David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 1445 (2026-08-24)

Notes (S1444)

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Notes (S1445)

	Session Aims & Highlights
	- Observing Result  - Night Summary Plot  - Session Event Log
	Operational Issues
	- Critical Issues (0),  Major Issues (0),  Minor Issues (1),  Small Defects (2),  Continuous Improvement (1)
	- Figures (0)
	Images from 2026-08-24  >>
	AstroNorthCam - New Multi-Channel Frame Viewer
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Session Aims & Highlights (2026-08-24)

Main aims

1. Targets.  Acquire images of a selection of variable stars, nearby stars, comets & deep sky targets as allowed by sky conditions.
2. AstroMain. Check new AstroMain xx.xx  version for any issues or problems following introduction of a number of changes.

 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 3.83.8, AstroPlan 1.47.1, AstroShCap 1.3.23, AstroGuard 1.13.2
  AstroMag 1.5.12, AstroVOE 2.0.1, AstroSN 1.16.1, AstroProtect 1.7, AstroMove 1.18.2
  AstroAllSky 3.28.1, AstroWeather 1.30.4, AstroObsCam 1.14, AstroNorthCam 1.11.1, AstroLaunch 1.14.9

Highlights

• Targets. 12/18 planned targets were completed with 1 target partially completely. Other targets failed due to cloud/fog and session suspension
•  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 21:07:15 Session Monitoring AutoStart monitoring for Live Session opportunity between 21:25 & 04:15 21:07:18   AutoStart Waiting AutoStart waiting till earliest start time at 21:25 21:26:20 Session AutoStarting Session autostarting (21:26) 21:26:27 Session Created Session Created (Live, 2026-08-24 S01445) 21:26:29   CCDSoft Restarting CCDSoft being restarted (to set AutoSave No.) 21:26:50   Scope Switched On Telescope Power has been switched on via UPB Switch 21:28:37   Services Started Observatory Services started 21:28:48 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 21:28:51 Session Pending Session pending (2026-08-24) 21:28:53 Session Initiating Session initiating (2026-08-24) 21:29:14   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera connected (Set point -10°C) 21:29:18   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.47.1) 21:30:39   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (PlanID: 1246) 21:31:19   Telescope Connected Telescope connected (TheSky6) 21:31:44 Session Equilibration Session ready to Open Dome 21:32:29   Dome Opened Dome opened (Opening time 45s, Zigbee 39s) 21:32:31   Equilibration Started Dome Equilibration started 21:32:33   Equilibration Ended Dome Equilibration ended (0.0 mins total) 21:32:35 Session Running Session running 21:32:37   Queue Started Observing Queue started (18 targets selected) 21:32:40     Target Started (NrZen) Target started (Focus Field 19, HIP 93376) 21:32:48       Dome Unparked Dome unparked 21:36:45       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 21:38:58       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1, wide) 21:40:55       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1) 21:41:23       Focusing Started-Foc2 Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 21:43:30       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2, wide) 21:45:15       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2) 21:45:36     Target Completed (NrZen) Target completed (Focus Field 19, HIP 93376) 22:00:31     Target Started (1/18) Target started (1/18, GCVS CY Lyr) 22:05:00       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:07:06       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 3) 22:11:09     Target Completed Target completed (1/18, GCVS CY Lyr) 22:11:14     Target Started (2/18) Target started (2/18, AT2025lc (CV)) 22:15:05       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is lost (TCF-LSI) 22:21:08     Target Completed Target completed (2/18, AT2025lc (CV)) 22:23:09     Target Started (3/18) Target started (3/18, T CrB) 22:27:21       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:29:48       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 4) 22:33:55     Target Completed Target completed (3/18, T CrB) 22:33:59     Target Started (4/18) Target started (4/18, GCVS AM Her) 22:37:32       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:39:56       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 5) 22:44:47     Target Completed Target completed (4/18, GCVS AM Her) 22:45:46     Target Started (5/18) Target started (5/18, UGC 11058 w/SN2026ewd) 22:49:30       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:51:41       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 6) 23:07:41     Target Completed Target completed (5/18, UGC 11058 w/SN2026ewd) 23:08:06     Target Started (6/18) Target started (6/18, AT2026lcz) 23:11:28       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 23:14:01       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 7) 23:30:04     Target Completed Target completed (6/18, AT2026lcz) 23:30:26     Target Started (7/18) Target started (7/18, AT2026iul (CV)) 23:34:03       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 23:36:21       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 8) 23:42:21     Target Completed Target completed (7/18, AT2026iul (CV)) 23:42:47     Target Started (8/18) Target started (8/18, IC 5191 w/SN2026myp) 23:46:26       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 23:48:42       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 9) 00:04:45     Target Completed Target completed (8/18, IC 5191 w/SN2026myp) 00:05:06     Target Started (9/18) Target started (9/18, M31 w/AT2026jnl) 00:08:40       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:11:54       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 10) 00:28:11     Target Completed Target completed (9/18, M31 w/AT2026jnl) 00:28:15     Target Started (10/18) Target started (10/18, LEDA 214810 w/SN2026lda) 00:32:34       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:35:16       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 11) 00:51:32     Target Completed Target completed (10/18, LEDA 214810 w/SN2026lda) 00:51:37     Target Started (11/18) Target started (11/18, GCVS CI Cyg) 01:00:11     Target Completed Target completed (11/18, GCVS CI Cyg) 01:00:15     Target Started (12/18) Target started (12/18, GCVS BL Lac) 01:03:38       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:06:09       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 12) 01:10:14     Target Completed Target completed (12/18, GCVS BL Lac) 01:10:18     Target Started (13/18) Target started (13/18, NGC 7293). Using SharpCap 01:13:19       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-LSI) 01:46:54   Critical Cloud Alert Critical Cloud Alert (Obs.Manager will close the Dome) 01:46:56   HardSuspend Called Hard Suspend called due to Critical Conditions (cloud) 01:47:43       Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera connected (Set point -15°C) 01:47:46     Target Aborted (13/18) Target aborted (13/18, NGC 7293) due to cloud 01:47:48   Queue Paused Queue paused for Session Suspension 01:47:50 Session Suspending Session suspending 01:48:35   Dome Closed Dome closed (Closing time 50s, Zigbee 43s) 01:48:38 Session Suspended Session suspended 02:07:23     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (13/18, NGC 7293) due to cloud 02:34:55     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (14/18, NGC 7741) due to cloud 02:57:15     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (15/18, UGC 12856) due to cloud 03:19:35     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (16/18, NGC 470) due to cloud 03:34:47     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (17/18, Gliese 65) due to cloud 04:04:52     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (18/18, AT2026eva) due to cloud 04:04:56   Queue Completed Job Queue completed 04:04:58 Session Closing Session closing 04:05:00   Dome Closed Dome already closed (closed at 01:48, closing time 50s, zigbee 43s) 04:05:56   Dome Parked Dome parked (parking time 47s), Az: 90.0 deg 04:06:27   Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 28s total) 04:06:50   Telescope State Handbox reads 'Scope parked Turn scope off.' 04:07:47   Telescope Switched Off Telescope Power has been switched off via UPB Switch. 04:09:10   Services Stopped Night Services stopped 04:09:13 Session Finishing Session Finishing started (Create Fits Summary, Transfer Files) 04:09:35     Dome (Find Park) Find Park started (Search Az 80.0 to 100.0°, Step 1.0°, Wide) 04:10:45     Dome Find Park found (Best Park Az 100.0°) 04:10:49     Dome (Find Park) Find Park started (Search Az 98.0 to 102.0°, Step 0.2°, Narrow) 04:11:31     Dome Find Park found (Best Park Az 100.2°) 04:11:37     Dome Dome has been synced at park position (Az 90.0°, Adjustment: -10.2°) 04:11:39   Dome Parked Dome parked 04:14:43   Dome Charging Dome is parked and well charged (98%, 15.0v) 04:14:45 Session Finished Session Finished

