David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 763 (2020-03-19)

Notes (S762)

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Notes (S764)

	Session Aims & Highlights
	- Observing Result  - Night Summary Plot  - Session Event Log
	Operational Issues
	- Critical Issues (0),  Major Issues (1),  Minor Issues (6),  Continuous Improvement (0)
	Images from 2020-03-19 >>

Session Aims & Highlights (2020-03-19)

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 1.8.6, 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 19:33:42 Session Created Live Session Created (2020-03-19 S00763, ImageSaveNum: 763001) 19:34:19   Services Stopped Observatory Services stopped 19:34:43   Obs.Manager Started Obs.Manager started 19:34:45   Obs.Overseer Started Obs.Overseer started 19:34:49   Services Started Observatory Services started 19:35:26   Scope Switched On Telescope power has been switched on via UPB Powerbox. 19:37:16   Services Started Observatory Services started 19:37:34   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 19:38:00   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -20°C) 19:40:54   Shutter Opened Shutter opened (opening time 44s) 19:42:27       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 19:47:00       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1) 19:48:02       Focusing Started Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 19:49:19       Focusing Aborted Foc2 Focusing Aborted 19:49:32       Focusing Started Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 19:51:31       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 3) 20:02:11 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 20:02:13 Session Pending Session pending (2020-03-19) 20:02:15 Session Initiating Session initiating (2020-03-19) 20:02:17   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.14) 20:03:16   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (2020-03-19 V1 BEST PLAN, Plan ID: 486) 20:03:19   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -20°C) 20:03:24   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 20:03:40 Session Equilibration Session ready for dome & camera equilibration 20:03:43   Equilibration Started Dome Equilibration started 20:03:45   Equilibration Skipped Dome Equilibration skipped by user 20:03:47 Session Running Session running 20:03:49   Queue Started Observing Queue started (32 targets selected) 20:08:12     Target Started (1/32) Target started (1/32, Scholz's Star) 20:10:43       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 20:13:44       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 4) 20:28:58     Target Completed Target completed (1/32, Scholz's Star) 20:29:37     Target Started (2/32) Target started (2/32, GCVS U Gem) 20:32:09       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 20:35:28       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 5) 20:38:17     Target Completed Target completed (2/32, GCVS U Gem) 20:38:19     Target Started (3/33) Target started (3/33, AT2020enp) 20:59:35     Target Completed Target completed (3/33, AT2020enp) 20:59:38     Target Started (4/34) Target started (4/34, IC 1222) 21:20:15     Target Completed Target completed (4/34, IC 1222) 21:20:17     Target Started (5/35) Target started (5/35, C/2020 A2 (Iwamoto)) 21:36:23     Target Completed Target completed (5/35, C/2020 A2 (Iwamoto)) 21:36:25     Target Missed (6/35) Target's time slot was missed (6/35, GCVS CM Tau) 21:36:27     Target Missed (7/35) Target's time slot was missed (7/35, GCVS RR Tau) 21:36:29     Target Missed (8/35) Target's time slot was missed (8/35, GCVS GK Per) 21:36:31     Target Missed (9/35) Target's time slot was missed (9/35, GCVS ER UMa) 21:36:33     Target Started (10/35) Target started (10/35, C/2018 N2 (ASASSN)) 21:48:16     Target Completed Target partially completed (10/35, C/2018 N2 (ASASSN)) 21:48:18     Target Started (11/36) Target started (11/36, C/2020 A2 (Iwamoto)) 22:01:17     Target Completed Target completed (11/36, C/2020 A2 (Iwamoto)) 22:01:19     Target Missed (12/36) Target's time slot was missed (12/36, GCVS AM CVn) 22:01:21     Target Started (13/36) Target started (13/36, GCVS SY Cnc) 22:07:25     Target Completed Target partially completed (13/36, GCVS SY Cnc) 22:07:27     Target Started (14/36) Target started (14/36, GCVS DY Per) 22:10:15       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:13:02       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 6) 22:17:29     Target Completed Target completed (14/36, GCVS DY Per) 22:17:31     Target Started (15/36) Target started (15/36, C/2017 T2 (PanStarrs)) 22:19:19       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:22:10       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 7) 22:30:03     Target Completed Target completed (15/36, C/2017 T2 (PanStarrs)) 22:30:05     Target Started (16/37) Target started (16/37, NGC 4636) 22:33:38       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:36:49       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 8) 22:53:08     Target Aborted (16/37) Target aborted (16/37, NGC 4636) due to GRB Alert 22:53:10     Target Started (17/38) Target started (17/38, NGC 6952) 22:53:12     Target Failed Target failed due to dec limit (17/38, NGC 6952) 22:53:14     Target Missed (18/38) Target's time slot was missed (18/38, 114P/Wiseman-Skiff) 22:53:16     Target Started (19/38) Target started (19/38, GCVS CN Leo) 22:53:42     Target Aborted (19/38) Target aborted (19/38, GCVS CN Leo) due to Priority 1 ToO Target 22:53:44     Target Started (20/39) Target started (20/39, NGC 3023) 22:56:54       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:59:47       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 9) 23:07:18 Critical Conditions Alert Critical Conditions Alert (Obs.Manager will close the Shutter) 23:07:20   HardSuspend Called Hard Suspend is called due to Critical Conditions (other condition) 23:07:26     Target Aborted (20/39) Target aborted (20/39, NGC 3023) due to other condition 23:07:28   Queue Paused Queue pausing for HardSuspend 23:07:31 Session Suspended Session suspended 23:08:18   Shutter Closed Shutter closed (closing time 49s) 23:09:34 Session Resuming Session resuming 23:10:18   Shutter Opened Shutter opened (opening time 45s) 23:10:20 Session Running Session running 23:10:22   Queue Resumed Observing Queue resumed 23:10:24     Target Started (21/40) Target started (21/40, NGC 3227) 23:30:10     Target Completed Target completed (21/40, NGC 3227) 23:30:12     Target Started (22/41) Target started (22/41, NGC 3023) 23:32:55       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 23:35:55       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 10) 23:51:37     Target Completed Target completed (22/41, NGC 3023) 23:51:39     Target Started (23/42) Target started (23/42, UGC 10528) 00:12:39     Target Completed Target completed (23/42, UGC 10528) 00:12:41     Target Missed (24/42) Target's time slot was missed (24/42, 155P/Shoemaker) 00:12:43     Target Missed (25/42) Target's time slot was missed (25/42, 289P/Blanpain) 00:12:45     Target Missed (26/42) Target's time slot was missed (26/42, LAMOST-HVS1) 00:12:47     Target Missed (27/42) Target's time slot was missed (27/42, GCVS DX Cnc) 00:12:49     Target Missed (28/42) Target's time slot was missed (28/42, GCVS RZ LMi) 00:12:51     Target Missed (29/42) Target's time slot was missed (29/42, GCVS R CrB) 00:12:53     