David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 656 (2019-02-02)

Notes (S655)

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Notes (S657)

	Session Aims & Highlights
	- Observing Result  - Session Event Log  - Night Summary Plot
	Operational Issues
	- Critical Issues (3),  Major Issues (1),  Minor Issues (2),  Continuous Improvement (6)
	Autofocussing - FWHM & HFD Profiles
	Images from 2019-02-02  >>
	Aurora Images/Video from 2019-02-02 >>

Session Aims & Highlights (2019-02-02)

Main aims

1. Targets. Acquire images of a range of targets (comets, variable stars, nearby stars and deep sky objects) during a night of expected good weather condition
2. Software. Test AstroMain 3.8.6 program to confirm recent fixes & enhancements are working and check for any newly introduced issues
   
3. Stability. Continue confirmation of robust Observatory System (hardware & software combined)

 
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 3.8.6 AstroPlan 1.6.2

Highlights

• Images.  35 targets out of 65 targets on the night's observing plan were successfully imaged  (a further 4 were partially imaged)

Lowlights

• An unexpected / unhandled dome closure at 01:55 and a computer crash/reboot at 03:47 caused the lost of  4.5 hours of potential observing time.

Summary Plots & Logs

Observing Plan (2019-02-02, S656)

Observing Result (2019-02-02, S656)

Night Sky Summary Plot - 2019-02-02, S656 Top axis: Sky Brightness at Zenith (in ADU/s) Lefthand axis: Local Time (hh LT). Righthand axis: Sun Altitude (degs)

Session Event Log (2019-02-02, S656)

