David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 755 (2020-02-25)

Notes (S754)

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Notes (S756)

	Session Aims & Highlights
	- Observing Result  - Night Summary Plot  - Session Event Log
	Operational Issues
	- Critical Issues (0),  Major Issues (0),  Minor Issues (4),  Continuous Improvement (1)
	Images from 2020-02-25 >>

Session Aims & Highlights (2020-02-25)

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 ,  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 not saved/archived due to technical issue. In the event skies were ...

Session Event Log

Time     Event Detail 19:10:35 Session Created Live Session Created (2020-02-25 S00755, ImageSaveNum: 755001) 19:10:46   Scope Switched On Telescope power has been switched on via UPB Powerbox. 19:11:20   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -25°C) 19:13:07   Services Started Observatory Services started 20:09:06   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 20:09:19   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -25°C) 20:13:49   Shutter Opening Shutter opening hasn't finished after 90s 20:14:24   Shutter Closed Shutter closed (closing time 35s) 20:15:44   Shutter Opened Shutter opened (opening time 47s) 20:16:10       Focusing Started Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 20:18:23       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1) 20:18:37       Focusing Started Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 20:20:37       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2) 20:21:59       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 20:25:54       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 3) 20:26:49 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 20:26:52 Session Pending Session pending (2020-02-25) 20:26:54 Session Initiating Session initiating (2020-02-25) 20:26:56   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.14) 20:27:16   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (2020-02-25 V1 BEST PLAN, Plan ID: 475) 20:27:20   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -25°C) 20:27:23   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 20:27:39 Session Equilibration Session ready for dome & camera equilibration 20:27:42   Equilibration Started Dome Equilibration started 20:27:44   Equilibration Skipped Dome Equilibration skipped by user 20:27:46 Session Running Session running 20:27:48   Queue Started Observing Queue started (33 targets selected) 20:32:50     Target Started (1/33) Target started (1/33, GCVS HH And) 20:38:08       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 20:41:01       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 4) 20:42:45     Target Completed Target completed (1/33, GCVS HH And) 20:42:47     Target Started (2/33) Target started (2/33, C/2017 T2 (PanStarrs)) 20:45:42       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 20:48:43       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 5) 20:56:44     Target Completed Target completed (2/33, C/2017 T2 (PanStarrs)) 20:56:46     Target Started (3/33) Target started (3/33, 114P/Wiseman-Skiff) 21:00:45       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 21:04:28       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 6) 21:14:40     Target Completed Target completed (3/33, 114P/Wiseman-Skiff) 21:14:42     Target Started (4/34) Target started (4/34, C/2019 Y4 (ATLAS)) 21:30:11     Target Completed Target completed (4/34, C/2019 Y4 (ATLAS)) 21:30:13     Target Started (5/34) Target started (5/34, GCVS CM Tau) 21:35:46     Target Completed Target partially completed (5/34, GCVS CM Tau) 21:35:48     Target Started (6/34) Target started (6/34, GCVS FU Ori) 21:38:02       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 21:41:09       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 7) 21:43:50     Target Completed Target completed (6/34, GCVS FU Ori) 21:43:52     Target Started (7/34) Target started (7/34, GCVS SY Cnc) 21:46:20       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 21:49:45       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 8) 21:52:43     Target Completed Target completed (7/34, GCVS SY Cnc) 21:52:45     Target Started (8/34) Target started (8/34, GCVS DX Cnc) 21:54:51       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 21:57:53       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 9) 22:02:52     Target Completed Target completed (8/34, GCVS DX Cnc) 22:02:54     Target Started (9/34) Target started (9/34, Scholz's Star) 22:05:32       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:08:37       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 10) 22:23:37     Target Completed Target completed (9/34, Scholz's Star) 22:23:40     Target Started (10/34) Target started (10/34, GCVS U Mon) 22:25:54       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:28:31       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 11) 22:34:11     Target Completed Target completed (10/34, GCVS U Mon) 22:34:13     Target Started (11/34) Target started (11/34, LAMOST-HVS1) 22:36:11       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:39:06       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 12) 22:42:31     Target Completed Target completed (11/34, LAMOST-HVS1) 22:42:33     Target Started (12/34) Target started (12/34, 155P/Shoemaker) 22:44:17       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:47:19       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 13) 22:57:17     Target Completed Target completed (12/34, 155P/Shoemaker) 22:58:56     Target Started (13/34) Target started (13/34, GCVS U Gem) 23:01:13       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 23:04:13       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 14) 23:07:04     Target Completed Target completed (13/34, GCVS U Gem) 23:08:29     