Target Started (30/42) Target started (30/42, SHK 19) 00:14:51       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:17:30       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 11) 00:33:12     Target Completed Target completed (30/42, SHK 19) 00:33:14     Target Started (31/42) Target started (31/42, GCVS SS Her) 00:36:25       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:39:25       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 12) 00:42:39     Target Completed Target completed (31/42, GCVS SS Her) 00:42:41     Target Started (32/42) Target started (32/42, GCVS U Her) 00:46:18       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:49:11       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 13) 00:56:33     Target Completed Target completed (32/42, GCVS U Her) 00:56:35     Target Started (33/42) Target started (33/42, GCVS S Cyg) 01:00:27       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:03:09       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 14) 01:13:04     Target Completed Target completed (33/42, GCVS S Cyg) 01:13:06     Target Started (34/42) Target started (34/42, GCVS SS Cyg) 01:15:36       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:18:36       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 15) 01:22:19     Target Completed Target completed (34/42, GCVS SS Cyg) 01:23:26     Target Started (35/42) Target started (35/42, GCVS AM Her) 01:25:59       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:28:52       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 16) 01:33:47     Target Completed Target completed (35/42, GCVS AM Her) 01:34:07     Target Started (36/42) Target started (36/42, GCVS AM Her) 01:35:22       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:38:14       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 17) 01:43:08     Target Completed Target completed (36/42, GCVS AM Her) 01:44:48     Target Started (37/42) Target started (37/42, GCVS CY Lyr) 01:47:29       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:50:18       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 18) 01:53:57     Target Completed Target completed (37/42, GCVS CY Lyr) 01:55:06     Target Started (38/42) Target started (38/42, 61 Cyg) 01:57:58       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:00:46       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 19) 02:02:07     Target Completed Target completed (38/42, 61 Cyg) 02:02:09     Target Started (39/42) Target started (39/42, GCVS Z And) 02:05:29       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:08:21       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 20) 02:12:10     Target Completed Target completed (39/42, GCVS Z And) 02:12:13     Target Started (40/42) Target started (40/42, HIP 87937) 02:15:37       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:18:26       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 21) 02:21:08     Target Completed Target completed (40/42, HIP 87937) 02:21:10     Target Started (41/42) Target started (41/42, GCVS CI Cyg) 02:23:59       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:26:48       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 22) 02:30:34     Target Completed Target completed (41/42, GCVS CI Cyg) 02:30:36     Target Started (42/42) Target started (42/42, GCVS BL Lac) 02:34:27       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:37:19       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 23) 02:40:52     Target Completed Target completed (42/42, GCVS BL Lac) 02:40:55   Queue Completed Job Queue completed 02:40:58 Session Continuing Session continuing 02:41:09   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.14) 02:41:19   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (2020-03-19 V2 BEST PLAN, Plan ID: 487) 02:42:09 Session Running Session running 02:42:12   Queue Started Observing Queue started (12 targets selected) 02:47:09     Target Started (1/12) Target started (1/12, GCVS R CrB) 02:49:36       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:52:13       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 24) 02:55:13     Target Completed Target completed (1/12, GCVS R CrB) 02:55:50     Target Started (2/12) Target started (2/12, GCVS SS Her) 02:59:30       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:02:28       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 25) 03:05:44     Target Completed Target completed (2/12, GCVS SS Her) 03:05:46     Target Started (3/12) Target started (3/12, GCVS U Her) 03:07:39       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:10:15       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 26) 03:17:50     Target Completed Target completed (3/12, GCVS U Her) 03:17:52     Target Started (4/12) Target started (4/12, HIP 87937) 03:20:25       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:23:16       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 27) 03:25:50     Target Completed Target completed (4/12, HIP 87937) 03:25:53     Target Started (5/12) Target started (5/12, GCVS AM Her) 03:28:12       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:31:01       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 28) 03:35:57     Target Completed Target completed (5/12, GCVS AM Her) 03:36:00     Target Started (6/12) Target started (6/12, GCVS CI Cyg) 03:38:25       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:41:15       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 29) 03:45:01     Target Completed Target completed (6/12, GCVS CI Cyg) 03:45:03     Target Started (7/12) Target started (7/12, 61 Cyg) 03:47:05       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:49:56       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 30) 03:51:26     Target Completed Target completed (7/12, 61 Cyg) 03:51:29     Target Started (8/12) Target started (8/12, GCVS SS Cyg) 03:54:28       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:57:24       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 31) 04:01:07     Target Completed Target completed (8/12, GCVS SS Cyg) 04:05:43     Target Started (9/12) Target started (9/12, GCVS CY Lyr) 04:07:50       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 04:10:38       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 32) 04:14:16     Target Completed Target completed (9/12, GCVS CY Lyr) 04:16:01     Target Started (10/12) Target started (10/12, GCVS S Cyg) 04:18:47       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 04:21:29       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 33) 04:31:17     Target Completed Target completed (10/12, GCVS S Cyg) 04:31:19     Target Started (11/12) Target started (11/12, GCVS BL Lac) 04:33:23       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 04:36:09       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 34) 04:39:48     Target Completed Target completed (11/12, GCVS BL Lac) 04:41:09     Target Started (12/12) Target started (12/12, GCVS HH And) 04:45:39       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 04:48:32       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 35) 04:50:32     Target Completed Target completed (12/12, GCVS HH And) 04:50:35   Queue Completed Job Queue completed 04:50:39 Program Hung AstroMain program hung immediately after entering Closing State 05:40:00 Session Closing Dome Closed by AstroGuard due to Light Conditions

