alarms
Time     Type       Name Detail
06:23:38 Green Clear Dome Charging Dome is parked and re-charging Ok (15mA)
 

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Operational Issues (2025-11-08 S1373)

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Critical Issues

Major Issues

Minor Issues

Small Defects

Continuous Improvement

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Fig 1.  Light Pollution Issue in North Sky (2025-11-08)

Fig 1a) Light pollution in northern sky during the evening of 2025-11-08 is evident in the two NorthCam Images taken at 21:52 & 22:14. The orange glow comes from low level fog and occasional passing clouds being lit up by the light from a line of lanterns / lights along a garden fence line in the neighbouring estate to the north, around 150m away. There is also increased glow from streetlights on the estate. Fortunately this seems to have been a single night issue (a weekend Guy Fawkes party ?) combined with foggy conditions.

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Fig 1b) The impact of the orange glow through the evening can be seen on the NorthCam Keogram below.  At times the glow reaches up to 35° altitude.

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 Fig 2. 16h Graphs showing OTA Temperature Difference from Outside Dew Point (2025-11-07 / 2025-11-08)

Fig 2a. OTA Tube temperature is around the same value as the Outside Dew point, even though the DewHeater Control was set to keep the OTA temperature at 2°C above outside dew point, and the dew heater supposedly running at 100% power level.

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Fig 2b. After plugging the dew heater cable into the correct output on the UPB  v3 powerbox,  the OTA Tube temperature was then consistently held at 1 to 1.4°C above the outside dew point with dew heater running at 10-50% power level (using DewHeaterControlOffset of 1).

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Fig 3. 16h Temperature Graph showing consistently high Observatory Temperature values  (2025-11-07 / 2025-11-08) .

Fig 3a. The Observatory Temperature (cyan line) from sensor in the Ekowitt Gateway Hub) is some 2 to 2.5°C  higher than the UPB Temperature (maurve line) from sensor in the UPB Powerbox on the LX200 Telescope and the two Outside Temperatures (white and green lines).  

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Fig 3b. After moving the Ekowitt Gateway Hub away from heat vents on the back of the AllSky/Weather Computer and to a better location the Observatory Temperature is now much more consistent with the UPB Temperature and outside temperatures (2025-11-18)

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Fig 4.  Night Summary Plot showing data outages (2025-11-09)

- 19:42  CloudSensor data and NorthCam data stopped
- 19:47  Weather data (DPD & Wind) stopped
- 20:33  AllSky data stopped
- 20:42  All data resumed again

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2025-11-09


Pegasus Unity Platform 2.12 & UPB v3 1.6 Firmware

1) Pegasus Unity Platform has been updated on Observatory Computer from 2.10 to 2.12 today  (2025-11-09)

New features in version 2.12  (2.12.4822.576):

plus new Features from earlier version 2.11 

2) Pegasus UPBv3 Firmware has been updated using Pegaus Unity Configuration from 1.5 to 1.6 today (2025-11-09)

New features in firmware version 1.6:

  • Improved web dashboard
  • Improved motor operation
  • Better handling of Wi-Fi disconnect

Issues:
There were initial problems connecting to UPB Powerbox Services from AstroMain / Observatory :  Switch (ASCOM.Device1.Switch) , ObservingConditions (ASCOM.Device1.ObservingConditions) and Focuser (ASCOM.PegausAstroFocuser 1), but finally managed to get it working (it was unclear what the problem was or what resolved).

Links
- Pegasus Unity Platform      [ https://pegasusastro.com/unity-platform/ ]
-
Pegasus Unity Downloads [ (https://pegasusastro.com/download/ ] 
 

Notes on Unity 2.13  (note made 2025-11-25)

Unity 2.13.30.30 has been released and whilst 2.13.25.25 is already installed on Development Computer, it will most likely not be installed on either the Observatory Computer or AllSky Computer based on its list of fixes & new features, and given that Unity 3 will be released soon.

New features in version 2.13  (2.13.30.30):

  • This is the final version of Unity 2 — Unity 3 is coming next.
  • Fixes for DewMaster2.
  • Fixes for FlatMasterNeo.
  • Fixes for the UPBv3 (Ultimate Powerbox V3) when running older firmware.
  • Fixes for the NYX-88 mount with older firmwares.

    Note : this is the last Unity 2 version, look for Unity 3

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2025-11-10


Investigation - Telescope's Dew Heater / UPB Outputs

Issue :  Dew Heater Band on LX200 Telescope is suspected of not working.

Since the UPB v3 powerbox was installed in the Observatory in July 2025 to replace the earlier UPB v1 box the OTA (telescope tube) temperature of the LX200 has been noticed to more or less track the UPB Env. Temperature and doesn't seem to rise with increased Dew Heater Power. Even though Power is at 100% it doesn't seem to increase OTA Temp above that of the UPB Env Temperature and doesn't increase it to the point of being 2°C above the Outside Dew Point.   A set of example graphs are shown below:

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Even though the telescope is sitting in the Dome Observatory and has a short dew shield there must be a risk of the dew forming on the corrector lens on the front of  the LX200 when humidity is high as it has been in last few days. 