Target Started (14/34) Target started (14/34, 289P/Blanpain) 23:11:10       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 23:14:13       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 15) 23:24:25     Target Completed Target completed (14/34, 289P/Blanpain) 23:24:59     Target Started (15/34) Target started (15/34, GCVS RZ LMi) 23:27:19       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 23:30:08       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 16) 23:35:08     Target Completed Target completed (15/34, GCVS RZ LMi) 23:36:47     Target Started (16/34) Target started (16/34, C/2019 Y4 (ATLAS)) 23:41:05       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 23:43:54       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 17) 23:51:55     Target Completed Target completed (16/34, C/2019 Y4 (ATLAS)) 23:51:57     Target Started (17/34) Target started (17/34, NGC 5410) 00:13:48     Target Completed Target completed (17/34, NGC 5410) 00:13:50     Target Started (18/34) Target started (18/34, Rose 24) 00:17:03       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:20:15       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 18) 00:36:03     Target Completed Target completed (18/34, Rose 24) 00:36:05     Target Started (19/34) Target started (19/34, SHK 219) 00:38:41       Focusing Failed Foc1 Focusing Failed - star is too dim (TCF-S) 00:55:40     Target Completed Target completed (19/34, SHK 219) 00:58:19     Target Started (20/34) Target started (20/34, NGC 5829) 01:01:18       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:04:29       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 19) 01:20:24     Target Completed Target completed (20/34, NGC 5829) 01:20:41     Target Started (21/34) Target started (21/34, Rose 26) 01:21:10     Target Failed Target failed due to slew error (21/34, Rose 26) 01:43:03     Target Started (22/34) Target started (22/34, Rose 12) 01:44:44       Focusing Failed Foc1 Focusing Failed - unable to find a star (TCF-S) 02:02:27     Target Completed Target completed (22/34, Rose 12) 02:05:26     Target Started (23/34) Target started (23/34, NGC 5953) 02:07:50       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:10:40       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 20) 02:26:29     Target Completed Target completed (23/34, NGC 5953) 02:27:47     Target Started (24/34) Target started (24/34, NGC 5994) 02:29:41       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:32:32       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 21) 02:48:29     Target Completed Target completed (24/34, NGC 5994) 02:50:09     Target Started (25/34) Target started (25/34, GCVS SS Her) 02:53:10       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:54:42   SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend is called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars) 02:55:59       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 22) 02:59:14     Target Completed Target completed (25/34, GCVS SS Her) 02:59:16   Queue Paused Queue paused for SoftSuspend 02:59:18 Session Suspended Session suspended 03:00:07   Shutter Closed Shutter closed (closing time 49s) 03:18:27     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (26/34, IC 1007) due to cloud 03:29:25 Session Resuming Session resuming 03:30:11   Shutter Opened Shutter opened (opening time 45s) 03:30:14 Session Running Session running 03:30:16   Queue Resumed Observing Queue resumed 03:30:18     Target Started (27/34) Target started (27/34, NGC 5674) 03:46:53     Target Completed Target partially completed (27/34, NGC 5674) 03:46:56     Target Started (28/34) Target started (28/34, Hickson 72) 03:49:05       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:51:44       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 23) 04:07:18     Target Completed Target completed (28/34, Hickson 72) 04:07:21     Target Started (29/34) Target started (29/34, Rose 20) 04:09:33       Focusing Failed Foc1 Focusing Failed - unable to find a star (TCF-S) 04:27:20     Target Completed Target completed (29/34, Rose 20) 04:28:33     Target Started (30/34) Target started (30/34, Rose 18) 04:30:53       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 04:33:48       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 24) 04:49:40     Target Completed Target completed (30/34, Rose 18) 04:50:55     Target Started (31/34) Target started (31/34, ARP 324) 04:52:42       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 04:55:24       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 25) 05:11:11     Target Completed Target completed (31/34, ARP 324) 05:13:17     Target Started (32/34) Target started (32/34, GCVS U Her) 05:15:18       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 05:18:30       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 26) 05:25:51     Target Completed Target completed (32/34, GCVS U Her) 05:25:53     Target Started (33/34) Target started (33/34, M10) 05:42:21     Target Completed Target partially completed (33/34, M10) 05:42:23     Target Started (34/34) Target started (34/34, HIP 87937) 05:45:14       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 05:48:03       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 27) 05:50:59     Target Completed Target completed (34/34, HIP 87937) 05:51:02   Queue Completed Job Queue completed 05:51:04 Session Closing Session closing 05:51:59   Shutter Closed Shutter closed (closing time 50s) 05:52:34   Dome Parked Dome parked (parking time 35s) 05:52:45   Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 9s) 05:53:15   Scope Switched Off Telescope Power has been switched off via UPB Powerbox. 05:54:05   Services Stopped Night Services stopped 05:54:07 Session Housekeeping Housekeeping Started (Cleanup FITS, Create Fits Summary, Transfer Files) 05:54:25 Session Finished Session Finished

