David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 1450 (2026-09-08)

Notes (S1449)

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Notes (S1451)

	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 (2)
	- Figures (0)
	Images from 2026-09-08  >>

Session Aims & Highlights (2026-09-08)

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 3.83.10, 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 1.18.3
  AstroAllSky 3.28.4, AstroWeather 1.30.4, AstroObsCam 1.14, AstroNorthCam 1.12.18, AstroLaunch 1.14.9

Highlights

• Targets. 3/18 planned targets were completed with 4 targets partially completely. Other targets failed due to wind, cloud / 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 22:55:53 Session Monitoring AutoStart monitoring for Live Session opportunity between 22:55 & 04:53 22:55:55 Session AutoStarting Session autostarting (22:55) 22:56:01 Session Created Session Created (Live, 2026-09-08 S01450) 22:56:03   CCDSoft Restarting CCDSoft being restarted (to set AutoSave No.) 22:56:25   Scope Switched On Telescope Power has been switched on via UPB Switch 22:58:12   Services Started Observatory Services started 22:58:22 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 22:58:25 Session Pending Session pending (2026-09-08) 22:58:27 Session Initiating Session initiating (2026-09-08) 22:58:49   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera connected (Set point -10°C) 22:58:52   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.47.1) 22:59:35   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (PlanID: 1251) 23:00:14   Telescope Connected Telescope connected (TheSky6) 23:00:38 Session Equilibration Session ready to Open Dome 23:01:24   Dome Opened Dome opened (Opening time 45s, Zigbee 39s) 23:01:26 Session Running Session running 23:01:28   Queue Started Observing Queue started (18 targets selected) 23:01:35     Target Started (NrZen) Target started (Focus Field 21, HIP 103850) 23:01:49       Dome Unparked Dome unparked 23:04:57       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 23:07:27       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1, wide) 23:09:38       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1) 23:09:45       Focusing Started-Foc2 Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 23:11:45       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2, wide) 23:13:35       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2) 23:13:57     Target Completed (NrZen) Target completed (Focus Field 21, HIP 103850) 23:15:20     Target Started (1/18) Target started (1/18, GCVS CI Cyg) 23:18:35   Critical Cloud Alert Critical Cloud Alert (Obs.Manager will close the Dome) 23:18:37   HardSuspend Called Hard Suspend called due to Critical Conditions (cloud) 23:18:39     Target Aborted (1/18) Target aborted (1/18, GCVS CI Cyg) due to cloud 23:18:41   Queue Paused Queue paused for Session Suspension 23:18:43 Session Suspending Session suspending 23:19:30   Dome Closed Dome closed (Closing time 49s, Zigbee 42s) 23:19:33 Session Suspended Session suspended 23:25:24     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (1/18, GCVS CI Cyg) due to wind 00:22:59     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (2/18, NGC 7293) due to wind 00:44:19     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (3/18, NGC 7331 w/SN2026aaiv) due to wind 00:46:29 Session Resuming Session resuming 00:47:14   Dome Opened Dome opened (Opening time 45s, Zigbee 40s) 00:47:16 Session Running Session running 00:47:18   Queue Resumed Observing Queue resumed 00:47:21     Target Started (4/18) Target started (4/18, Nova Aql 2026 (Nova)) 00:52:36       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-LSI) 01:03:00   Critical Cloud Alert Critical Cloud Alert (Obs.Manager will close the Dome) 01:03:02   HardSuspend Called Hard Suspend called due to Critical Conditions (cloud) 01:03:04     Target Aborted (4/18) Target aborted (4/18, Nova Aql 2026 (Nova)) due to cloud 01:03:06   Queue Paused Queue paused for Session Suspension 01:03:08 Session Suspending Session suspending 01:03:55   Dome Closed Dome closed (Closing time 50s, Zigbee 43s) 01:03:58 Session Suspended Session suspended 01:06:27     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (4/18, Nova Aql 2026 (Nova)) due to cloud 01:17:15     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (5/18, GCVS BL Lac) due to cloud 01:37:15     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (6/18, M31 w/AT2026vdo) due to cloud 01:53:30 Session Resuming Session resuming 01:54:15   Dome Opened Dome opened (Opening time 45s, Zigbee 40s) 01:54:17 Session Running Session running 01:54:19   Queue Resumed Observing Queue resumed 01:54:22     Target Started (7/18) Target started (7/18, M31 w/AT2026aabo) 02:04:30     Target Completed Target partially completed (7/18, M31 w/AT2026aabo) 02:04:34     Target Started (8/18) Target started (8/18, GCVS DY Per) 02:07:21   Critical Cloud Alert Critical Cloud Alert (Obs.Manager will close the Dome) 02:07:23   HardSuspend Called Hard Suspend