David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 678 (2019-08-02)

Notes (S677)

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Notes (S679)

	Session Aims & Highlights
	- Observing Result  - Night Summary Plot  - Session Event Log
	Operational Issues
	- Critical Issues (0),  Major Issues (2),  Minor Issues (1),  Continuous Improvement (0)
	Images from 2019-08-02  >>

Session Aims & Highlights (2019-08-02)

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 3.9.7,  Astroguard 1.2.3,   AstroPlan 1.9

Highlights

• First session since the spring.  Observatory and software performed without major issue, except for potential issue with the SBIG camera fan.

Lowlights

• Frost on CCD Chip during first part of session. (Dessicator was renewed after the last session in May, but the camera hadn't been probably run in the meantime. Unclear if new water vapour has leaked into the ccd camera or this was a function of not running the camera to clear the water vapour.   (--> Check next sesson)
• CCD Camera provided only 24 degC of cooling below ambient.  This happened before when the original camera fan failed (-->  Check camera fan operation)
• CCD Camera unable to maintain a regulated CCD Chip temperature of -15 degC. CCD temperatures varied around -12 degC to -15 degC (100% cooling power)

Summary Plots & Logs

Observing Plan

Observing Result

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

Session Event Log

Time   Event Detail 22:47 Session Created Live Session Created (2019-08-02 S00678, ImageSaveNum: 678001) 22:47 Obs.Manager Started Obs.Manager started 22:47 Services Started Observatory Services started 22:55 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 22:55 Session Pending Session pending (2019-08-02) 22:55 Session Initiating Session initiating (2019-08-02) 22:55   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (2019-08-02 V1 BEST PLAN, Plan ID: 314) 22:56   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -15°C) 22:56   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 22:57 Shutter Opened Shutter opened (opening time 45s) 22:57 Equilibration Started Dome Equilibration started 23:01 Equilibration Ended Dome Equilibration ended (4.0 mins total) 23:01 Session Running Session running 23:01   Queue Started Observing Queue started (23 targets selected) 23:01     Target Started (1/23) Target started (1/23, GCVS BL Lac) 23:09     Target Completed Target completed (1/23, GCVS BL Lac) 23:09     Target Started (2/23) Target started (2/23, GCVS Z And) 23:12   Focusing Started (Foc1) Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 23:15   Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1) 23:17     Target Completed Target partially completed (2/23, GCVS Z And) 23:17     Target Started (3/23) Target started (3/23, GCVS U And) 23:31     Target Completed Target partially completed (3/23, GCVS U And) 23:31     Target Started (4/23) Target started (4/23, HIP 87937) 23:38     Target Completed Target completed (4/23, HIP 87937) 23:38     Target Started (5/23) Target started (5/23, GCVS CI Cyg) 23:41   Focusing Started (Foc1) Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 23:43   Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2) 23:46     Target Completed Target completed (5/23, GCVS CI Cyg) 23:46     Target Started (6/23) Target started (6/23, GCVS FG Sge) 23:48   Focusing Started (Foc1) Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 23:50   Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 3) 23:53     Target Completed Target completed (6/23, GCVS FG Sge) 23:53     Target Started (7/23) Target started (7/23, WDS GRB 34) 23:57   Focusing Started (Foc1) Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 23:59   Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 4) 00:01     Target Completed Target completed (7/23, WDS GRB 34) 00:01     Target Started (8/23) Target started (8/23, C/2018 Y1 (Iwamoto)) 00:15     Target Completed Target completed (8/23, C/2018 Y1 (Iwamoto)) 00:15     Target Started (9/23) Target started (9/23, GCVS U Her) 00:27     Target Completed Target partially completed (9/23, GCVS U Her) 00:27     Target Started (10/23) Target started (10/23, GCVS SS Her) 00:35     Target Completed Target completed (10/23, GCVS SS Her) 00:35     Target Started (11/23) Target started (11/23, GCVS AM Her) 00:40 Critical Cloud Alert Critical Cloud Alert (Obs.Manager will close the Shutter 00:40     Target Aborted (11/23) Target aborted (11/23, GCVS AM Her) due to Critical Conditions 00:40     Target Started (12/23) Target started (12/23, GCVS S Cyg) 00:40 Session Suspended Session suspended 00:41 Critical Cloud Alert Critical Cloud Alert (Obs.Manager will close the Shutter 00:41 Shutter Closed Shutter closed (closing time 48s) 00:44   Focusing Started (Foc1) Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:55     Target Completed Target completed (12/23, GCVS S Cyg) 01:29 Session Resuming Session resuming 01:30 Shutter Opened Shutter opened (opening time 45s) 01:30 Queue Resumed Observing Queue resumed 01:30     Target Started (16/23) Target started (16/23, GCVS HH And) 01:35   Focusing Started (Foc1) Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:38   Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 5) 01:39     Target Completed Target completed (16/23, GCVS HH And) 01:39     Target Started (17/23) Target started (17/23, GCVS CY Lyr) 01:44   Focusing Started (Foc1) Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:46   Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 6) 01:51     Target Completed Target completed (17/23, GCVS CY Lyr) 01:51     Target Started (18/23) Target started (18/23, GCVS V Sge) 01:54   Focusing Started (Foc1) Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:57   Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 7) 02:03     Target Completed Target partially completed (18/23, GCVS V Sge) 02:03     Target Started (19/23) Target started (19/23, GCVS EV Lac) 02:05   Focusing Started (Foc1) Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:08   Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 8) 02:10     Target Completed Target completed (19/23, GCVS EV Lac) 02:10     Target Started (20/23) Target started (20/23, UGC 118) 02:31     Target Completed Target completed (20/23, UGC 118) 02:31     Target Started (21/23) Target started (21/23, GCVS RX And) 02:34   Focusing Started (Foc1) Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:36   Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 9) 02:38     Target Completed Target completed (21/23, GCVS RX And) 02:39     Target Started (22/23) Target started (22/23, GCVS X TRI) 02:42   Focusing Started (Foc1) Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:44   Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 10) 02:51     Target Completed Target completed (22/23, GCVS X TRI) 02:51     Target Started (23/23) Target started (23/23, GSC 1224:29) 03:00     Target Completed Target completed (23/23, GSC 1224:29) 03:00 Queue Completed Job Queue completed 03:00 Session Closing Session closing 03:01 Shutter Closed Shutter closed (closing time 50s) 03:01 Dome Parked Dome parked (parking time 17s) 03:02 Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 41s) 03:52 Services Stopped Observatory Services stopped

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Operational Issues (2019-08-02, S678)

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

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Critical Issues

• None

Major Issues

• SBIG camera cooling to only 24 degC below ambient.  CCD Fan has been checked during daylight hours and is working ok. New automated CCD Temperature regulation added in H2 2020.
  Resolved or no longer an issue (AstroMain, SBIG Camera)
   
• SBIG camera chip frosted in first part of session (desicator last renewed in May 2018)
  Frosting was also present at start of the following session (S579), but not as bad.  Removing the Desicator Plug revealed that the circular rubber grommet was missing, and had either not been put back on when the plug was reinseted in May or more likely had fallen off within the SBIG camera when the plug was inserted or removed. Either way the grommet couldn't be found
    Resolved by renewing desicator in oven and using a new tighter fitting grommet (2019-08-05)

Minor Issues

• Schedule building not inserting targets between -12 deg and -10deg in morning (dawn)
  (when using a relaxed, user defined Sun Alt cutoff of -10deg, insertion of targets between -10 deg and -12 deg works ok for the evening.
     Resolved (problem was due to limited number of active targets and not due to a -12 deg sun alt/time cutoff).

Continuous Improvement

• None

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