David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 670 (2019-02-27)

Notes (S669)

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Notes (S671)

	Session Aims & Highlights
	- Observing Result  - Night Summary Plot  - Session Event Log
	Operational Issues
	- Critical Issues (0),  Major Issues (3),  Minor Issues (2),  Continuous Improvement (5)
	Images from 2019-02-27  >>

Session Aims & Highlights (2019-02-27)

Main aims

1. Mixed Targets - Image selection of targets including Variable Stars, Comets and Deep Sky Targets
2. Software & Systems  - Check stability of software and presence of any side effects following ongoing enhancements to AstroMain and associated support programs.

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 3.9.5  AstroPlan 1.8.1

Highlights

• Azmiuth Checking shown to be now working corrrectly,  stopping a slew to target 6 (GCVS TV Cas) at 358.8°.

Lowlights

• Poor sky conditions

Summary Plots & Logs

Observing Plan (2019-02-27, S670)

Observing Result (2019-02-27, S670)

Night Sky Summary Plot - 2019-02-27, S670 Top axis: Sky Brightness at Zenith (in ADU/s) Lefthand axis: Local Time (hh LT). Righthand axis: Sun Altitude (degs)

Session Event Log (2019-02-27, S670)

Time   Event Detail 20:06 Session Created Live Session Created (2019-02-27 S00670, ImageSaveNum: 670001) 20:07 Obs.Manager Started Obs.Manager started 20:07 Services Started Observatory Services started 20:08 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 20:08 Session Pending Session pending (2019-02-27) 20:08 Session Initiating Session initiating (2019-02-27) 20:08   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan () 20:11   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (2019-02-27 V1 BEST PLAN, Plan ID: 298) 20:11   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -20°C) 20:11   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 20:12 Shutter Opened Shutter opened (opening time 45s) 20:12 Equilibration Started Dome Equilibration started 20:16 Equilibration Ended Dome Equilibration ended (4.0 mins total) 20:16 Session Running Session running 20:16   Queue Started Observing Queue started (21 targets selected) 20:16     Target Started (1/21) Target started (1/21, GCVS NV Ori) 20:24     Target Completed Target partially completed (1/21, GCVS NV Ori) 20:24     Target Started (2/21) Target started (2/21, NGC 2421) 20:32     Target Completed Target completed (2/21, NGC 2421) 20:32     Target Started (3/21) Target started (3/21, GCVS CN Ori) 20:35   Focusing Started (Foc1) Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 20:38   Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1) 20:41     Target Completed Target completed (3/21, GCVS CN Ori) 20:41     Target Started (4/21) Target started (4/21, 21P/Giacobini-Zinner) 20:44   Focusing Started (Foc1) Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 20:47     Target Aborted (4/21) Target aborted (4/21, 21P/Giacobini-Zinner) due to other condition 20:47     Target Started (5/22) Target started (5/22, NGC 3254 SN2019np) 21:14     Target Completed Target completed (5/22, NGC 3254 SN2019np) 21:14     Target Missed (6/22) Target Missed (6/22, NGC 2335) 21:14     Target Started (7/22) Target started (7/22, C/2018 Y1 (Iwamoto)) 21:16   Focusing Started (Foc1) Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 21:18   Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2) 21:26 Critical Cloud Alert Critical Cloud Alert (Obs.Manager will close the Shutter 21:26     Target Aborted (7/22) Target aborted (7/22, C/2018 Y1 (Iwamoto)) due to other condition 21:26 Session Suspended Session suspended 21:26 Critical Cloud Alert Critical Cloud Alert (Obs.Manager will close the Shutter 21:27 Shutter Closed Shutter closed (closing time 47s) 22:34 Dome Parked Dome parked (parking time 134s) 22:34   Dome Parked Dome parked 22:35 Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 40s) 22:36   Camera1 Disconnected SBIG Camera closed down & disconnected 22:36 Services Stopped Observatory Services stopped

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Operational Issues (2019-02-27, S670)

• Critical Issues (0)
• Major Issues (3)
  
• Minor Issues (2)
• Continuous Improvement (5)