Session Alerts & Alarms

Time     Type       Name Detail 04:14:43 Yellow Alert Dome Charging Dome is parked and well charged (98%, 15.0v)

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Operational Issues (2026-08-24 S1445)

• Critical Issues (0)
• Major Issues (0)
• Minor Issues (1)
• Small Defects (2)
• Continuous Improvement (0)
• Figures (0)
  

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Critical Issues

• None

Major Issues

• None

Minor Issues

• The AllSky Camera hemisphere was very badly dewed up during the S1445 session and was unable to provide useful star counts.  The AllSky Star count is an important input to AstroMain's ObsManager and the safe operation of the Observatory. During the session ObsManager had to reply on Clarity data alone. This has been an ongoing occassional issue, but seems to be worse recently.  Need to check if the heater in AllSky Camera is working - check by feel and by amount of current draw when heater is on.
  To fix  2026-08-25 (Session, AllSky Camera, Observatory)

Small Defects

• A number of Astrometric Analyses of image are failing with message "Undescribed error.  Error code = 206 (ce).  This error type is coming from either TheSky6 or CCDSoft, it occurs for each component star or checkstar. Example during Groombridge 34 analysis of folder from sesssion 2007-03-12 S00182 the error was encounted on frames1/7 (#182076), 4/7 (#182079), 5/7 (#182080, 6/7 (182081), whilst analysis was successful on images 3/7, 7/7. Image 2/7 didn't link. To run in debugger and see exactly what call was being made to CCDSoft..
  To fix  2026-08-14 (AllSky Camera)
   
•  Astrometric Analyses of Groombridge held up due to dialog informing that a folder was empty. During astrometric analysis of all Groombridge 34 folders on Archived Session drive, the operation was held up when a dialog box was put up informing of an empty folder and asking user to acknowledge.   This held up the analysis until user came back to computer, and acknowledged the dialog.  The Analysis routine should not use a blocking dialog, but use one that continues after a set interval of time. To fix. .
  To fix  2026-08-25+ (AstroMain 3.83.9+)

Continuous Improvement

• Develop a means to suppress TheSky6 / CCDSoft 'Progress' dialogs from appearing when running Folder Analysis involving Image Linking.  When running Folder Analysis, such as required by Astrometric Analysis, the computer cannot be used for all practical purposes at 'Progress' dialogs capture mouse/keypad focus, taking it away from another application window or window explorer were work would like to be done. Copilot suggest creating C++ CBT Hook DLL - SkyDialogSuppressor.dll  (requires installing 'Desktop development with C++' in Visual Studio.  See bottom of Astrometry.db module for notes.
  To do  2026-08-25+ (VisualStudio C++, AstroMain 3.83.9+)

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