Time     Event Detail 18:02:15 Session Created Live Session Created (2019-02-02 S00656, ImageSaveNum: 656001) 18:04:16   Obs.Manager Started Obs.Manager started 18:04:23   Services Started Observatory Services started 18:05:34   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -30°C) 18:05:45   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 18:06:27 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 18:06:30 Session Pending Session pending (2019-02-02) 18:06:31   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan () 18:08:56   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (2019-02-02 V1 BEST PLAN, Plan ID: 267) 18:09:04   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -30°C) 18:09:06   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 18:09:55   Shutter Opened Shutter opened (opening time 46s) 18:09:56   Equilibration Started Dome Equilibration started 18:13:55   Equilibration Ended Dome Equilibration ended (4.0 mins total) 18:13:56   Queue Started Observing Queue started (35 targets selected) 18:13:57     Target Started (1/35) Target started (1/35, GCVS U And) 18:28:10     Target Completed Target partially completed (1/35, GCVS U And) 18:34:06     Target Aborted (2/35) Target aborted (2/35, NGC 201) due to other condition 18:54:10     Target Completed Target completed (3/36, UGC 2536) 19:00:23     Target Completed Target partially completed (5/36, WDS GRB 34) 19:14:38     Target Completed Target completed (6/36, NGC 524) 19:14:39     Target Started (7/36) Target started (7/36, GSC 1224:29) 19:21:27     Target Completed Target completed (7/36, GSC 1224:29) 19:22:01     Target Started (8/36) Target started (8/36, GCVS GK Per) 19:29:47     Target Completed Target completed (8/36, GCVS GK Per) 19:29:48     Target Started (9/36) Target started (9/36, GCVS DX Cnc) 19:38:13     Target Completed Target completed (9/36, GCVS DX Cnc) 19:39:44     Target Started (10/36) Target started (10/36, GCVS RX And) 19:47:58     Target Completed Target completed (10/36, GCVS RX And) 19:57:13     Target Completed Target completed (11/36, GCVS AM Her) 19:57:25     Target Started (12/36) Target started (12/36, 61 Cyg) 20:02:57     Target Completed Target completed (12/36, 61 Cyg) 20:04:29     Target Started (13/36) Target started (13/36, GCVS BL Lac) 20:12:43     Target Completed Target completed (13/36, GCVS BL Lac) 20:14:17     Target Started (14/36) Target started (14/36, GCVS EV Lac) 20:20:25     Target Completed Target completed (14/36, GCVS EV Lac) 20:22:17     Target Started (15/36) Target started (15/36, NGC 1513) 20:31:23     Target Completed Target completed (15/36, NGC 1513) 20:32:23     Target Started (16/36) Target started (16/36, GCVS CN Ori) 20:38:42     Target Completed Target completed (16/36, GCVS CN Ori) 20:40:44     Target Started (17/36) Target started (17/36, GCVS FO Ori) 20:50:07     Target Completed Target completed (17/36, GCVS FO Ori) 20:58:48     Target Completed Target completed (18/36, 38P/Stephan-Oterma) 20:58:58     Target Started (19/36) Target started (19/36, GCVS Z And) 21:07:43     Target Completed Target completed (19/36, GCVS Z And) 21:22:33     Target Completed Target completed (20/36, GCVS S Cyg) 21:31:06     Target Completed Target completed (21/36, NGC 2126) 21:51:43     Target Completed Target completed (22/36, NGC 2628) 22:00:17     Target Completed Target completed (23/36, GCVS SS Cyg) 22:05:36     Target Started (24/36) Target started (24/36, UGC 118) 22:25:20     Target Completed Target completed (24/36, UGC 118) 22:27:28     Target Started (25/36) Target started (25/36, GCVS NV Ori) 22:31:27       Focusing Started (Foc1) Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:34:17       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1) 22:39:28     Target Completed Target completed (25/36, GCVS NV Ori) 22:39:29     Target Started (26/36) Target started (26/36, GCVS RR Tau) 22:49:41     Target Completed Target completed (26/36, GCVS RR Tau) 22:49:42     Target Started (27/36) Target started (27/36, GCVS SU Tau) 22:57:31     Target Completed Target completed (27/36, GCVS SU Tau) 23:07:33     Target Completed Target completed (28/36, GCVS U Mon) 23:12:57     Target Completed Target completed (29/36, GCVS U Gem) 23:14:08     Target Started (30/36) Target started (30/36, GCVS ER UMa) 23:20:53     Target Completed Target completed (30/36, GCVS ER UMa) 23:23:56     Target Started (31/36) Target started (31/36, GCVS RZ LMi) 23:34:54     Target Completed Target completed (31/36, GCVS RZ LMi) 23:35:14     Target Started (32/36) Target started (32/36, GCVS SY Cnc) 23:40:58     Target Completed Target completed (32/36, GCVS SY Cnc) 23:44:23     Target Started (33/36) Target started (33/36, 46P/Wirtanen) 00:00:06     Target Completed Target completed (33/36, 46P/Wirtanen) 00:02:25     Target Started (34/36) Target started (34/36, GCVS FU Ori) 00:08:00     Target Completed Target completed (34/36, GCVS FU Ori) 00:09:55     Target Started (35/36) Target started (35/36, LAMOST-HVS1) 00:15:21     Target Completed Target completed (35/36, LAMOST-HVS1) 00:18:51     Target Started (36/36) Target started (36/36, GCVS CN Leo) 00:30:02     Target Completed Target completed (36/36, GCVS CN Leo) 00:30:03   Queue Completed Job Queue completed 00:30:04 Session Closing Session closing 00:30:59   Shutter Closed Shutter closed (closing time 50s) 00:33:20 Session Finished Session Finished 00:53:51 Session Resumed Live Session Resumed (2019-02-02 S00656, ImageSaveNum: 656364) 00:53:52   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -30°C) 00:54:37   Shutter Opened Shutter opened (opening time 45s) 00:54:38   Equilibration Started Dome Equilibration started 00:58:37   Equilibration Ended Dome Equilibration ended (4.0 mins total) 00:58:38   Queue Started Observing Queue started (30 targets selected) 00:58:39     Target Started (1/30) Target started (1/30, GCVS ER UMa) 01:05:13     Target Completed Target completed (1/30, GCVS ER UMa) 01:22:34     Target Completed Target completed (2/30, 46P/Wirtanen) 01:22:35     Target Started (3/30) Target started (3/30, GCVS DX Cnc) 01:29:58     Target Completed Target completed (3/30, GCVS DX Cnc) 01:31:57     Target Started (4/30) Target started (4/30, LAMOST-HVS1) 01:37:06     Target Completed Target completed (4/30, LAMOST-HVS1) 01:40:54     Target Started (5/30) Target started (5/30, NGC 2628) 01:55:00 Unexpected Dome Closure Dome Shutter unexpectedly closed (Session continued under a Closed Dome) 02:01:07     Target Completed Target completed (5/30, NGC 2628) 02:02:45     Target Started (6/30) Target started (6/30, GCVS U Gem) 02:09:11     Target Completed Target completed (6/30, GCVS U Gem) 02:11:48     Target Started (7/30) Target started (7/30, 38P/Stephan-Oterma) 02:20:35     Target Completed Target completed (7/30, 38P/Stephan-Oterma) 02:21:54     Target Started (8/30) Target started (8/30, GCVS RZ LMi) 02:30:54     Target Completed Target completed (8/30, GCVS RZ LMi) 02:33:12     Target Started (9/30) Target started (9/30, GCVS SY Cnc) 02:40:04     Target Completed Target completed (9/30, GCVS SY Cnc) 02:42:21     Target Started (10/30) Target started (10/30, GCVS CN Leo) 02:52:59     Target Completed Target completed (10/30, GCVS CN Leo) 02:54:43     Target Started (11/30) Target started (11/30, GCVS AM CVn) 03:01:17     Target Completed Target completed (11/30, GCVS AM CVn) 03:03:46     Target Started (12/30) Target started (12/30, IC 983) 03:23:19     Target Completed Target completed (12/30, IC 983) 03:25:38     Target Started (13/30) Target started (13/30, GCVS R CrB) 03:31:55     Target Completed Target completed (13/30, GCVS R CrB) 03:33:29     Target Started (14/30) Target started (14/30, NGC 6181) 03:47:00 Computer Crash Obs.Computer unexpectedly crashed & rebooted 03:48:00   Observatory Shutdown AstroProtect Parked Dome and Checked that Shutter was Closed 05:33:36 Session Resumed Live Session Resumed (2019-02-02 S00656, ImageSaveNum: 656527) 05:34:09   Obs.Manager Started Obs.Manager started 05:34:17   Services Started Observatory Services started 05:41:00 Session Closing Session Closing (Manual) 05:41:07   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 05:43:09   Telescope Parked Telescope parked 05:44:22   Services Stopped Observatory Services stopped 05:44:30 Session Finished Session Finished (Manual) 05:45:00 Program Closed Program closed by User