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Operational Issues (2020-02-25, S755)

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

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Critical Issues

• None

Major Issues

• None

Minor Issues

• Problems with Dome Opening at start of session.  1st attempt using Open Dome button produced no response. 2nd attempt , dome appeared to immediately close itself, 3rd attempt gave message that dome had not opened after 90s & dome closed. It is unclear what the root problem is. Plan is to monitor for further incidents of this type (Update: the problem occurred again in session S763).  Subsequent investigation shows that the commands to Open Shutter don't operate when the dome is in process of slewing  (see Investigation: Opening Dome Issue (S755 & S763) )
  Closed 2020-06-04. (Session)
   
• Centering problems on first 2 targets.  Known problem. Monitor future sessions for trends & areas of sky where problem is worst
  Known occassional problem, continue to monitor (AstroMain/Observatory/Session)
   
• Guiding Chart for HH And (Target 1) shows DecMode=0 and no Dec Guide pulses .  Closed following review 20210-05-16 (issue deemed to be resolved as problems of this type are no longer occuring).
  Closed 2021-05-16. (Session / AstroMain)
   
• Log files shows multiple non-relevant Scope errors after quiting Telescope service / Powering Off Telescope.
  Fixed May 2020 (AstroMain)

Continuous Improvement

• Test use ASCOM.DeviceHub (POTH replacement) and integrate its use into AstroMain/AstroGuard.  DeviceHub will be the replacement for POTH which may stop working at some future point due to loss of libraries in future Windows OS. DeviceHub will need several changes to code and thorough testing before use in the Observatory for a live session .   Access to DeviceHub may require waiting until ASCOM 6.5 Plaform is released.   As it turned out DeviceHub (6.4.1.7) was downloaded and installed onto 6.4 SP1 platform on 2020-06-04 and changes made to AstroMain and AstroGuard (see ASCOM.DeviceHub Notes, 2020-06-04).  Testing with Observatory Scope however some a problem connecting to MeadeLX200GPS.Telescope / LX200 Scope which is waiting a DeviceHub fix & release of new version (see Issue - Unable to connect to Meade LX200GPS/R Telescope from ASCOM.DeviceHub, 2020-06-06)
  Done 2020-06-06 (AstroMain 3.25 & AstroGuard 1.4)

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