David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 706 (2019-10-06)

Notes (S705)

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Notes (S707)

	Session Aims & Highlights
	- Observing Result  - Night Summary Plot  - Session Event Log
	Operational Issues
	- Critical Issues (0),  Major Issues (0),  Minor Issues (1),  Continuous Improvement (4)
	Images from 2019-10-06  >>

Session Aims & Highlights (2019-10-06)

Main aims

1. Targets . Acquire images of selection of comet and deep sky targets,
2. Check Bug Fixes: Confirm that recent bug fixes have worked
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 3.13.4  Astroguard 1.2.6,   AstroPlan 1.12.4,  AstroVOE 1.3.4, UPB 1.4.17  (AstroWeather 1.7.9, AstroAllSky 3.4.11)

Highlights

• None

Lowlights

• None

Summary Plots & Logs

Observing Plan

Observing Result

Slew/Centering Performance

Dome Slewing 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) Forecast showed patchy cloud up to 00:00 and then cloud thickeneing until total cloud cover at 04:00 In the event therre was a moderately clear interval between 23:00 and 00:45. Operations suspended at 23:42 and remained that way until the morning

Session Event Log

Time     Event Detail 20:20:34 Session Created Live Session Created (2019-10-06 S00706, ImageSaveNum: 706001) 20:25:58   Obs.Manager Started Obs.Manager started 20:26:00   Obs.Overseer Started Obs.Overseer started 20:26:05   Services Started Observatory Services started 20:27:45   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -15°C) 20:28:37   Services Started Observatory Services started 20:28:58 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 20:28:59 Session Pending Session pending (2019-10-06) 20:29:01 Session Initiating Session initiating (2019-10-06) 20:29:03   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.12.4) 20:29:55   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (2019-10-06 V1 BEST PLAN, Plan ID: 381) 20:29:59   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -10°C) 20:30:01   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 20:30:11 Session Equilibration Session ready for dome & camera equilibration 20:30:56   Shutter Opened Shutter opened (opening time 45s) 20:30:59   Equilibration Started Dome Equilibration started 20:35:02   Equilibration Ended Dome Equilibration ended (4.1 mins total) 20:35:04 Session Running Session running 20:35:06   Queue Started Observing Queue started (49 targets selected) 20:35:08     Target Started (1/49) Target started (1/49, HIP 87937) 20:37:57       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 20:39:56       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1) 20:42:58     Target Completed Target completed (1/49, HIP 87937) 20:43:00     Target Started (2/49) Target started (2/49, GCVS CI Cyg) 20:44:58       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 20:47:41       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2) 20:51:28     Target Completed Target completed (2/49, GCVS CI Cyg) 20:51:30     Target Started (3/49) Target started (3/49, GCVS CY Lyr) 20:53:58       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 20:55:56       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 3) 20:59:55     Target Completed Target completed (3/49, GCVS CY Lyr) 20:59:57     Target Started (4/49) Target started (4/49, GCVS V Sge) 21:02:32       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 21:05:13       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 4) 21:13:10     Target Completed Target partially completed (4/49, GCVS V Sge) 21:13:13     Target Started (5/49) Target started (5/49, 61 Cyg) 21:14:55       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 21:17:03       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 5) 21:18:34     Target Completed Target completed (5/49, 61 Cyg) 21:18:36     Target Started (6/49) Target started (6/49, WDS GRB 34) 21:21:05       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 21:23:05       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 6) 21:24:49     Target Completed Target completed (6/49, WDS GRB 34) 21:24:51     Target Started (7/49) Target started (7/49, GCVS Z And) 21:26:42       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 21:28:56       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 7) 21:32:52     Target Completed Target completed (7/49, GCVS Z And) 21:32:54     Target Started (8/49) Target started (8/49, GCVS AM Her) 21:35:52       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 21:38:01       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 8) 21:43:23     Target Completed Target completed (8/49, GCVS AM Her) 21:43:25     Target Started (9/49) Target started (9/49, GCVS FG Sge) 21:45:36       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 21:47:55       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 9) 21:50:25     Target Completed Target completed (9/49, GCVS FG Sge) 21:50:27     Target Started (10/49) Target started (10/49, GCVS U Her) 21:53:00       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 21:54:43       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 10) 22:02:40     Target Completed Target completed (10/49, GCVS U Her) 22:02:42     Target Started (11/49) Target started (11/49, GCVS TT Ari) 22:05:58       Focusing Failed Foc1 Focusing Failed - star is too dim (TCF-S) 22:12:53     Target Completed Target completed (11/49, GCVS TT Ari) 22:12:55     Target Started (12/49) Target started (12/49, GCVS HH And) 22:15:31       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:18:22       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 11) 22:20:15     Target Completed Target completed (12/49, GCVS HH And) 22:20:17     Target Started (13/49) Target started (13/49, GCVS EV Lac) 22:22:47       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:26:06       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 12) 22:28:44     Target Completed Target completed (13/49, GCVS EV Lac) 22:28:46     Target Started (14/49) Target started (14/49, GCVS GK Per) 22:31:01       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:33:49       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 13) 22:36:50     Target Completed Target completed (14/49, GCVS GK Per) 22:36:52     Target Started (15/49) Target started (15/49, GCVS BL Lac) 22:39:16       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:41:36       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 14) 22:45:30     Target Completed Target completed (15/49, GCVS BL Lac) 22:45:32     Target Started (16/49) Target started (16/49, C/2018 W2 (Africano)) 23:00:34     Target Completed Target completed (16/49, C/2018 W2 (Africano)) 23:00:36     Target Started (17/49) Target started (17/49, GCVS CY AQR) 23:04:48       Focusing Failed Foc1 Focusing Failed - star is too dim (TCF-S) 23:14:13     Target Completed Target completed (17/49, GCVS CY AQR) 23:14:15     Target Started (18/49) Target started (18/49, GCVS TV Cas) 23:14:17 Critical Cloud Alert Critical Cloud Alert (Obs.Manager will close the Shutter) 23:14:19   HardSuspend Called Hard Suspend is called due to Critical Conditions (cloud) 23:14:29     Target Aborted (18/49) Target aborted (18/49, GCVS TV Cas) due to cloud 23:14:31   Queue Paused Queue pausing for HardSuspend 23:14:33 Session Suspended Session suspended 23:15:22   Shutter Closed Shutter closed (closing time 49s) 23:15:24     Queue Resumed Queue resumed after HardSuspend (53s) 23:17:27 Session Resuming Session resuming 23:18:12   Shutter Opened Shutter opened (opening time 45s) 23:18:14 Session Running Session running 23:18:16   Queue Resumed Observing Queue resumed 23:18:18     Target Started (19/49) Target started (19/49, GCVS DY Per) 23:20:59       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 23:24:05       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 15) 23:29:00     Target Completed Target completed (19/49, GCVS DY Per) 23:29:02     Target Started (20/49) Target started (20/49, C/2018 Y1 (Iwamoto)) 23:30:59       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 23:33:27       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 16) 23:42:14 Critical Cloud Alert Critical Cloud Alert (Obs.Manager will close the Shutter) 23:42:16   HardSuspend Called Hard Suspend is called due to Critical Conditions (cloud) 23:42:18     Target Aborted (20/49) Target aborted (20/49, C/2018 Y1 (Iwamoto)) due to cloud 23:42:20   Queue Paused Queue pausing for HardSuspend 23:42:22 Session Suspended Session suspended 23:43:09   Shutter Closed Shutter closed (closing time 48s) 23:43:12     Queue Resumed Queue resumed after HardSuspend (54s) 23:53:55     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (21/49, GCVS U And) due to wind 00:07:44     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (22/49, GCVS S Cyg) due to cloud 00:17:04     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (23/49, GCVS RX And) due to cloud 00:20:34 Observatory (Manual) Observatory placed in Manual Mode 00:21:00 Session Closing Session Closing (manual) 00:21:13   Dome Parked Dome parked 00:21:15   Dome Parked Dome parked (parking time 5s) 00:22:10   Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 41s) 00:22:35   Queue Aborted Job Queue aborted 00:23:27   Camera1 Disconnected SBIG Camera closed down & disconnected 00:24:24   Services Stopped Observatory Services stopped 00:26:00 Session Finished Session Finished (manual)