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Operational Issues (2020-03-19, S763)

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

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Critical Issues

• None

Major Issues

• AstroMain program hung immediately after entering 'Closing State' at 04:39:40. After successfully completing the Plan V2 in the job queue, the session moved to Closing state. Immediately the UI and Observatory Manager both hung with the result that the program failed to close the shutter, park the dome, park the scope & close down the camera.  At 05:40 AstroGuard intervened to close the shutter due to brighting light conditions. At around 05:55 the observatory was checked remotely.  The Dome and  Scope  were found to lie at c.  Az. 63deg.  The Dome and Telescope were parked using manual control using AstroGuard & POTH. Telescope power was switched off using UPB Program.   Other previous cases have seen Crash or program hang whilst entering the Closing state. No root cause or solution has been found.    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

• Initial problem accessing Dome due to COM Port change. Resolved at the time by restarting AstroMain / POTH
  Closed after monitoring (Observatory)
   
• Target Info chart for NGC 3023 was missing full constellation name (Sextans) even though abbreviation (Sex) was displayed. Constellations names correctly displayed on other Target Information charts for other targets
  Fixed 2020-05-12 (AstroMain 3.22)
   
• Initial problems opening Dome Shutter. When using AstroMain's manual 'Open Shutter' button the shutter would seem to begin opening on ObsViewer but then immediately shut.  No obvious messages or errors given. Weather conditions fine. This happened twice in a row. On third attempt and (after clicking Open Shutter in POTH) the Shutter opened ok.  Issue has been seen previously (e.g. Session S755).  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)
   
• Initial problems with GuideScope focusing & applying correct star coords . When using ShCap focusing for first time, the focus star X/Y coords found in initial .fts file didn't match the coordinates of star in Sharpcap's live view resulting in a flat/invalid focus profile.  It is postulated that AstroMain picked up/used an incorrect Pointing.fits file in someway. Issue considered closed with overhauled Foc2 focusing routine (V3) in May 2020.
  Closed 2020-05-06 (AstroMain)
   
• Unexpected HardSuspend event at c. 23:10  Sky was totally clear and there appears to have been no reason for any weather/environment check to have failed.   Issue has been seen before.   A partial fix has been implemented in AstroMain 3.21.6 which fixes Clarity value where Sensor Unit Temperature has a value of 0.0.  This will allow measurement of the frequency of rogue temperature values and prevent at least a subset of the Unexpected Dome Closure. Review 2020-10-20 and concluded that this had been fixed as no recent incidents of this kind.
  Fixed 2020-05-06 (AstroMain 3.21.6)
   
• First attempted observation of C/2020 A2 Iwanto failed due to centering  issues with a rogue jog shifting the scope away from the target position and corrective jogs not working.   Issue has occasionally been seen before but this is the worst case in recent session.
  Resolved (Observatory/DeviceHub)

Continuous Improvement

• None

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