David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 643 (2018-12-23)

Notes (S642)

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Notes (S644)

	Session Aims & Highlights
	- Observing Result  - Night Summary Plot
	Operational Issues
	- Critical Issues (0),  Major Issues (0),  Minor Issues (3),  Continuous Improvement (0)
	Images from 2018-12-23  >>

Session Aims & Highlights (2018-12-23)

Main aims

1. Targets. Acquire images of a range of targets (comets, variable stars, nearby stars and deep sky objects)
2. Software. Test operation of Observatory Control Program (AstroMain)  following several recent code changes and corrections.
3. Stability. Check overall stability of the Observatory System (hardware & software)

Equipment & Software

•  12" LX200 and ST-10XME
•  80mm APO and ZWO ASI 178MC
•  CCDApp2, TheSky6, CCDSoft5, PHD2,  POTH Hub
•  Pegasus UPB & Motor Focus, TCF-S
•  AstroMain 3.5.10, AstroPlan 1.4.2

Highlights

• Images.   Images from a number of targets were successfully acquired
• Identified and fixed the bug which was stopping PHD2 GuideStats being written out to the (Guide).dat file for each frame and for the overall target
• New code in AstroPlan to automatically fetch the constellation in which a target sits (based on Ra Dec coordinates) is now working
• Session observations are now being correctly saved in database following recent bug fix

Summary Plots & Logs

Observing Plan (2018-12-23, S643)

Observing Result (2018-12-23, S643)

Night Sky Summary Plot - 2018-12-23 Top axis: Sky Brightness at Zenith (in ADU/s) Lefthand axis: Local Time (hh LT). Righthand axis: Sun Altitude (degs) Shutter/Telescope active from ~ 22:00 to ~ 01:30

Time   Activity 17:13 Operations Started 17:22   Observatory Manager set to auto 17:24   Observing Plan built  (Plan Start Time 17:30) 17:24   Shutter Opened (45s),  Dome Equilbration started 17:28   Job queue started 17:30   AstroMain Hung / PHD2 Connection Issue 17:35 AstroMain resumed 17:37   Job queue started (10min wait to start CY Lyr,  Queue Aborted) 17:37   Foc1 Focusing (TCF-S) 17:41   Foc1 Focusing (TCF-S) 17:45   Job queue restarted 17:46   AstroMain Hung  (x2) , Computer restarted 18:05   Job Queue restarted 19:00   Queue stopped. Installed bug fixed version of AstroMain 19:02   Job Queue restarted 19:59   Obs. Manager closed Shutter due to critical cloud conditions (44s) and suspended session 20:01   Obs. Manager reopened Shutter (conditions improved, 45s) 20:02   Job Queue resumed 20:15   Obs. Manager closed Shutter due to critical cloud conditions (4s) 20:32   Obs. Manager reopened Shutter (conditions improved, 5s) 20:40   Multiple Messages from Obs. Manager that it will Close Shutter ( due to critical cloud conditions (4s) 20:42   Obs.Manager set to manual, Queue Stopped 20:42   Closed Shutter (manual, via AstroMain,5s)  20:43.   Parked Scope, Parked Dome 21:05.   Stopped Operations        22:16   Correctly Closed Shutter (manual, via POTH.Hub window)

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Operational Issues (2018-12-23, S643)

• Critical Issues (0)
• Major Issues (0)
• Minor issues (3)
• Continuous Improvement (0)

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Critical Issues

• None

Major Issues

• None

Minor issues

• Frost slugs/condensation starting to appear at the corners/sides of the CCD Image
  (recent high humidity levels with possibility of water drop from rooof interior dropping onto SBIG camera / imaging train.
    Fixed 2018-12-28 (CCD Desicator renewed in oven and inserted back into CCD Camara ahead of session S645)
   
• AstroMain not properly connected to Dome / SavePOTH . Obs.Viewer display window showing the Dome as being disconnected with no shutter position/status, whilst the Observatory Tab on main Window showed Shutter Status & Dome Azmiuth as normal.   Issue occurred because the Set-Up POTH facility had been accessed and then not closed using the 'Save POTH' button before 'Start Services' had been run.  The problem was fixed at the time by Save POTH, and then disconnecting / reconnecting POTH services. Look at possibility of having the code automatically perform the 'Save POTH' function if Start Services is activated.
  User Awareness
   
• Weather Station data is intermittenly getting lost for period of between 2 minutes and 3 hours  e.g. 2018-12-23 17:36 to 18:50.
  Examing the VWS data file 'dbase.csv' shows that missing data relates to wind speed & wind gust only, other data (temperature, humidity etc is present and normal.  AstroWeather code is possibly setting entire Weather Station record as being invalid.
  (Review of code shows that exception is occuring in GetWeatherData routine in AstroAllSky which is believed to be associated with calculation of AvWindSpeed whereby  a SumX and SumY are both divided by Sum of WindSpeed values where Wind Speed values are all zero).
  Fixed 2018-12-27 (AstroAllSky Code modified)

Continuous Improvement

• None

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