David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 770 (2020-04-19)

Notes (S769)

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Notes (S771)

	Session Aims & Highlights
	- Observing Result  - Night Summary Plot  - Session Event Log
	Operational Issues
	- Critical Issues (0),  Major Issues (0),  Minor Issues (3),  Continuous Improvement (0)
	Images from 2020-04-19 >>

Session Aims & Highlights (2020-04-19)

Main aims

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

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

• None

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) Weather forecast was for clear skies throughout night with light wind from SE and min Temp 6 degC In the event skies were clear for the whole night and wind conditions were good.

Session Event Log

Time     Event Detail 21:04:26 Session Created Live Session Created (2020-04-19 S00770, ImageSaveNum: 770001) 21:04:45   Scope Switched On Telescope power has been switched on via UPB Powerbox. 21:06:43   Services Started Observatory Services started 21:07:07   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -15°C) 21:07:15   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 21:10:16   Shutter Opening Shutter opening hasn't finished after 90s 21:18:55 Session Resumed Live Session Resumed (2020-04-19 S00770, ImageSaveNum: 770001) 21:19:09   Obs.Manager Started Obs.Manager started 21:19:11   Obs.Overseer Started Obs.Overseer started 21:19:15   Services Started Observatory Services started 21:19:21   Scope Switched Off Telescope Power has been switched off via UPB Powerbox. 21:19:43   Scope Switched On Telescope power has been switched on via UPB Powerbox. 21:20:09   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -15°C) 21:21:11   Shutter Opened Shutter opened (opening time 45s) 21:21:43   Services Started Observatory Services started 21:22:13   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 21:25:53       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 21:26:38       Focusing Aborted Foc1 Focusing Aborted 21:26:59       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 21:28:02       Focusing Failed Foc1 Focusing Failed - star lost 21:28:59       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 21:29:53       Focusing Aborted Foc1 Focusing Aborted 21:30:53       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 21:34:49       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 4) 21:35:27       Focusing Started Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 21:35:39       Focusing Started Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 21:37:36       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 5) 21:37:41       Focusing Started Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 21:39:37       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 6) 21:40:11 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 21:40:13 Session Pending Session pending (2020-04-19) 21:40:15 Session Initiating Session initiating (2020-04-19) 21:40:17   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.14) 21:40:38   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (2020-04-19 V1 BEST PLAN, Plan ID: 494) 21:40:41   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -15°C) 21:40:45   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 21:40:58 Session Equilibration Session ready for dome & camera equilibration 21:46:00   Equilibration Started Dome Equilibration started 21:46:02   Equilibration Skipped Dome Equilibration skipped by user 21:46:04 Session Running Session running 21:46:06   Queue Started Observing Queue started (21 targets selected) 21:52:59     Target Started (1/21) Target started (1/21, GCVS SY Cnc) 21:55:48       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 21:59:37       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 7) 22:02:38     Target Completed Target completed (1/21, GCVS SY Cnc) 22:02:40     Target Started (2/21) Target started (2/21, UGC 6309) 22:22:06     Target Completed Target completed (2/21, UGC 6309) 22:25:00     Target Started (3/21) Target started (3/21, C/2019 Y4 (ATLAS)) 22:27:47       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:31:05       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 8) 22:52:43     Target Completed Target completed (3/21, C/2019 Y4 (ATLAS)) 22:52:45     Target Started (4/21) Target started (4/21, UGC 4277) 22:55:27       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:58:11       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 9) 23:13:46     Target Completed Target completed (4/21, UGC 4277) 23:14:09     Target Started (5/21) Target started (5/21, GCVS ER UMa) 23:21:30     Target Completed Target completed (5/21, GCVS ER UMa) 23:21:32     Target Started (6/22) Target started (6/22, NGC 5068) 23:24:36       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 23:25:52       Focusing Failed Foc1 Focusing Failed - star lost 23:57:47     Target Completed Target completed (6/22, NGC 5068) 23:57:49     Target Missed (7/22) Target's time slot was missed (7/22, GCVS RZ LMi) 23:57:51     Target Missed (8/22) Target's time slot was missed (8/22, UGC 7170) 23:58:37     Target Started (9/22) Target started (9/22, UGC 7991) 00:01:53       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:04:45       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 11) 00:20:32     Target Completed Target completed (9/22, UGC 7991) 00:20:59     Target Started (10/22) Target started (10/22, UGC 8543) 00:23:21       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:26:06       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 12) 00:41:52     Target Completed Target completed (10/22, UGC 8543) 00:43:21     Target Started (11/22) Target started (11/22, UGC 5984) 00:44:03     Target Failed Target failed due to slew error (11/22, UGC 5984) 01:05:43     Target Started (12/22) Target started (12/22, UGC 7388) 01:08:22       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:11:17       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 13) 01:26:52     Target Completed Target completed (12/22, UGC 7388) 01:28:05     Target Started (13/22) Target started (13/22, GCVS AM CVn) 01:30:12       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:32:53       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 14) 01:35:38     Target Completed Target completed (13/22, GCVS AM CVn) 01:37:38     Target Started (14/22) Target started (14/22, UGC 8025) 01:40:46       Focusing Failed Foc1 Focusing Failed - star is too dim (TCF-S) 01:57:57     Target Completed Target completed (14/22, UGC 8025) 02:00:00     Target Started (15/22) Target started (15/22, UGC 8740) 02:02:31       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:05:46       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 15) 02:21:27     Target Completed Target completed (15/22, UGC 8740) 02:22:22     Target Started (16/22) Target started (16/22, UGC 9249) 02:24:32       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:27:26       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 16) 02:43:21     Target Completed Target completed (16/22, UGC 9249) 02:44:44     Target Started (17/22) Target started (17/22, UGC 9810) 02:47:58       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:51:15       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 17) 03:13:14     Target Completed Target completed (17/22, UGC 9810) 03:13:16     Target Started (18/22) Target started (18/22, GCVS U Her) 03:14:58       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:18:07       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 18) 03:25:26     Target Completed Target completed (18/22, GCVS U Her) 03:25:28     Target Started (19/22) Target started (19/22, UGC 10738) 03:27:39       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:30:32       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 19) 03:46:09     Target Completed Target completed (19/22, UGC 10738) 03:46:58     Target Started (20/22) Target started (20/22, HIP 87937) 03:49:20       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:52:07       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 20) 03:54:42     Target Completed Target completed (20/22, HIP 87937) 03:54:50     Target Started (21/22) Target started (21/22, GCVS CI Cyg) 03:57:32       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 04:00:17       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 21) 04:03:59     Target Completed Target completed (21/22, GCVS CI Cyg) 04:04:01     Target Started (22/22) Target started (22/22, 61 Cyg) 04:07:01       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 04:09:49       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 22) 04:11:14     Target Completed Target completed (22/22, 61 Cyg) 04:11:17   Queue Completed Job Queue completed 04:11:21 Session Closing Session closing 04:12:11   Shutter Closed Shutter closed (closing time 45s) 04:12:13   Dome Parked Dome already parked (parking time is unknown) 04:12:23   Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 9s) 04:12:53   Scope Switched Off Telescope Power has been switched off via UPB Powerbox. 04:13:42   Services Stopped Night Services stopped 04:13:44 Session Housekeeping Housekeeping Started (Cleanup FITS, Create Fits Summary, Transfer Files) 04:13:53 Session Finished Session Finished

