David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 749 (2020-02-01)

Notes (S748)

Notes Main

Home Page

Notes (S750)

	Session Aims & Highlights
	- Observing Result  - Night Summary Plot  - Session Event Log
	Operational Issues
	- Critical Issues (0),  Major Issues (1),  Minor Issues (2),  Continuous Improvement (1)
	Guiding Performance
	Images from 2020-02-01 >>

Session Aims & Highlights (2020-02-01)

Main aims

1. Targets: Acquire images of a number of comets and deep sky objects
   

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
• SharpCap 3.2, PHD2  2.6.6dev3
   
• AstroMain 3.20.3 (new) ,  Astroguard 1.2.11,   AstroPlan 1.14,  AstroShCap 1.2.15, AstroVOE 1.3.5, UPB 1.4.17  (AstroWeather 1.8.4, AstroAllSky 3.5.1)
  

Highlights

• Good Conditions.  Good seeing / good condition enabled productive session with good guiding
• Targets.  x targets successfully imaged

Lowlights

•   T.d

Summary Plots & Logs

Observing Plan

Observing Result

Dome & Scope Slewing Performance

Slew/Centering Performance

Guiding Performance

Sky Conditions (Locate Frames)

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 (API data from darksky.net) Forecast showed gradually clearing skies with best condiyions between 01 and 06:00 (0-21% cloud cover) Wind strength reducing through the night (4-9 mph after midnight), with minimum temp. of 2 degC In the event skies were clear from 19:30 through to 06:15 with gradually reducing wind and gradually reducing temperature (min -3 degC) The Obs.Manager suspended operations and closed the shutter at 06:33