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Critical Issues

• None

Major Issues

• Current Target wasn't aborted after importing of Priority 1 (do immediately) ToO . Although the ToO (NGC 3254 SN2019np) was  immediately imported and loaded to the Job Queue as Target 5.,  the current target (21P/Giacobini-Zinner) wasn't aborted . (command either not given or was not effective.   User had to manually use the Abort Target button.  This issue might be  a showstopper for required rapid reaction should the target have been a GRB. vestigate code to understand what could be causing this issue.
  ToO inserted into job queue by routine 'InsertToO'
   Resolved 2019-02-28.  The 21P/Giacobini-Zinner targeted wasn't aborted as it had a rank (priority) of 1.
  This doesn't prevent a GRB Alert (fast-react) target from aborting a rank 1 target.   Only another GRB (fast-react) target will prevent a GRB target from aborting it.
   
• PHD2 still guiding when shooting locate frames for ToO target . After current target (21P/Giacobini-Zinner) was manually aborted the next target (ToO  NGC 3254 SN2019np) was noticed to show inappropriate pulse like movement of stars in the second locate frame .  Normally the Autoguiding is turned off before the next slew.  Review shows that there is a code line 'Phd2.StopPHD2Guiding'  before a slew occurs  and the log files shows that this line was executed.  There is no issue with 1st or 3rd Locate Frame which make it more likely that the problem is some delay in or over correction in the jog that was still taking place when the 2nd locate frame was being imaged.   Log file timings don't really support this but who knows !  Review in Sep 2020 shows this are no longer problems of this type and the issue can therefore be closed.
    Closed 2020 (AstroMain)
   
• Staggered Star Traces on Images . Several 30s frames of Target 2 (NGC 2421) show staggered N/S, E/W star traces that are associated with an autoguiding problem.   Reviewing the logs shows that Autoguding failed to settle, due to repeated loss of the attempted guide star (low HFD) . Guide Stats for first two frames show a problem typified by a guide star with very low SNR (<15), with multiple lost guide star occurances  (>= 50% of guide frames) and large RMS error ( > 50")
    - rms error 62.0" 29.2" / 54.6", SNR: 13.8, Guide: 20% (Lost: 80%), N: 10
    - rms error 53.3" 25.2" / 47.0", SNR: 12.6, Guide: 50% (Lost: 50%), N: 8
  Guiding in the case produced far worse images than if guiding hadn't been used at all.
  >> SNR ratio of guide star need to be checked during settling phase and autoguiding abandoned if it is too low
  >> Guidestats need to be checked from each frame and if there is a problem with the first frame or problem develops with later frames then the autoguiding should be suspended or abandoned
  Ongoing Issue (AstroMain / Session)

Minor Issues

• Manually aborted target is given the Session Event description 'Aborted ... due to other conditions". After the target 21P/Giacobini-Zinner was manually aborted the session event was given a description that was too general  "Target aborted (4/21, 21P/Giacobini-Zinner) due to other condition"
   Fixed 2019-02-28 (AstroMain 3.9.6)
   
• AstroPlan shouldn't open if it is already running (currently it does). Fixed 2019-02-28
   Fixed 2019-02-28 (AstroPlan 1.8.2)

Continuous Improvement

• FWHM points should be plotted above HFD Points (on Focus Profile Plot). Currently the HFD points are plotted on top. Fix implemented 2019-02-28
   Done 2019-02-28 (AstroMain 3.9.6)
   
• Need special button that will move the Session State from "Running" or "Suspended"  to "Closing",  to allow the Observatory to shutdown and finish under fully automated control, once initiated by the user.
   Done 2019-02-28 (AstroMain 3.9.6)
   
• Simplify reporting of target status during Session Suspension. Reporting doesn't need to say Waiting for 4.8-9.8 mins. It only needs to say "Waiting on Weather"
   Done 2019-02-28 (AstroMain 3.9.6)
   
• Improve Reporting of Session Suspensions. Following session suspension due to cloud the target (GSC 1224:29 / Teegardens Star) and following targets were each reported with the line "Session Status:    Hold     Session is suspended due to ..."  Clearly the sentance needs to be completed with the word 'Cloud'
   Done 2019-02-28 (AstroMain 3.9.6)
   
• Astroguard using more report lines than necessary for each critical alert.  Two lines report that Cloud has gone to critical and then three further line report that shutter will be checked due to critical cloud.
    Review AstroGuard's GuardManager reporting

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