David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 699 (2019-09-22)

Notes (S698)

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Notes (S700)

	Session Aims & Highlights
	- Observing Result  - Night Summary Plot  - Session Event Log
	Operational Issues
	- Critical Issues (0),  Major Issues (1),  Minor Issues (5),  Continuous Improvement (6)
	Images from 2019-09-22  >>

Session Aims & Highlights (2019-09-22)

Main aims

1. Centering Chart: Test out fixes to 'Centering Charts' (AstroMain 3.11.6)
2. Mixed Target - Image a selection of targets, but mainly Open Clusters, Variable Stars and Nearby Star Targets due to bright moonlit sky conditions
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 3.11.8,  Astroguard 1.2.4,   AstroPlan 1.10.6 & 1.10.7,  AstroVOE 1.3.1, UPB 1.4.17  (AstroWeather 1.7.8, AstroAllSky 3.4.9 )

Highlights

• Observatory system responded well to a night of developing cloud and rain towards dawn.   Shutter closed for a 34 minute period at 21:47 due to cloud.   After resuming the shutter was closed again at 01:06 due to cloud and then remain closed for the rest of night.  Tracking was Off to prevent scope from wrapping itself around pier.  Rain arrived at 04:45. Observatory shutdown occured at 05:50

Lowlights

• System hung whilst performing image link (CCDSoft & TheSky6)

Summary Plots & Logs

Observing Plan

Observing Result

Slew/Centering Performance

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 1.7.8) Cloudy for most of night with skies potentially clearing at 03:00,  low probability of any significant rain (As it turned out the evolving forecast through the late evening extended the cloud further and further through the night, and indeed it was cloudy for the the whole night, only clearing at around 06:30 after the sun has risen. A few spots of rain occurred at around 00:45 and 02:40)