called due to Critical Conditions (cloud) 02:07:32     Target Aborted (8/18) Target aborted (8/18, GCVS DY Per) due to cloud 02:07:34   Queue Paused Queue paused for Session Suspension 02:07:36 Session Suspending Session suspending 02:08:26   Dome Closed Dome closed (Closing time 50s, Zigbee 43s) 02:08:28 Session Suspended Session suspended 02:10:31 Session Resuming Session resuming 02:11:16   Dome Opened Dome opened (Opening time 45s, Zigbee 40s) 02:11:19 Session Running Session running 02:11:21   Queue Resumed Observing Queue resumed 02:11:23     Target Started (8/18) Target started (8/18, GCVS DY Per) 02:16:49     Target Completed Target completed (8/18, GCVS DY Per) 02:16:53     Target Started (9/18) Target started (9/18, AT2026yvx) 02:28:08   Critical Cloud Alert Critical Cloud Alert (Obs.Manager will close the Dome) 02:28:10   HardSuspend Called Hard Suspend called due to Critical Conditions (cloud) 02:28:12     Target Aborted (9/18) Target aborted (9/18, AT2026yvx) due to cloud 02:28:14   Queue Paused Queue paused for Session Suspension 02:28:16 Session Suspending Session suspending 02:29:03   Dome Closed Dome closed (Closing time 50s, Zigbee 43s) 02:29:05 Session Suspended Session suspended 02:32:20     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (9/18, AT2026yvx) due to cloud 02:54:41     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (10/18, SHK 31) due to cloud 03:09:52     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (11/18, Gliese 65) due to cloud 03:22:50     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (12/18, GSC 1224:29) due to cloud 03:42:05     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (13/18, AT2026yvy) due to cloud 03:58:37     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (14/18, C/2022 N2 (PANSTARRS)) due to cloud 04:05:27 Session Resuming Session resuming 04:06:12   Dome Opened Dome opened (Opening time 45s, Zigbee 40s) 04:06:14 Session Running Session running 04:06:16   Queue Resumed Observing Queue resumed 04:06:19     Target Started (15/18) Target started (15/18, UGC 4424 w/AT2026aaee) 04:17:07   Critical Cloud Alert Critical Cloud Alert (Obs.Manager will close the Dome) 04:17:09   HardSuspend Called Hard Suspend called due to Critical Conditions (cloud) 04:17:12     Target Aborted (15/18) Target aborted (15/18, UGC 4424 w/AT2026aaee) due to cloud 04:17:14   Queue Paused Queue paused for Session Suspension 04:17:16 Session Suspending Session suspending 04:18:03   Dome Closed Dome closed (Closing time 50s, Zigbee 43s) 04:18:06 Session Suspended Session suspended 04:18:57     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (15/18, UGC 4424 w/AT2026aaee) due to cloud 04:20:08 Session Resuming Session resuming 04:20:53   Dome Opened Dome opened (Opening time 45s, Zigbee 40s) 04:20:56 Session Running Session running 04:20:58   Queue Resumed Observing Queue resumed 04:21:00     Target Started (16/18) Target started (16/18, GCVS RZ LMi) 04:27:02       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is lost (TCF-LSI) 04:32:57     Target Completed Target completed (16/18, GCVS RZ LMi) 04:33:39     Target Started (17/18) Target started (17/18, GCVS GK Per) 04:35:19   Critical Cloud Alert Critical Cloud Alert (Obs.Manager will close the Dome) 04:35:21   HardSuspend Called Hard Suspend called due to Critical Conditions (cloud) 04:35:24     Target Aborted (17/18) Target aborted (17/18, GCVS GK Per) due to cloud 04:35:26   Queue Paused Queue paused for Session Suspension 04:35:28 Session Suspending Session suspending 04:36:15   Dome Closed Dome closed (Closing time 50s, Zigbee 43s) 04:36:17 Session Suspended Session suspended 04:43:01     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (17/18, GCVS GK Per) due to cloud 04:47:41 Session Resuming Session resuming 04:48:26   Dome Opened Dome opened (Opening time 45s, Zigbee 40s) 04:48:29 Session Running Session running 04:48:31   Queue Resumed Observing Queue resumed 04:48:33     Target Started (18/18) Target started (18/18, GCVS RR Tau) 04:57:08     Target Completed Target completed (18/18, GCVS RR Tau) 04:57:10   Queue Completed Job Queue completed 04:57:11 Session Closing Session closing 04:58:02   Dome Closed Dome closed (Closing time 49s, Zigbee 43s) 04:58:28   Dome Parked Dome parked (parking time 19s), Az: 90.0 deg 04:59:10   Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 37s total) 04:59:33   Telescope State Handbox reads 'Scope parked Turn scope off.' 05:00:30   Telescope Switched Off Telescope Power has been switched off via UPB Switch. 05:01:54   Services Stopped Night Services stopped 05:01:57 Session Finishing Session Finishing started (Create Fits Summary, Transfer Files) 05:02:19     Dome (Find Park) Find Park started (Search Az 88.0 to 92.0°, Step 0.2°, Narrow) 05:03:07     Dome Find Park found (Best Park Az 90.2°) 05:03:13     Dome Dome has been synced at park position (Az 90.0°, Adjustment: -0.2°) 05:03:15   Dome Parked Dome parked 05:06:17   Dome Charging Dome hasn't started re-charging after 3.1 minutes 05:06:19 Session Finished Session Finished