The possibility that the OTA temperature was incorrect was ruled out, and a hypothesis was developed that the UPV box might be limited to outputting a max 39% of potential power (from 100/255 * 100 where 1st 100 is the supposed max power value in UPB v3 and 255 was the max power value in the UPB v1.  This hypothesis was ruled out by the Pegasus Astro Support team as the dew management system in UPB v3 was built from the ground up and didn't descend from the system used in UPB v1.

Although no notes were recorded my memory is that the heater band heating was manually checked on 2025-07-18 just after the UPB v3 box was recieved.  The UPB's power consumption (current) increase when power setting was raised and showed some warming ( to touch) when dew heater was on.   The possibility that the cable became dislodged after installation couldn't be dismissed.

Testing

Based on new assurance from Pegasus Support Team about the dew heater implementation and the features of  the UPB v3 box (**)  a series of tests were made to follow up the observation that no power or not enough power is getting though to the dew heater band on the observatory's LX200 telescope.

Test   UPB Current   Conclusion
    (total Amps)    
No Dew Heaters   0.30A   Base load in 0.3A
         
Dew Heater Output 1 at 50% ("LX200")   0.30A   LX200 dew heater is not connected to Dew Heater Output 1
Dew Heater Output 1 at 100% ("LX200")   0.30A    
         
Dew Heater Output 2 at 50%  ("TS80")   0.60A    
Dew Heater Output 2 at 100% ("TS80")   0.90A   TS80 dew heater draws 0.6 A at 100% (full) power
         
Dew Heater Output 3 at 50%  ("Unused")   0.95A   LX200 dew heater must be connected to Dew Heater Output 3
Dew Heater Output 3 at 100% ("Unused")   1.60A   LX200 dew heater draws 1.3 A at 100% (full) power
         
Dew Heater Output 2 & 3 at 100%   2.20A   LX200 & TS80 dew heaters together draw
1.9 A at 100% (full) power
         

The tests established that the LX200's dew heater cable was evidentally plugged into Dew Heater Output 3 (C) and not Output 1 (A) as intended.  Examination of dew heater cabling subsequently confirmed this

So basically the issue is entirely due to user error.

** each of the 3 dew heater outputs on the UPB v3 box has its own dedicated MOSFET capable of supplying up to 3 Amps whilst on the UPB v1 box, the 2 dew heater outputs were managed by a single MOSFET which could deliver up to 6 Amps combined

Analysis

An analysis was performed to understand why the error had been made

It was planned that LX200 dew heater would be fed from Output 1 (Output A), and that the TS80 guidescope dew heater would be fed from Output 2 (Output B), whilst Output 3 (Output C) would be empty for the time being;
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When performing initial testing after the arrival of the UPB v3 box back in July,  the cable to the LX200's dew heater band was connected to the UPB v3's left hand output (Output A,  Dew Heater 1) as planned and it correctly drew current when its power output was set  50-100% and the heater band would become warm.    The  cable to the guidescope's dew heater band (TS80) was connected to the middle output (Output B, Dew Heater 2) and this also operated okay (drawing current and becoming warm).

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When it came to the installation of the UPB box onto the Observatory's 12" LX200 telescope I was able to utilise the VESA style screw holes on the UPB box and using longer bolts than those supplied  I attached the power box  to the telescope's right hand fork, where it would be most optimally placed, serving both camera / focuser equipment, dew heaters and the power to LX200 itself. 

To do this the UPB powerbox had to be inverted (so to speak) as illustrated below.   Then during hookup of the cables and  knowing everything was fine during initial testing, the cable for the LX200 heater bands was again plugged into the left hand output with guidescope heater band plugged into the middle output.  

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This was a geometric mistake but with small output names on the box (A, B,C) being less visible in this orientation, being partially hidden by the dew heater cables and other cabling and also being upside down, there was nothing drawing me to the spot the error.

It didn't occur to me that I had the LX200 dew heater cable plugged into Output C (Dew Heater 3) until today (2025-11-10) when the power consumption (current) of UPB was examined when raising the output power on each of the 3 outputs independently. This showed that there was no extra current draw when raising Dew Heater 1 (that was meant to be for the LX200 dew heater), but there was a significant extra current draw when raising power on Dew Heater 3 which was supposedly unused. 

 Checking the outputs /cables confirmed the error and I swapped the cable for the LX200 dew heater from Output C to Output A thereby fixing the issue.   The UPB Current Graph showed that the LX200 dew heater draws 1.3 A of current when on 100% (max) power, whilst the guidescope dew heater draws 0.6 A when on 100% power.

Solution

The LX200 dew heater cabled was unplugged from Output 3 (C) and plugged into Output 1 (A)

The corrected cable configuration is shown below.
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Links
-
 UPB v3 Product Page  (https://pegasusastro.com/products/ultimate-powerbox-v3/)
UPB v3 Manual  (https://pegasusastro.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/UPBv3-manual.pdf) 

 

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