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Operational Issues (2019-10-06, S706)

• Critical Issues (0)
• Major Issues (0)
• Minor Issues (1)
  
• Continuous Improvement (4)

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Critical Issues

• None

Major Issues

• None

Minor Issues

• Latest image frames are not always being displayed in appropriate sequence on 'session_current.htm' page.
  For example at one point the listed images were #100 (most recent), then #109, #108, #97, #96, #105, #104, #103, #102, #91,
  being a mix of frames from FG Sge, U Her, and  AM Her.  Similar issue occured in session S707 where it was established that problem arose in situations where short (<10s) exposure frames were intentionally not sent for upload to website, but due to a design flaw  the iImageFrame counter was still  incremented, leading to the mismatches seen.
  Fixed 2019-10-07 (AstroMain 3.14.1).
  

Continuous Improvement

• Consider extending increasing the number for Target Images displayable on 'images_current.htm' from, 30 to 50.
  Done 2019-11-03 (AstroMain 3.16.8, AstroPlan 1.12.10, WebSite/JavaScript 2019-11-03 )
   
• Remove Message Box regarding Dew Heaters when going to Fully -Automated Observatory role.
  Done 2019-10-07 (AstroMain 3.13.5).
   
• It would be useful to have an option 'Close & Finish' that would 'abort' the excuting Job Queue (Fully Automated Mode) and move the Session State to 'Closing' and then on through to 'Finished'. The option should ask the user to confirm before proceeding.  This would produce a cleaner end to an aborted session than manually going through tasks of which only some will make their way to the database and logs etc.  In a fact the facility already existed through the red 'Shutdown Session' button on the Observatory Tab.  The facility has been modified however to place the CloseAndFinish code within the Observatory Manager loop (activated via a new bCloseAndFinish flag) and to add a session event recording the User Interventation to Close & Finish the session.
  Done 2019-10-07 (AstroMain 3.13.5).
   
• Image link the first frame of each Target to establish actual final pointing accuracy. Result could be added as a fifth error colum in the Slew file.  This would also be useful for GRB fast react targets where imaging is performed at expense of perfect pointing (Oct 2020).  Improvement implemented by taking an extra final locate image (where there was a preceeding jog) and plate solved without jogging to findthe final pointing error. This negates the proposal to link the first main frame of each target which would have been more tricky to implement.
    Done 2021-01-31 (AstroMain 3.35.8)
  

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