Session Event Log

Time     Event Detail 20:26:12 Session Created Live Session Created (2020-02-01 S00749, ImageSaveNum: 749001) 20:26:46   Scope Switched On Telescope power has been switched on via UPB Powerbox. 20:28:41   Services Started Observatory Services started 20:29:18   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -25°C) 20:29:26   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 20:30:28   Shutter Opened Shutter opened (opening time 44s) 20:32:36       Focusing Started Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 20:34:02       Focusing Failed Foc2 Focusing Failed - star lost 20:35:51       Focusing Started Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 20:38:00       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2) 20:39:08       Focusing Started Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 20:41:16       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 3) 20:42:06       Focusing Started Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 20:44:20       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 4) 20:45:29       Focusing Started Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 20:47:38       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 5) 20:47:49       Focusing Started Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 20:49:48       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 6) 20:49:59       Focusing Started Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 20:52:26       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 7) 20:52:53       Focusing Started Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 20:55:04       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 8) 20:55:11       Focusing Started Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 20:57:20       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 9) 20:57:29       Focusing Started Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 20:59:41       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 10) 20:59:46       Focusing Started Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 21:01:58       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 11) 21:02:08 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 21:02:10 Session Pending Session pending (2020-02-01) 21:02:12 Session Initiating Session initiating (2020-02-01) 21:02:14   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.14) 21:02:46   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (2020-02-01 V1 BEST PLAN, Plan ID: 466) 21:02:49   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -25°C) 21:02:57   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 21:03:13 Session Equilibration Session ready for dome & camera equilibration 21:03:16   Equilibration Started Dome Equilibration started 21:08:20   Equilibration Skipped Dome Equilibration skipped by user 21:08:22 Session Running Session running 21:08:24   Queue Started Observing Queue started (35 targets selected) 21:08:26     Target Started (1/35) Target started (1/35, C/2018 N2 (ASASSN)) 21:11:40       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 21:14:30       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 12) 21:22:34     Target Completed Target completed (1/35, C/2018 N2 (ASASSN)) 21:22:37     Target Started (2/35) Target started (2/35, GCVS HH And) 21:25:21       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 21:28:11       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 13) 21:29:55     Target Completed Target completed (2/35, GCVS HH And) 21:30:40     Target Started (3/35) Target started (3/35, C/2017 T2 (PanStarrs)) 21:33:28       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 21:36:26       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 14) 21:44:24     Target Completed Target completed (3/35, C/2017 T2 (PanStarrs)) 21:44:55     Target Started (4/35) Target started (4/35, GCVS RX And) 21:47:46       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 21:50:33       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 15) 21:53:13     Target Completed Target completed (4/35, GCVS RX And) 21:53:15     Target Started (5/36) Target started (5/36, 289P/Blanpain) 22:08:54     Target Completed Target completed (5/36, 289P/Blanpain) 22:08:56     Target Missed (6/36) Target's time slot was missed (6/36, GCVS GK Per) 22:08:58     Target Started (7/36) Target started (7/36, GCVS FO Ori) 22:15:47     Target Completed Target partially completed (7/36, GCVS FO Ori) 22:15:49     Target Started (8/36) Target started (8/36, GCVS NV Ori) 22:19:00       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:19:23       Focusing Aborted Foc1 Focusing Aborted 22:19:25     Target Aborted (8/36) Target aborted (8/36, GCVS NV Ori) due to Priority 1 ToO Target 22:19:27     Target Started (9/37) Target started (9/37, Nova AT2020bfc) 22:22:32       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:25:41       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 17) 22:31:50     Target Completed Target completed (9/37, Nova AT2020bfc) 22:31:52     Target Missed (10/37) Target's time slot was missed (10/37, GCVS RR Tau) 22:31:54     Target Started (11/37) Target started (11/37, GCVS U Gem) 22:33:59       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:37:13       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 18) 22:39:58     Target Completed Target completed (11/37, GCVS U Gem) 22:40:00     Target Started (12/38) Target started (12/38, M108) 22:43:16       Focusing Failed Foc1 Focusing Failed - star is too dim (TCF-S) 23:06:32     Target Completed Target completed (12/38, M108) 23:06:34     Target Missed (13/38) Target's time slot was missed (13/38, Biur 11) 23:06:36     Target Missed (14/38) Target's time slot was missed (14/38, Biur 8) 23:06:38     Target Started (15/38) Target started (15/38, GCVS DX Cnc) 23:09:11       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 23:12:09       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 19) 23:16:55     Target Completed Target completed (15/38, GCVS DX Cnc) 23:16:57     Target Started (16/39) Target started (16/39, 155P/Shoemaker) 23:19:06       Focusing Failed Foc1 Focusing Failed - unable to find a star (TCF-S) 23:30:51     Target Completed Target completed (16/39, 155P/Shoemaker) 23:30:53     Target Started (17/40) Target started (17/40, 155P/Shoemaker) 23:31:48       Focusing Failed Foc1 Focusing Failed - unable to find a star (TCF-S) 23:43:35     Target Completed Target completed (17/40, 155P/Shoemaker) 23:43:37     Target Missed (18/40) Target's time slot was missed (18/40, GCVS CM Tau) 23:43:39     Target Started (19/40) Target started (19/40, Jonckheere 900) 00:01:11     Target Completed Target partially completed (19/40, Jonckheere 900) 00:01:13     Target Started (20/40) Target started (20/40, Basel 7) 00:03:53       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:06:53       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 20) 00:12:43     Target Completed Target completed (20/40, Basel 7) 00:12:45     Target Started (21/40) Target started (21/40, GCVS U Mon) 00:16:34       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:19:08       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 21) 00:23:55     Target Completed Target partially completed (21/40, GCVS U Mon) 00:23:57     Target Started (22/40) Target started (22/40, GCVS SY Cnc) 00:26:21       Focusing Failed Foc1 Focusing Failed - star is too dim (TCF-S) 00:30:55     Target Completed Target completed (22/40, GCVS SY Cnc) 00:30:57     Target Started (23/40) Target started (23/40, LAMOST-HVS1) 00:33:44       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:36:43       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 22) 00:40:12     Target Completed Target completed (23/40, LAMOST-HVS1) 00:40:14     Target Started (24/40) Target started (24/40, GCVS RZ LMi) 00:43:08       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:45:54       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 23) 00:50:47     Target Completed Target completed (24/40, GCVS RZ LMi) 00:50:49     Target Started (25/40) Target started (25/40, M51) 00:54:09       Focusing Failed Foc1 Focusing Failed - star is too dim (TCF-S) 01:23:29     Target Completed Target completed (25/40, M51) 01:24:39     Target Started (26/40) Target started (26/40, GCVS CN Leo) 01:28:33       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:31:39       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 24) 01:39:00     Target Completed Target completed (26/40, GCVS CN Leo) 01:39:02     Target Started (27/40) Target started (27/40, Rose 3) 01:40:59       Focusing Failed Foc1 Focusing Failed - star is too dim (TCF-S) 01:58:36     Target Completed Target completed (27/40, Rose 3) 02:00:13     Target Started (28/40) Target started (28/40, NGC 4197) 02:02:24       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:05:20       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 25) 02:21:01     Target Completed Target completed (28/40, NGC 4197) 02:22:35     Target Started (29/40) Target started (29/40, Rose 32) 02:24:13       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:27:11       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 26) 02:42:58     Target Completed Target completed (29/40, Rose 32) 02:44:57     Target Started (30/40) Target started (30/40, Rose 33) 02:48:09       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:50:54       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 27) 03:11:44     Target Completed Target completed (30/40, Rose 33) 03:11:46     Target Started (31/40) Target started (31/40, Rose 31) 03:14:06       Focusing Failed Foc1 Focusing Failed - star is too dim (TCF-S) 03:31:26     Target Completed Target completed (31/40, Rose 31) 03:32:42     Target Started (32/40) Target started (32/40, Rose 16) 03:34:57       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:37:45       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 28) 03:53:24     Target Completed Target completed (32/40, Rose 16) 03:55:03     Target Started (33/40) Target started (33/40, NGC 5468) 03:58:18       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 04:01:01       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 29) 04:13:50   SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend is called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars) 04:18:51   SoftSuspend Cancelled Soft Suspend is cancelled due to Improved Conditions 04:19:46     Target Completed Target completed (33/40, NGC 5468) 04:19:49     Target Started (34/41) Target started (34/41, NGC 4636) 04:42:05     Target Completed Target completed (34/41, NGC 4636) 04:42:07     Target Missed (35/41) Target's time slot was missed (35/41, Rose 1) 04:42:49     Target Started (36/41) Target started (36/41, Hickson 54) 04:46:10       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 04:48:55       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 30) 05:04:40     Target Completed Target completed (36/41, Hickson 54) 05:05:11     Target Started (37/41) Target started (37/41, NGC 4774) 05:08:30       Focusing Failed Foc1 Focusing Failed - unable to find a star (TCF-S) 05:26:06     Target Completed Target completed (37/41, NGC 4774) 05:27:33     Target Started (38/41) Target started (38/41, Rose 19) 05:30:43       Focusing Failed Foc1 Focusing Failed - star is too dim (TCF-S) 05:48:00     Target Completed Target completed (38/41, Rose 19) 05:49:55     Target Started (39/41) Target started (39/41, NGC 6028) 05:52:01       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 05:54:49       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 31) 06:10:23     Target Completed Target completed (39/41, NGC 6028) 06:12:17     Target Started (40/41) Target started (40/41, UGC 10164) 06:14:10       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 06:17:05       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 32) 06:29:17   SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend is called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars) 06:29:23   SoftSuspend Cancelled Soft Suspend is cancelled due to Improved Conditions 06:31:43   SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend is called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars) 06:32:50     Target Completed Target completed (40/41, UGC 10164) 06:32:52   Queue Paused Queue paused for SoftSuspend 06:32:53 Session Suspended Session suspended 06:33:43   Shutter Closed Shutter closed (closing time 49s) 06:52:29     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (41/41, HIP 87937) due to cloud 06:52:34   Queue Completed Job Queue completed 06:52:40 Session Closing Session closing 06:52:45   Shutter Closed Shutter already closed (closed at 06:33, closing time 49s) 06:53:25   Dome Parked Dome parked (parking time 40s) 06:53:39   Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 11s) 06:54:09   Scope Switched Off Telescope Power has been switched off via UPB Powerbox. 06:54:56   Services Stopped Night Services stopped 06:54:58 Session Housekeeping Housekeeping Started (Cleanup FITS, Create Fits Summary, Transfer Files) 06:55:18 Session Finished Session Finished