Session Alerts & Alarms

Time     Type       Name Detail 05:06:17 Yellow Alert Dome Charging Dome hasn't started re-charging after 3.1 minutes

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Operational Issues (2026-09-08 S1450)

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

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Critical Issues

• None

Major Issues

• None

Minor Issues

• The Observatory's LX200 telescope pointing needs to be realigned. Pointing error on the first slew of each session has been gradually increasing, and has now reached 13' (arc min) (See Fig 1). Whilst pointing correcting factors are calculated in-session and reduce the slew error on subsequent slews, the operation is not optimised and increases the risk of not achieving initial Near Zenith Focusing of the main and secondary telescope. Telescope alignment needs to be improved by performing a sync on star followed by a short mapping job at the beginning of the next session. Fixed in Session S1451 (2026-09-09) by performing Sync and Short Mapping Job. Automated Mapping couldn't be used due 'Access is denied' Errors which is the subject of a separate ticket (see more). The improvement in slewing performance is confirmed (See Fig 2).
   Fixed 2026-09-09 (Session, LX200)

Small Defects

• AstroNorthCam is not generating small Metadata .dat files for all Night Time Object Boxes. The generation of small Metadata .dat files was added to AstroNorthCam 1.12.17, and then these were utilised in ObjectsFrameViewer and ObjectPicsViewer in AstroNorthCam 1.12.18. Whilst reviewng ObjectPics from a set of satellite detections in window interval 2026-09-08 22:18:30, it was noticed that the only ObjectPics with available metadata where the final 4 boxes shown on the Objects Frame, 7 boxes which were merged to form 2 Temporal Merged Boxes didn't have any Metadata file. Fixed in AstroNorthCam 1.12.20 using a modified version of the ApplyTemporalObjectGrouping() routine.
   Fixed 2026-09-09 (AstroNorthCam 1.12.20)
   
