David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 768 (2020-04-16)

Notes (S767)

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Notes (S769)

	Session Aims & Highlights
	- Observing Result  - Night Summary Plot  - Session Event Log
	Operational Issues
	- Critical Issues (0),  Major Issues (0),  Minor Issues (2),  Continuous Improvement (0)
	Images from 2020-04-16 >>

Session Aims & Highlights (2020-04-16)

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

•   Dome Positioning.  Slippage of the dome's rotation encoder wheel caused the dome shutter to become misplaced from the telescope position from 00:28 onwards leading to obstruction of the telescope's view of the night sky and consequential loss of multiple targets.

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 21:56:06 Session Created Live Session Created (2020-04-16 S00768, ImageSaveNum: 768001) 21:56:15   Scope Switched On Telescope power has been switched on via UPB Powerbox. 21:56:51   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -20°C) 21:58:20   Services Started Observatory Services started 21:58:53   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 22:00:32   Shutter Opened Shutter opened (opening time 47s) 22:01:19       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:05:15       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1) 22:06:03       Focusing Started Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 22:08:44       Focusing Failed Foc2 Focusing Failed - failed QC check (Quadratic) 22:08:56       Focusing Started Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 22:10:55       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 3) 22:11:19 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 22:11:24 Session Pending Session pending (2020-04-16) 22:11:26 Session Initiating Session initiating (2020-04-16) 22:11:28   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.14) 22:11:43   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (2020-04-16 V1 BEST PLAN, Plan ID: 492) 22:11:46   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -20°C) 22:11:50   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 22:12:06 Session Equilibration Session ready for dome & camera equilibration 22:12:09   Equilibration Started Dome Equilibration started 22:12:11   Equilibration Skipped Dome Equilibration skipped by user 22:12:13 Session Running Session running 22:12:15   Queue Started Observing Queue started (19 targets selected) 22:13:19     Target Aborted (1/19) Target aborted (1/19, UGC 5984) due to Priority 1 ToO Target 22:13:21     Target Started (2/20) Target started (2/20, C/2019 Y4 (ATLAS)) 22:40:23     Target Completed Target completed (2/20, C/2019 Y4 (ATLAS)) 22:40:25     Target Started (3/21) Target started (3/21, IC 1222) 23:01:28     Target Completed Target completed (3/21, IC 1222) 23:01:30     Target Started (4/22) Target started (4/22, NGC 5157) 23:04:13       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 23:07:43       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 4) 23:23:39     Target Completed Target completed (4/22, NGC 5157) 23:23:41     Target Started (5/23) Target started (5/23, NGC 4636) 23:26:46       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 23:30:07       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 5) 23:57:08     Target Completed Target completed (5/23, NGC 4636) 23:57:11     Target Missed (6/23) Target's time slot was missed (6/23, UGC 7388) 23:57:13     Target Missed (7/23) Target's time slot was missed (7/23, GCVS RZ LMi) 23:57:15     Target Missed (8/23) Target's time slot was missed (8/23, UGC 5495) 23:57:17     Target Missed (9/23) Target's time slot was missed (9/23, NGC 3245) 23:57:45     Target Started (10/23) Target started (10/23, UGC 6334) 00:00:50       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:03:44       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 6) 00:19:22     Target Completed Target completed (10/23, UGC 6334) 00:20:06     Target Started (11/23) Target started (11/23, UGC 7576) 00:22:43       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:26:13       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 7) 00:42:01     Target Completed Target completed (11/23, UGC 7576) 00:42:28     Target Started (12/23) Target started (12/23, GCVS AM CVn) 00:48:56     Target Completed Target completed (12/23, GCVS AM CVn) 00:52:01     Target Started (13/23) Target started (13/23, C/2019 Y4 (ATLAS)) 00:55:33       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:59:07       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 8) 01:11:09 Critical Cloud Alert Critical Cloud Alert (Obs.Manager will close the Shutter) 01:11:11   HardSuspend Called Hard Suspend is called due to Critical Conditions (cloud) 01:11:13     Target Aborted (13/23) Target aborted (13/23, C/2019 Y4 (ATLAS)) due to cloud 01:11:16   Queue Paused Queue pausing for HardSuspend 01:11:18 Session Suspended Session suspended 01:12:04   Shutter Closed Shutter closed (closing time 49s) 01:18:03     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (13/23, C/2019 Y4 (ATLAS)) due to cloud 01:21:15   Camera1 SetPoint SBIG Camera Set Point Temperature Updated (new set point -25°C) 01:31:46 Session Resuming Session resuming 01:32:31   Shutter Opened Shutter opened (opening time 45s) 01:32:34 Session Running Session running 01:32:36   Queue Resumed Observing Queue resumed 01:32:38     Target Started (14/23) Target started (14/23, 88P/Howell) 01:37:57 Critical Cloud Alert Critical Cloud Alert (Obs.Manager will close the Shutter) 01:37:59   HardSuspend Called Hard Suspend is called due to Critical Conditions (cloud) 01:38:01     Target Aborted (14/23) Target aborted (14/23, 88P/Howell) due to cloud 01:38:03   Queue Paused Queue pausing for HardSuspend 01:38:05 Session Suspended Session suspended 01:38:52   Shutter Closed Shutter closed (closing time 49s) 01:46:57 Session Resuming Session resuming 01:47:42   Shutter Opened Shutter opened (opening time 45s) 01:47:44 Session Running Session running 01:47:46   Queue Resumed Observing Queue resumed 01:47:48     Target Started (15/23) Target started (15/23, UGC 9796) 02:00:53     Target Completed Target partially completed (15/23, UGC 9796) 02:00:55     Target Started (16/23) Target started (16/23, UGC 10561) 02:10:55 Critical Cloud Alert Critical Cloud Alert (Obs.Manager will close the Shutter) 02:10:57   HardSuspend Called Hard Suspend is called due to Critical Conditions (cloud) 02:11:02     Target Aborted (16/23) Target aborted (16/23, UGC 10561) due to cloud 02:11:04   Queue Paused Queue pausing for HardSuspend 02:11:05 Session Suspended Session suspended 02:11:55   Shutter Closed Shutter closed (closing time 49s) 02:17:02     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (16/23, UGC 10561) due to cloud 02:21:06   Camera1 SetPoint SBIG Camera Set Point Temperature Updated (new set point -20°C) 02:39:24     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (17/23, UGC 8543) due to cloud 03:01:46     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (18/23, UGC 8740) due to cloud 03:20:41 Session Resuming Session resuming 03:21:26   Shutter Opened Shutter opened (opening time 45s) 03:21:29 Session Running Session running 03:21:31   Queue Resumed Observing Queue resumed 03:21:33     Target Started (19/23) Target started (19/23, UGC 9810) 03:32:52 Critical Cloud Alert Critical Cloud Alert (Obs.Manager will close the Shutter) 03:32:54   HardSuspend Called Hard Suspend is called due to Critical Conditions (cloud) 03:32:58     Target Aborted (19/23) Target aborted (19/23, UGC 9810) due to cloud 03:33:00   Queue Paused Queue pausing for HardSuspend 03:33:03 Session Suspended Session suspended 03:33:52   Shutter Closed Shutter closed (closing time 49s) 03:41:38     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (20/23, GCVS R CrB) due to cloud 03:44:43 Session Resuming Session resuming 03:45:28   Shutter Opened Shutter opened (opening time 45s) 03:45:30 Session Running Session running 03:45:32   Queue Resumed Observing Queue resumed 03:45:34     Target Started (21/23) Target started (21/23, C/2019 Y1 (ATLAS)) 03:45:36     Target Failed Target failed due to dec limit (21/23, C/2019 Y1 (ATLAS)) 03:56:19     Target Started (22/23) Target started (22/23, GCVS U Her) 03:59:10       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 04:02:09       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 9) 04:05:55 Critical Cloud Alert Critical Cloud Alert (Obs.Manager will close the Shutter) 04:05:57   HardSuspend Called Hard Suspend is called due to Critical Conditions (cloud) 04:06:00     Target Aborted (22/23) Target aborted (22/23, GCVS U Her) due to cloud 04:06:02   Queue Paused Queue pausing for HardSuspend 04:06:04 Session Suspended Session suspended 04:06:50   Shutter Closed Shutter closed (closing time 49s) 04:06:59     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (22/23, GCVS U Her) due to cloud 04:25:34     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (23/23, HIP 87937) due to cloud 04:25:39   Queue Completed Job Queue completed 04:25:42 Session Closing Session closing 04:25:47   Shutter Closed Shutter already closed (closed at 04:06, closing time 49s) 04:27:02   Dome Parked Dome parked (parking time 75s) 04:27:16   Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 10s) 04:27:46   Scope Switched Off Telescope Power has been switched off via UPB Powerbox. 04:28:33   Services Stopped Night Services stopped 04:28:35 Session Housekeeping Housekeeping Started (Cleanup FITS, Create Fits Summary, Transfer Files) 04:28:45 Session Finished Session Finished

