David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 1436 (2026-06-28)

Notes (S1435)

Notes Main

Home Page

Notes (S1437)

	Session Aims & Highlights
	- Observing Result  - Night Summary Plot  - Session Event Log
	Operational Issues
	- Critical Issues (0),  Major Issues (0),  Minor Issues (3),  Small Defects (0),  Continuous Improvement (0)
	- Figures (1)
	Images from 2026-06-28  >>

Session Aims & Highlights (2026-06-28)

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 6.0.0.65, CCDSoft5 5.0.201, DeviceHub 7.1.0.4707, MeadeGeneric 1.3.12.522, UPB 3, PulsarDome 6.4.0.0
• Peg-Unity 2.12, Peg-Focuser 2.12, Peg-Switch 2.12, TCF-LSI 3.3.5
• SharpCap 3.2.6482, PHD2 2.6.14, Siril 1.4.2, deCONZ 2.18.2, ASCOM 7.1.0.4707
   
• AstroMain 3.82.7, AstroPlan 1.47, AstroShCap 1.3.23, AstroGuard 1.13.2
  AstroMag 1.5.12, AstroVOE 2.0.1, AstroSN 1.16, AstroProtect 1.7, AstroMove 1.18.1
  AstroAllSky 3.28, AstroWeather 1.30.3, AstroObsCam 1.13.1, AstroNorthCam 1.9.6, AstroLaunch 1.14.10

Highlights

• Targets. 7/7 planned targets were completed.
•  Dome. No issues open/closing shutter. Dome was successfully parked at the end of the session.

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 23:09:24 Session Monitoring AutoStart monitoring for Live Session opportunity between 00:01 & 01:22 23:09:26   AutoStart Waiting AutoStart waiting till earliest start time at 00:01 00:01:26 Session AutoStarting Session autostarting (00:01) 00:01:32 Session Created Session Created (Live, 2026-06-28 S01436) 00:01:34   CCDSoft Restarting CCDSoft being restarted (to set AutoSave No.) 00:01:56   Scope Switched On Telescope Power has been switched on via UPB Switch 00:03:43   Services Started Observatory Services started 00:03:53 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 00:03:56 Session Pending Session pending (2026-06-28) 00:03:58 Session Initiating Session initiating (2026-06-28) 00:04:20   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera connected (Set point -10°C) 00:04:23   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.47) 00:06:27   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (PlanID: 1237) 00:07:10   Telescope Connected Telescope connected (TheSky6) 00:07:35 Session Equilibration Session ready to Open Dome 00:08:20   Dome Opened Dome opened (Opening time 45s, Zigbee 40s) 00:08:26   Equilibration Started Dome Equilibration started 00:08:28   Equilibration Ended Dome Equilibration ended (0.0 mins total) 00:08:30 Session Running Session running 00:08:32   Queue Started Observing Queue started (7 targets selected) 00:08:36     Target Started (NrZen) Target started (Focus Field 17, HIP 83575) 00:08:47       Dome Unparked Dome unparked 00:14:01       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:16:19       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1, wide) 00:18:18       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1) 00:18:27       Focusing Started-Foc2 Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 00:20:19       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2, wide) 00:22:03       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2) 00:22:25     Target Completed (NrZen) Target completed (Focus Field 17, HIP 83575) 00:25:51     Target Started (1/7) Target started (1/7, GCVS AM Her) 00:30:02       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:32:19       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 3) 00:37:44     Target Completed Target completed (1/7, GCVS AM Her) 00:37:48     Target Started (2/7) Target started (2/7, GCVS CY Lyr) 00:41:24       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:43:39       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 4) 00:47:26     Target Completed Target completed (2/7, GCVS CY Lyr) 00:47:50     Target Started (3/7) Target started (3/7, AT2026iul (CV)) 00:51:29       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:53:51       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 5) 00:59:51     Target Completed Target completed (3/7, AT2026iul (CV)) 01:00:10     Target Started (4/7) Target started (4/7, GCVS BL Lac) 01:03:24       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:05:32       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 6) 01:09:37     Target Completed Target completed (4/7, GCVS BL Lac) 01:10:28     Target Started (5/7) Target started (5/7, IC 5191 w/SN2026myp) 01:14:44       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:17:05       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 7) 01:33:53     Target Completed Target completed (5/7, IC 5191 w/SN2026myp) 01:33:57     Target Started (6/7) Target started (6/7, GCVS CI Cyg) 01:37:16       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:39:34       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 8) 01:42:46     Target Completed Target completed (6/7, GCVS CI Cyg) 01:43:11     Target Started (7/7) Target started (7/7, AT2026juw (CV)) 01:46:32       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:48:52       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 9) 01:54:51     Target Completed Target completed (7/7, AT2026juw (CV)) 01:54:53   Queue Completed Job Queue completed 01:54:56 Session Closing Session closing 01:55:43   Dome Closed Dome closed (Closing time 50s, Zigbee 43s) 01:56:26   Dome Parked Dome parked (parking time 32s), Az: 90.0 deg 01:57:18   Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 42s total) 01:57:42   Telescope State Handbox reads 'Scope parked Turn scope off.' 01:58:38   Telescope Switched Off Telescope Power has been switched off via UPB Switch. 02:00:01   Services Stopped Night Services stopped 02:00:04 Session Finishing Session Finishing started (Create Fits Summary, Transfer Files) 02:00:26     Dome (Find Park) Find Park started (Search Az 88.0 to 92.0°, Step 0.2°, Narrow) 02:01:12     Dome Find Park found (Best Park Az 90.2°) 02:01:18     Dome Dome has been synced at park position (Az 90.0°, Adjustment: -0.2°) 02:01:20   Dome Parked Dome parked 02:04:19   Dome Charging Dome is parked and well charged (98%, 15.0v) 02:04:21 Session Finished Session Finished