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Operational Issues (2020-04-19, S770)

• Critical Issues (0)
• Major Issues (0)
• Minor Issues (3)
• Continuous Improvement (0)

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Critical Issues

• None

Major Issues

• None

Minor Issues

• Problem opening Dome as start of session. Error message says 'CheckDotNetExceptions POTH.Dome OpenShutter System.InvalidOperationException: The port is closed. (See Inner Exception for details) '.   Scope was parked and software stopped / restarted and the session resumed/restarted which resolved the issue.  Subsequent investigation showed no obvious root cause to the problem.  The issue is presumed to have been just a random glitch.   DeviceHub has been used for observatory's telescope & dome operation since Jul 2020 (POTH is no longer used)
  Closed, 2020-07-01 (Observatory)
   
• Unable to add ToO target, message says 'Target lies below horizon. ToO submission is aborted'.  Message given when trying to insert NGC 5068 as ToO at a time when target had an altitude of 9 deg (which is clearly above the horizon). Is the message confused with message regarding an airmass limit, a 10deg altitude limit, or does problem relate to a GMT / BST time difference.  Target was eventually submitted when altutude was 10.1 deg.  Code modified to allow ToO targets to be submitted with altitude > 5 deg and message modified for targets between 0 and 5 deg altitude.
  Fixed 2020-04-21 (AstroPlan 1.14.1)
   
• Target failed due to slew error. Target 11/22 ( UGC 5984) failed due to slew error at 00:44. Investigating showed that  the Post-Slew Scope Position Check failed with the message  'Scope isn't pointing to the target (Ang Sep. = 0.6 arc degs)' and a sub-message 'Possible Timed out waiting for received data problem'.  Log file report a Slew Discrepancy of 33.46 arc min (W= 33.46', N= 0.09').   Given the Obs.Manager's action to abort the Target, led to the time slot (~25 mins) being wasted, it was probably worthwhile that the Target acquistion was allowed to continue as locate / centering operations might have brought the telescope to bear on to the target ok.  Recommendation to increase the slew discrepency cutoff to 60 arc min
  (Update: Tolerance has been increased from 30 arc mins (0.5 arc deg) to new value of 60 arc mins (1 arc deg) )
  Fixed 2020-05-03 (AstroMain 3.21.4)

Continuous Improvement

• None

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