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Operational Issues (2020-04-16, S768)

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

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Critical Issues

• None

Major Issues

• None

Minor Issues

• Log file shows scope path recording with adjacent records having zero or very short intervals (0.00 to 0.05s) where second data row invariably gives ' <1' movement' messages.  Issue was noticed whilst investigating why dome slew for Target 14/23 (88P/Howell) took 302s for a 132.6d slew  (ie a slew spped of only 26.34 deg/min), but seemed to be associated with other targets as well.  Problem appears to be that whilst most scope path measurements are made 0.40 to 1.0s +/- apart there are some measurements where spacing is only 0.01 or 0.02s apart and with no change in position is such as a short time interval they produce '<1' movement messages.   Resolved by correcting and moving the position of sleep loop to a point immediately before the Ra/Dec position is read, and making sure that there is at least 0.4s between position reads.   New routine also added. Scope.GetAzAltNow()
  Fixed 2020-05-22 (AstroMain 3.22.5)
   
• Target failed due to rogue jog on final centering. Target 13/23 (C/2019 Y4 (ATLAS) failed to give any useful images due to target being outside field of view.  Post slew locate frame showed the telescope pointing to be off by only 0.55' , which is well within acceptable tolerance.  A final jog was instigated on the basis that it should improve centering to less than 0.55'.  Unfortunately a rogue jog occurred and the scope ended up pointing some 13' away from the target. Examination of log files show that the rogue jog was recognised (Jog Discrepancy:  14.83 arc mins (W= -14.83', N= 0.20') and a corrective jog was applied.  Unfortunately the corrective jog either failed to move the scope or produced a rogue movement. Without a fix to eliminate rogue and/or failed jogs, the only workaround to occasional issues like this one, is to do away with centering jogs when pointing error is either below the tolerance or below 60% of the tolerance amount.  Issue monitored and eventually resolved itself and/or fixed with introduction of later version of DeviceHub.
  Resolved (Observatory/DeviceHub)

Continuous Improvement

• None

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