Session Event Log

Time     Event Detail 20:30:23 Session Created Live Session Created (2019-09-22 S00699, ImageSaveNum: 699001) 20:32:08   Services Stopped Observatory Services stopped 20:33:13   Obs.Manager Started Obs.Manager started 20:33:20   Services Started Observatory Services started 20:35:02 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 20:35:06 Session Pending Session pending (2019-09-22) 20:35:09 Session Initiating Session initiating (2019-09-22) 20:35:11   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.10.6) 20:35:51   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (2019-09-22 V1 BEST PLAN, Plan ID: 371) 20:36:08   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -10°C) 20:36:11   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 20:36:22 Session Equilibration Session ready for dome & camera equilibration 20:37:08   Shutter Opened Shutter opened (opening time 45s) 20:37:11   Equilibration Started Dome Equilibration started 20:41:08   Equilibration Ended Dome Equilibration ended (4.0 mins total) 20:41:10 Session Running Session running 20:41:12   Queue Started Observing Queue started (9 targets selected) 20:41:14     Target Started (1/9) Target started (1/9, IC 4461) 20:45:40       Focusing Failed Foc1 Focusing Failed - unable to find a star (TCF-S) 21:01:54     Target Completed Target completed (1/9, IC 4461) 21:01:56     Target Started (2/9) Target started (2/9, SHK 219) 21:04:44       Focusing Failed Foc1 Focusing Failed - unable to find a star (TCF-S) 21:21:07     Target Completed Target completed (2/9, SHK 219) 21:21:51     Target Started (3/9) Target started (3/9, NGC 5410) 21:25:12       Focusing Failed Foc1 Focusing Failed - unable to find a star (TCF-S) 21:41:31     Target Completed Target completed (3/9, NGC 5410) 21:43:43     Target Started (4/9) Target started (4/9, NGC 5693) 21:45:14 Critical Cloud Alert Critical Cloud Alert (Obs.Manager will close the Shutter) 21:45:16   HardSuspend Called Hard Suspend is called due to Critical Conditions (cloud) 21:45:18     Target Aborted (4/9) Target aborted (4/9, NGC 5693) due to cloud 21:45:20   Queue Paused Queue pausing for HardSuspend 21:47:15 Session Suspended Session suspended 21:48:04   Shutter Closed Shutter closed (closing time 48s) 21:48:06     Queue Resumed Queue resumed after HardSuspend (166s) 22:13:11     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (5/9, GCVS R CrB) due to cloud 22:22:07 Session Resuming Session resuming 22:22:52   Shutter Opened Shutter opened (opening time 45s) 22:22:55 Session Running Session running 22:22:57   Queue Resumed Observing Queue resumed 22:22:59     Target Started (6/9) Target started (6/9, GCVS U Her) 22:29:15     Target Completed Target partially completed (6/9, GCVS U Her) 22:29:18     Target Started (7/9) Target started (7/9, HIP 87937) 22:35:16     Target Completed Target completed (7/9, HIP 87937) 22:35:19     Target Started (8/9) Target started (8/9, GCVS V Sge) 22:37:52       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:39:54       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1) 22:48:05     Target Completed Target completed (8/9, GCVS V Sge) 22:48:07     Target Started (9/9) Target started (9/9, NGC 7428) 22:50:09       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:52:30       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2) 23:08:58     Target Completed Target completed (9/9, NGC 7428) 23:09:01   Queue Completed Job Queue completed 23:09:12 Session Initiating Session initiating (2019-09-22) 23:09:14   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.10.7) 23:09:27   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (2019-09-22 V2 BEST PLAN, Plan ID: 372) 23:09:35   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -10°C) 23:09:37   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 23:09:48 Session Equilibration Session ready for dome & camera equilibration 23:09:51   Equilibration Started Dome Equilibration started 23:09:53   Equilibration Skipped Dome Equilibration skipped by user 23:09:55 Session Running Session running 23:09:57   Queue Started Observing Queue started (2 targets selected) 23:12:12     Target Started (1/2) Target started (1/2, NGC 5693) 23:17:01       Focusing Failed Foc1 Focusing Failed - unable to find a star (TCF-S) 23:33:10     Target Completed Target completed (1/2, NGC 5693) 23:34:04     Target Started (2/2) Target started (2/2, GCVS R CrB) 23:37:01       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 23:38:52       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 3) 23:41:50     Target Completed Target completed (2/2, GCVS R CrB) 23:41:53   Queue Completed Job Queue completed 23:42:00 Program Hung AstroMain Program stopped responding after completing V2 Plan 00:06:00 User Interventation AstroMain program killed and restarted 00:09:26 Session Resumed Live Session Resumed (2019-09-22 S00699, ImageSaveNum: 699095) 00:10:04   Obs.Manager Started Obs.Manager started 00:10:11   Services Started Observatory Services started 00:10:33   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 00:18:57 Session Resumed Live Session Resumed (2019-09-22 S00699, ImageSaveNum: 699095) 00:19:29   Obs.Manager Started Obs.Manager started 00:19:36   Services Started Observatory Services started 00:20:57   Services Started Observatory Services started 00:21:35   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -10°C) 00:21:41   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 00:25:38 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 00:25:41 Session Pending Session pending (2019-09-22) 00:25:43 Session Initiating Session initiating (2019-09-22) 00:25:45   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.10.7) 00:26:01   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (2019-09-22 V3 BEST PLAN, Plan ID: 373) 00:26:09   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -10°C) 00:26:11   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 00:26:23 Session Equilibration Session ready for dome & camera equilibration 00:26:26   Equilibration Started Dome Equilibration started 00:26:28   Equilibration Skipped Dome Equilibration skipped by user 00:26:30 Session Running Session running 00:26:32   Queue Started Observing Queue started (15 targets selected) 00:28:42     Target Started (1/15) Target started (1/15, NGC 7606) 00:32:11       Focusing Failed Foc1 Focusing Failed - unable to find a star (TCF-S) 00:52:22 Critical Cloud Alert Critical Cloud Alert (Obs.Manager will close the Shutter) 00:52:24   HardSuspend Called Hard Suspend is called due to Critical Conditions (cloud) 00:52:26     Target Aborted (1/15) Target aborted (1/15, NGC 7606) due to cloud 00:52:28   Queue Paused Queue pausing for HardSuspend 00:54:28 Session Suspended Session suspended 00:55:12   Shutter Closed Shutter closed (closing time 44s) 00:55:14     Queue Resumed Queue resumed after HardSuspend (166s) 00:57:47 Session Resuming Session resuming 00:58:32   Shutter Opened Shutter opened (opening time 45s) 00:58:35 Session Running Session running 00:58:37   Queue Resumed Observing Queue resumed 00:58:39     Target Started (2/15) Target started (2/15, NGC 7779) 01:00:12       Focusing Failed Foc1 Focusing Failed - unable to find a star (TCF-S) 01:04:02 Critical Cloud Alert Critical Cloud Alert (Obs.Manager will close the Shutter) 01:04:05   HardSuspend Called Hard Suspend is called due to Critical Conditions (cloud) 01:06:05 Session Suspended Session suspended 01:06:53   Shutter Closed Shutter closed (closing time 48s) 01:07:10     Target Aborted (2/15) Target aborted (2/15, NGC 7779) due to cloud 01:07:12   Queue Paused Queue pausing for HardSuspend 01:07:13     Queue Resumed Queue resumed after HardSuspend (3s) 01:37:35     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (3/15, NGC 38) due to cloud 01:59:27     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (4/15, SHK 38) due to cloud 02:21:19     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (5/15, IC 89) due to cloud 02:43:11     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (6/15, IC 194) due to cloud 03:05:03     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (7/15, NGC 809) due to cloud 03:26:55     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (8/15, NGC 1211) due to cloud 03:42:51     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (9/15, Whiting 1) due to cloud 04:02:43     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (10/15, SHK 317) due to cloud 04:24:35     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (11/15, NGC 985) due to cloud 04:46:28     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (12/15, IC 298) due to cloud 04:59:16     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (13/15, GCVS RR Tau) due to rain 05:18:53     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (14/15, NGC 2445) due to cloud 05:50:45     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (15/15, SHK 279) due to rain 05:50:50   Queue Completed Job Queue completed 05:50:56 Session Closing Session closing 05:51:01   Shutter Closed Shutter already closed (closed at 01:06, closing time 48s) 05:52:05   Dome Parked Dome parked (parking time 59s) 05:52:46   Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 36s) 05:53:36 Session Housekeeping Housekeeping Started (Cleanup FITS, Create Fits Summary, Transfer Files) 05:54:05 Session Finished Session Finished