Session Alerts & Alarms

Time     Type       Name Detail 02:04:19 Yellow Alert Dome Charging Dome is parked and well charged (98%, 15.0v)

Back to Top

Operational Issues (2026-06-28 S1436)

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

[ Prev | Next ]

Critical Issues

• None

Major Issues

• None

Minor Issues

• AstroNorthCam's Rolling Keogram is not showing any Image Lines. Whilst labelling shows that the Rolling Keogram is progressing the keogram box is empt of any lines from the Camera Image.   This is likely due in some way to recent changes in AstroNorthCam that have included the changed from 612 px high to 436 pixels high images. Day and night keograms are showing image lines though they can suffer with regular missing (black) lines. Fixed in AstroNorthCam 1.9.8.
  Fixed 2026-07-01 (AstroNorthCam 1.9.8)
   
• AstroNorthCam's Day and Night Keogram's are showing regular missing (black) lines.  Whilst Day and Night Keograms are generally working and can go for periods with complete data coverage, the will then regress into a pattern where there are regular missing lines, marked in the keogram by black unassigned strips (see Fig 1). This is likely due in some way to recent changes in AstroNorthCam that have included the inclusion of metaframe processing (higher CPU demand) a change from 612 px high to 436 pixels high images and the assignment of processed images to specific 15s time windows, instead of approximate 15s windows.  Extra Tracking has been added to AstroNorthCam 1.9.7 to help diagnose the issue. Fixed in AstroNorthCam 1.9.8.
  Fixed 2026-07-01 (AstroNorthCam 1.9.8)
   
• CCD Images of IC 5191 showing black horizontal lines. At least 3 out of 5 images (180s exposures) of IC 5191 showed darkened horizontal lines/bands across the images (See Fig 2). All the images should bad guiding and were not usable. Closed after review.
  Closed 2026-07-10 (Session, SBIG Camera)
  
  North View - {0:G}

Small Defects

• None

Continuous Improvement

• None

[ Prev | Next ]

Back to Top Issue,  Back to Top

[ Prev | Next ]

Back to Top Issue,  Back to Top