David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 687 (2019-08-31)

Notes (S686)

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Notes (S688)

	Session Aims & Highlights
	- Observing Result  - Night Summary Plot  - Session Event Log
	Operational Issues
	- Critical Issues (0),  Major Issues (0),  Minor Issues (3),  Continuous Improvement (4)
	Images from 2019-08-31  >>

Session Aims & Highlights (2019-08-31)

Main aims

1. Obs.Manager / Post Cloud StartUp - Check that system can automatically commence a session after clouds / rain risk have passed and skies begin to clear at 01:00 to 02:30 in the morning.
2. Mixed Targets - Image selection of targets including Variable Stars, Comets and Deep Sky Targets
3. 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 3.10.5,  Astroguard 1.2.3,   AstroPlan 1.9.2,  AstroVOE 1.3.1, UPB 1.4.16  (AstroWeather 1.7.6, AstroAllSky 3.4.3 & 3.4.4 )

Highlights

• Session ran without incident for whole night , with images from 26 targets aquired (313 frames)
• Sky conditions good for entire night.
• Analyse Reduced Folders ran without blocking typing in WebExpression .
  ( Key is either not to copy/paste something or not bring CCDSoft to the foreground)

Lowlights

• Initial plan V1 was too short to cover entire night.   This required initial intervention in order to toggle 'Continue with New Plan' option at start of session for it to automatically generate and run a V2 plan after V1 had finished at 03:45.

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)

Pre-Session Weather Forecast (AstroWeather 1.7.6) (clear skies forecast for entire night)

Session Event Log

Time   Event Detail 22:02 Session Created Live Session Created (2019-08-31 S00687, ImageSaveNum: 687001) 22:03 Obs.Manager Started Obs.Manager started 22:04 Services Started Observatory Services started 22:04   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -15°C) 22:05 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 22:05 Session Pending Session pending (2019-08-31) 22:05 Session Initiating Session initiating (2019-08-31) 22:05   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan () 22:16   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (2019-08-31 V1 BEST PLAN, Plan ID: 326) 22:16   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -15°C) 22:16   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 22:17 Shutter Opened Shutter opened (opening time 45s) 22:17 Equilibration Started Dome Equilibration started 22:21 Equilibration Ended Dome Equilibration ended (4.0 mins total) 22:21 Session Running Session running 22:21   Queue Started Observing Queue started (27 targets selected) 22:21     Target Missed (1/27) Target Missed (1/27, GCVS CY Lyr) 22:21     Target Started (2/27) Target started (2/27, NGC 5557) 22:24     Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:27     Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1) 22:38     Target Completed Target completed (2/27, NGC 5557) 22:38     Target Started (3/27) Target started (3/27, NGC 5624) 22:40     Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:56     Target Completed Target completed (3/27, NGC 5624) 22:56     Target Started (4/27) Target started (4/27, NGC 5673) 22:59     Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 23:15     Target Completed Target completed (4/27, NGC 5673) 23:18     Target Started (5/27) Target started (5/27, GCVS R CrB) 23:20     Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 23:22     Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2) 23:25     Target Completed Target completed (5/27, GCVS R CrB) 23:26     Target Started (6/27) Target started (6/27, GCVS U Her) 23:28     Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 23:30     Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 3) 23:38     Target Completed Target completed (6/27, GCVS U Her) 23:38     Target Started (7/27) Target started (7/27, HIP 87937) 23:40     Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 23:42     Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 4) 23:45     Target Completed Target completed (7/27, HIP 87937) 23:45     Target Started (8/27) Target started (8/27, NGC 6760) 23:47     Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 23:49     Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 5) 23:53     Target Completed Target completed (8/27, NGC 6760) 23:55     Target Started (9/27) Target started (9/27, 61 Cyg) 23:57     Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 23:59     Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 6) 00:00     Target Completed Target completed (9/27, 61 Cyg) 00:02     Target Started (10/27) Target started (10/27, GCVS BL Lac) 00:04     Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:06     Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 7) 00:09     Target Completed Target completed (10/27, GCVS BL Lac) 00:12     Target Started (11/27) Target started (11/27, GCVS WZ Sge) 00:14     Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:16     Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 8) 00:22     Target Completed Target completed (11/27, GCVS WZ Sge) 00:23     Target Started (12/27) Target started (12/27, GCVS FG Sge) 00:25     Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:27     Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 9) 00:29     Target Completed Target completed (12/27, GCVS FG Sge) 00:30     Target Started (13/27) Target started (13/27, GCVS V Sge) 00:32     Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:34     Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 10) 00:42     Target Completed Target completed (13/27, GCVS V Sge) 00:42     Target Started (14/27) Target started (14/27, GCVS CI Cyg) 00:44     Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:47     Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 11) 00:50     Target Completed Target completed (14/27, GCVS CI Cyg) 00:50     Target Started (15/27) Target started (15/27, GCVS EV Lac) 00:53     Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:55     Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 12) 00:57     Target Completed Target completed (15/27, GCVS EV Lac) 00:57     Target Started (16/27) Target started (16/27, Pal 13) 01:00     Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:02     Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 13) 01:13     Target Completed Target completed (16/27, Pal 13) 01:14     Target Started (17/27) Target started (17/27, WDS GRB 34) 01:16     Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:18     Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 14) 01:19     Target Completed Target completed (17/27, WDS GRB 34) 01:21     Target Started (18/27) Target started (18/27, GCVS Z And) 01:25     Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:27     Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 15) 01:31     Target Completed Target completed (18/27, GCVS Z And) 01:31     Target Started (19/27) Target started (19/27, GCVS SS Cyg) 01:33     Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:35     Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 16) 01:38     Target Completed Target completed (19/27, GCVS SS Cyg) 01:44     Target Started (20/27) Target started (20/27, UGC 11798) 01:45     Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:47     Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 17) 02:04     Target Completed Target completed (20/27, UGC 11798) 02:05     Target Started (21/27) Target started (21/27, GCVS HH And) 02:08     Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:10     Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 18) 02:11     Target Completed Target completed (21/27, GCVS HH And) 02:13     Target Started (22/27) Target started (22/27, GCVS U And) 02:15     Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:17     Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 19) 02:27     Target Completed Target completed (22/27, GCVS U And) 02:27     Target Started (23/27) Target started (23/27, C/2018 W2 (Africano)) 02:29     Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:31     Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 20) 02:40     Target Completed Target completed (23/27, C/2018 W2 (Africano)) 02:40     Target Started (24/27) Target started (24/27, GCVS RX And) 02:42     Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:44     Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 21) 02:47     Target Completed Target completed (24/27, GCVS RX And) 02:48     Target Started (25/27) Target started (25/27, ARP 4) 02:51     Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:07     Target Completed Target completed (25/27, ARP 4) 03:10     Target Started (26/27) Target started (26/27, NGC 1247) 03:12     Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:29     Target Completed Target completed (26/27, NGC 1247) 03:32     Target Started (27/27) Target started (27/27, GCVS RR Tau) 03:34     Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:36     Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 22) 03:43     Target Completed Target completed (27/27, GCVS RR Tau) 03:43 Queue Completed Job Queue completed 03:43 Session Initiating Session initiating (2019-08-31) 03:43   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan () 03:44   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (2019-08-31 V2 BEST PLAN, Plan ID: 327) 03:44   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -15°C) 03:44   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 03:44 Equilibration Started Dome Equilibration started 03:44 Equilibration Skipped Dome Equilibration skipped by user 03:44 Session Running Session running 03:44   Queue Started Observing Queue started (6 targets selected) 03:46     Target Started (1/6) Target started (1/6, GCVS CI Cyg) 03:50     Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:53     Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 23) 03:56     Target Completed Target completed (1/6, GCVS CI Cyg) 03:56     Target Started (2/6) Target started (2/6, GCVS SS Cyg) 03:58     Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 04:00     Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 24) 04:04     Target Completed Target completed (2/6, GCVS SS Cyg) 04:08     Target Started (3/6) Target started (3/6, GCVS Z And) 04:10     Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 04:12     Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 25) 04:16     Target Completed Target completed (3/6, GCVS Z And) 04:16     Target Started (4/6) Target started (4/6, GCVS HH And) 04:19     Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 04:21     Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 26) 04:22     Target Completed Target completed (4/6, GCVS HH And) 04:24     Target Started (5/6) Target started (5/6, WDS GRB 34) 04:26     Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 04:28     Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 27) 04:30     Target Completed Target completed (5/6, WDS GRB 34) 04:31     Target Started (6/6) Target started (6/6, GCVS RX And) 04:34     Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 04:38     Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 28) 04:41     Target Completed Target completed (6/6, GCVS RX And) 04:41 Queue Completed Job Queue completed 04:41 Session Closing Session closing 04:42 Shutter Closed Shutter closed (closing time 45s) 04:43 Dome Parked Dome parked (parking time 65s) 04:45 Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 88s) 04:47 Session Finished Session Finished