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Operational Issues (2019-09-22, S699)

• Critical Issues (0)
• Major Issues (1)
• Minor Issues (5)
  
• Continuous Improvement (6)

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Critical Issues

• None

Major Issues

• AstroMain stopped responding at 23:42 for unknown reason.  It seemed that program did this by itself and didn't occur when GUI was physically manipulated by user.  Program had just finished job queue V2 (2/2/ targets) at 23:42. Last message from job executor or obs. manager was  '23:41:52.78 | Job Executor        Info    RunTakeFrameJobsQSO |   Setting RunningFrameJobs to False & Finishing Thread'. Exceptions every 2 minutes continue until 00:04 when the AstroMain program was killed and restarted.   Took action by increasing disassociation between key process and UI, new ReportQueue Manager. Issue closed on 2021-01-04 following a review that showed that the AstroMain was essentially stable (following a series of improvements and fixes), with an absence of any unexplained program hangs or crashes during the 35 sessions between  2020-09-18 & 2021-01-03.
  Closed 2021-01-04 (AstroMain 3.33)

Minor Issues

• AstroPlan’s uploader was ignoring the result of last mod date check and uploading the same file unnecessarily.  
  Fixed 2019-09-22 (AstroPlan 1.10.7)
   
• AstroPlans’s live file uploader is uploading files in triplicate. The first successful update needs to disable the x3 retry loopy.  
  Fixed 2019-09-23 (AstroPlan 1.10.8)
   
• AstroMain crashed when operating in manual mode. Occurred whilst trying to take snap image without the CCDSoft/camera connected . Post-crash debugging on copy of source code indicated crash occured in 'LoadImageToViewer' as a result of trying to assign a value to Image.ScaleInArcsecondsPerPixel where the Image Object was not set
  Fixed 2019-09-27 (AstroMain 3.12.3)  - Try, catch, end try block placed around the code in 'LoadImageToViewer'
   
  
• Log file reports multiple exceptions 'Exception Writing to Monitor File. Error: Cannot write to a closed TextWriter.' The exception messages are every 2 minutes from 20:32:43 onwards but only occur during the first half of the session.  They exception messages go away after the AstroMain program was restarted at 00:09.  The Monitor file contains a record at 20:31:28 (just after session created at 20:30:23) , but is missing the expected 'every 2 minute' records until the next file record at 00:09:27. The one thing different this time was that Session was created whilst Services were running from previous general session. Services were then stopped and after toggling on Telescope, PHD2 etc re-startedagain.   May be it is important to stop services in General Session before creating New Session ?    Source of problem found:   If Temp Monitor is stopped the MonitorFile was being closed with set MonitorFileInUse to false
  Fixed 2019-09-27 (AstroMain 3.12.3).  
   
  
• Analysis log file contains floating error message .
  In GetRawFoldersList() : error : Argument 'Length' must be greater or equal to zero.
  Fixed AstroMain (3.12.1) 

Continuous Improvement

• Upload session report file & log file after session finishes.
  Done 2019-09-25  (AstroMain 3.12, AstroPlan 1.11, Website)
   
• Use js ideas (emailed) to improve session web page.
  Done 2019-09-25
   
• Upload last 20 lines from report log on 5 min cycle.
  Done 2019-09-25  (AstroMain 3.12, AstroPlan 1.11, Website)
   
• Upload job queue information to website. Review in Sep 2020 shows the requirement has been taken care of by a combination of Observing Plan, Target Info, Event Table and Report File uploads to the website.
  Closed 2020  (AstroMain / AstroPlan Website)
   
• Have a means for Astroguard to auto start after a certain interval (10 mins) if obs manager is running a live session and Astroguard or AstroGuard Server is not running.
  Done 2019-10-07 (AstroGuard 1.2.7)
   
• Write the HH:mm times of first and last columns on the graphs of SkyConditions Tab.
  Done 2019-09-27 (AstroMain 3.12.3)

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