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Operational Issues (2019-02-02, S656)

• Critical Issues (3)
• Major Issues (1)
• Minor Issues (2)
• Continuous Improvement (6)

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Critical Issues

• Obs.Manager didn't respond when dome shutter unexpectedly closed at 01:55. Telescope and imgaing continued for 1.5hrs with the Dome closed. Sky conditions were clear at the time of the dome closure (Clarity 42 to 44) and good observing time was lost. The same issue was investigated after an earlier incident on S654 session  (see notes "Investigation - Session Suspension Issues, 2019-01-31").   The Obs.Manger needs to recognise the unexpected shutter closure and intervene after 1 minute to reopen the Shutter if conditons are safe or to properly suspend the session if they are not.
  Fixed 2019-02-03 (AstroMain 3.8.7.  Obs.Manger should now recognise the unexpected shutter closure and intervene appropriately)
   
• Computer unexpectedly rebooted itself during session at 03:47.   Computer crashed or otherwise decided to reboot itself improperly during unattended operation of the Observatory and prevented the normal full completion and shutdown of the session. Underlying reason for the issue continues to be unknown.  Event viewer records a Kernal-Power Type ID 41 critical event / BugCodeCheck 209 which notes that an unexpected roboot without a proper shutdown had occurred at around 03:47.  Upon auto-reboot of the computer the AstroProtect Program operated to check that the dome shutter was closed and to park the dome. Issue was recognised when attempting to checking the run remotely at 05:30 at which point the computer was logged into, and the telescope parked he computer (at 05:41 was positioned at Azim 134.6 , Alt 45.8 prior to parking).  The was during taking of images frames of NGC 6181.  Issue is difficult to address without new information.  Problem persisted through Q1 2019,  but reduced in occurance in Q2-Q3.  AstroProtect software was introduced 2019-02-06 to provide protection to the observatory in the event of a computer reboot.
    Monitor Issue for increase in frequency / patterns etc. Issue Closed (Nov 2020) as the problem eventually went away.
   