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Operational Issues (2019-08-31, S687)

• Critical Issues (0)
  
• Major Issues (0)
  
• Minor Issues (3)
• Continuous Improvement (4)

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Critical Issues

• None

Major Issues

• None

Minor Issues

• Cloud Cover line on NightSummaryPlot6 is showing -ve values and plotting to right of the cloud cover zero line
  - Bug occurs in recently modified routine (AstroAllSky 3.4.3) to merge AllSky and Clarity derived cloud cover between Sun Alt -12 and -14
  Fixed 2019-08-31 (AstroAllSky 3.4.4)
   
• Unable to transfer files from Observatory in morning using AstroMove, last night's session not recognised. A count of folders shows that there were 302 session sitting on Observatory Computer including general sessions, suggesting an array limit (presumably 300) had been reached in AstroMove.  Resolved by deleting a group of general sessions and refreshing AstroMove's listing using its 'R' refresh button
  Could increase array limit in AstroMove to cope with >300 folders and/or add some warning to say that limit has been reached and only look for live sessions. Should perform appropriate housekeeping / archiving to remove unnecessary general sessions.
  Fixed 2019-09-09 (AstroMove 1.3.3). Fixed by increasing array limit to 1000.
   
• Observatory Temperature/Humidity Sensor (Ch2) keeps going offline / flat lining.
  Fixed. The Sensor has been working fine throughout the following month, a minor tweak to its position seems to have been the fix (?).

Continuous Improvement

• Add Button to AstroPlan's Session Form to open the Charts Folder. This is to match the functionality that was added onto the Plan Form.
  Fixed 2019-09-01 (AstroPlan 1.9.3)
   
• Set Fits_Summary template to use 0.75 as x axis minimum  Excel / VBA Macro
  Done 2019-09-01
   
• Have facility to modify axis value of Charts on Fit_Summary based on a Work field.  Excel / VBA Macro
  Done 2019-09-06
   
• Need to reduce the length of 'Analysing Focus Image' sections of log file. (ModifyImageBoxPosition etc)
  Done 2019-09-26 (AstroMain 3.12.1)

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