Back to Top

Operational Issues (2020-02-01, S749)

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

[ Prev | Next ]

Critical Issues

• None

Major Issues

• Problems with WeatherForecast using DarkSky API either stopping or causing AstroWeather to crash when running WeatherForecast service.
  Calls to My.Computer.Network.DownloadFile(Request, "Response.JSON") failing with exception
    "The underlying connection was closed. An unexpected error occurred on a send."
  The resulting Response is blank ("") with leads to downstream exceptions due to null / invalid data settings in Forecast Data structure.
  Problem is relate to Net.Framework in use.   https://blogs.perficient.com/2016/04/28/tsl-1-2-and-net-support/
  Fixed by adding following line before the call to Network.DownloadFile. ServicePointManager.SecurityProtocol = 3072  ' Note SecurityProtocolType.Tls12 is not recognised.  
  Fix was delayed due to unavailability of Development Laptop which was away being repaired
  Fixed 2020-03-10 (AstroWeather 1.8.6)

Minor Issues

• Target 1 showed a "black"  'Worst Frame' RMS score (i.e. RMS > 5.01') on GuideSumm Chart which was contradicted by other data .  Target 1/36 (C/2018 N2 (ASASSN)  took 9 x 45s frames (C).  Average RMS across all 9 frames was 1.75" with the worst frame having RMS of 2.03". which should have be been filled Red, rather than Black. A similar problem was seen in the last session, again affecting the first guide run.
  Believed Fixed (AstroMain)
   
• Lock Shift / RA Rate written to Report file without leading zero.  Target 16/39 (155P/Shoemaker) report line written as
  "PHD2 Lock Shift Enabled (Ra -.77, Dec 14.25 arcsec/hr)"   -0.77 should be written instead of .77
  Problem also affects GuidingChart output. Fixed by setting IncludeLeadingZero parameter to 'True' in FormatNumber statement.
  Done 2020-02-04 (AstroMain 3.20.4)

Continuous Improvement

• Reduce the delay between Image Sets when running 'Reduce All' reduction. The process can be speeded up. FIxed are at least speeded up with delays reduced from 5s down to to 2s between image sets.
  Fixed 2020-05-12 (AstroMain 3.22)

[ Prev | Next ]

Back to Top

Guiding Performance TBA

During the short (0.9 hour) session all 5 guided targets lay in one relatively small patch of sky. Consequently the plot was unable to show the suspected differences between the area west of Meridian (asserted to have worse guiding) and east of Meridian (asserted to have better guiding).  

Best guide run (no.4) has average RMS of 1.2", with 9 other runs wth average RMS in range 1.3 to 1.5"

Target guiding was badly affected by wind / cloud in second half of night, guide runs 11, 14, 16, 17 & 18 were complete failures.
(these were generally in the same sky area as early successful guiding)

Notes:
- points show the quality of individual guide runs relative to their sky position
- left-hand plot shows Overall Average RMS for all frames, right-hand plots show Average RMS for the Worst Frame or FrameSet

Back to Top