• Error Logfile contains several red coloured lines with message "Camera not restarted. bHardSuspend or JobAbort flag is raised" (23:18, 01:03, 02:28, 04:17).  When an image is aborted due to a HardSuspend (and there were several such events in the S1450 session) a couple of TakeImageAsync ''(fail)' lines are written to the log file with the messages "TakeImage operation has been aborted" and "Image not acquired" and these are highlighed in the Session's .htm Error Log. These are appropriate, but they are typically followed by a further '(fail)' line with the message "Camera not restarted. bHardSuspend or JobAbort flag is raised)" which also gets highlighted as a red coloured line in the Session's Error Log.  This third line is not appropriate or necessary. There is probably no evidence to indicate that the camera does actually need to restarted.  At most the line should be given a '(warn)' qualifier making an orange line in the Session's Error Log.   But where a ImageAsync has been aborted it is probably not even required at all.  A flag should be used to convey the status of the failure. Fixed in AstroMain 3.83.11- The "Camera not restarted. bHardSuspend or JobAbort flag is raised)" message is removed.
   Fixed 2026-09-09 (AstroMain 3.83.11)

Continuous Improvement

• Extend the content of the small Metadata .dat file generated for each NorthCam Object Detection. A small data file containing object information (Metadata) associated with each ObjectBox was added to AstroNorthCam 1.12.17 and then these were utilised in ObjectsFrameViewer and ObjectPicsViewer forms in AstroNorthCam 1.12.18. It is proposed to extend the content of the Metadata file with properties collected during Blob/Object Confirmation. This requires increasing the number of fields in TObjectBox and ObjectPicInfo classes, adding code to populate them/retrieve them, modifications to GroupDayObjects(), GroupNightObjects() and ApplyTemporalObjectGrouping() routines, modifications to BuildObjectLists and modifications to ObjectPicViewer form in order to display the new fields   Implemented in AstroNorthCam 1.12.21 / 1.12.25
   Done 2026-09-10 (AstroNorthCam 1.12.21 / 1.12.25)
   
• Add a green 'All-Clear' alert when charging finally starts following an earlier Yellow 'Dome Charging' alert.  The final Dome Charging alert  from the S1450 session was a yellow alert with the message "Dome hasn't started re-charging after 3.1 minutes".  Whilst this is not normally an issue and charging does eventually start, it would be useful if a green alert could be retrospectively added to the Session Alerts table and Local Alerts table when charging does resume. This likely requires a custom database update as it would involve saving a Session Alert from a General Session.  There would need to be a flag to indicate an Active Dome Charging Alert', the time of the last Park, and the last Session ID. Implemented in AstroMain 3.83.11 using new Flag bDomeChargingOnAlert and DomeChargingAlertSessionID variables set in ObsManager.handleFinishingStage7(), a new Overseer routine 'DoOversee_FollowUpDomeChargingAlert()', and addition of a new Optional SpecificSessionID parameter to StoreSessionEvent() routine. An updated Session Table may not be automatically generated but will be available when sessions final html reports are generated from AstroPlan/Session form.   First session using new code ended with a yellow Dome Charging alert with the message "Dome is parked and well charged (98%, 15.0v)". This should have triggered the steps leading to a green alert being raised by ObsOverseer, but no All-Clear was produced. Testing examination of code showed that Overseer  DoOversee_CheckDomeCharging() is calling StoreSessionEvent() when it should be calling a StoreSessionAlert routine.  Fixed in AstroMain 3.83.12, using the command:
   StoreSessionAlert2(DateTime.UtcNow, True, "Dome Charging", 2, FlagState.Green, S, 0, DomeChargingAlertSessionID)  .
   Done 2026-09-10 (AstroMain 3.83.12)

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