• Telescope continued tracking after unexpected reboot of observatory computer.  When computer crashed at 03:47 the telescope was operating at Azimuth 103°, Altitude 42°.  When Observatory was checked in early morning (05:30) the telescope had tracked to Azim 135° , Alt 46°.   If telescope had been at 340 deg when the crash occured the scope would have now been pointing past the north position where cable wrap /damage starts to become likely.
    Fixed 2019-02-06 (AstroProtect 1.2,  program extended to park the telescope in the event of a computer crash/reboot)
  

Major Issues

• Shutter unexpectedly closed itself at 01:55.  The Shutter unexpectedly closed at 01:55  whilst taking image frame 4 (of 5) for target NGC 2628.  There was no 'CloseShutter' command sent through the POTH.Dome.   Did the Relay or some glitch trigger the closure ?  Sky Conditions at the time were clear (Clarity 42 to 44). The same issue was investigated after an earlier incident on S654 session  (see notes "Investigation - Session Suspension Issues, 2019-01-31"). A new voltmeter was used to examine operation of Cloud Sensor Relay and response from Dome Controller.  (as a result wiring was reconfigured)
  Some remediation of the issue has been put into AstroMain 3.8.7, so that if conditions are clear the session will resume after a couple of minutes.
  Resolved 2019-02-06 (Relay delay was increased to 30s from 0s and this appears to have fixed the problem -  there were no incidents of the problem in sessions 2019-02-06 S659 and 2019-02-07 S660 that followed the change)
  
  Earlier the Shutter closed at 00:30:10 following a CloseShutter command from AstroMain / Obs.Manager during a full shutdown of the observatory following the completion of the night's first Observing Plan (an alternate instruction had accidently not been given).  A command to reopen the Shutter was made at 00:53:52 when the Session was re-continued with the night's second Observing Plan.

Minor issues

• Problem with 'planetary-k-index_2019-02-01.gif'  and 'swx-overview_2019-02-01.gif' saved by AstroAllSky at end of each night. Files not recognised as valid image files. Files only 1 KB in size.  Originals are
  'http://services.swpc.noaa.gov/images/planetary-k-index.gif' and
  http://services.swpc.noaa.gov/images/swx-overview-small.gif
    Fixed ( Problem was caused by the hosting site changing from 'http://services.swpc.noaa.gov' to 'https://services.swpc.noaa.gov' )
   
• Red/Yellow colour assigned to Flags 2 & 3 on the Session Events Form in AstroPlan are the wrong way around
    Resolved around 2019-02-08

Continuous Improvement

• Enable New Graph Features.   a) non-integer YAxis range e.g. 15.6 to 14.0  b) Y Axis labelling with decimal places,  e.g. 0.2  
  Done 2019-02-09 (AstroWeather 1.5.2)
   
• Enable New Graph Features.   c) a secondary Y Axis. Closed as no definate requirement found for secondary axis on graphs produced in AstroWeather. Secondary axis are available for graphs produced by AstroMain.
  Closed 2020-05-23
   
• Target Execution Reporting Changes.  Add Subtitles for Slewing,  Centering,  Focusing, Autoguiding,  Imaging
  Done 2019-02-03 (AstroMain 3.8.7)
   
• RA/Dec to be reported when Connecting to Telescope. After  Connecting TheSky6 to Telesscope the current Azimuth and Altitude of the scope are given, It would be useful to also report the RA/Dec coordinates. AstroMain /Connect Telescope Code has now been extended.
  Done  2019 (AstroMain)
    
• Connect to POTH should respect the checkbox for using POTH.Telescope service.
    Done 2019-02-10 (AstroMain 3.9.1)
   
• Fine tune HFD Focusing buy ignoring near-focus frames with Elongation > 1.6
    Closed 2020 (HFD focusing no longer considered important)

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