David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 790 (2020-06-08)

Notes (S789)

Notes Main

Home Page

Notes (S791)

	Session Aims & Highlights
	- Observing Result  - Night Summary Plot  - Session Event Log
	Operational Issues
	- Critical Issues (0),  Major Issues (0),  Minor Issues (2),  Continuous Improvement (5)
	Images from 2020-06-08 >>

Session Aims & Highlights (2020-06-08)

Main aims

1. DeviceHub: Carry out first live session using DeviceHub (new ASCOM replacement for POTH)
2. Southern Targets. Aquire targets low down in Summer Sky (Sagittarius)
3. Targets: Acquire images of a number of other targets if conditions allowed.  

Equipment & Software

• 12" LX200 and ST-10XME
• 80mm APO and ZWO ASI 178MC
• CCDApp2, TheSky6, CCDSoft5, PHD2,  DeviceHub 4.6.1.10, UPB 1.5 
• Pegasus UPB & Motor Focus, TCF-S
• SharpCap 3.2, PHD2  2.6.8
   
• AstroMain 3.25.1,  AstroGuard 1.4,   AstroPlan 1.15.2,  AstroShCap 1.2.22, AstroVOE 1.3.6
  (AstroWeather 1.10.5, AstroAllSky 3.6)
  

Highlights

•   DeviceHub.  First live session using DeviceHub was successfully with no issues. Hub / Dome / Scope worked well together.
•   Southern Targets.  3 targets successfully imaged despite bright twilight sky.

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) Pre-Session Weather forecast showed variable skies range from 5 to 50% cloud cover,  light winds (wind 7mph) and a minimum temperature of 6°C. In the event conditions were clear and calm through the whole night, with a minimum temperature of around 4°C

Session Event Log

Time     Event Detail 23:31:51   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -10°C) 23:31:53 Session Created Live Session Created (2020-06-08 S00790, ImageSaveNum: 790001) 23:36:12   Services Started Observatory Services started 23:36:16   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -20°C) 23:36:33   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 23:38:33   Shutter Opened Shutter opened (opening time 47s) 00:03:46       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:06:50       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1) 00:06:53       Focusing Started Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 00:09:15       Focusing Failed Foc2 Focusing Failed - failed QC check (Range) 00:10:47       Focusing Started Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 00:13:25       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 3) 00:14:07       Focusing Started Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 00:16:41       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 4) 00:17:32 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 00:17:37 Session Pending Session pending (2020-06-08) 00:17:39 Session Initiating Session initiating (2020-06-08) 00:17:41   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.15.2) 00:18:26   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (2020-06-08 V1 BEST PLAN, Plan ID: 519) 00:18:30   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -20°C) 00:18:34   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 00:18:47 Session Equilibration Session ready for dome & camera equilibration 00:18:50   Equilibration Started Dome Equilibration started 00:20:09   Equilibration Skipped Dome Equilibration skipped by user 00:20:11 Session Running Session running 00:20:13   Queue Started Observing Queue started (9 targets selected) 00:23:37     Target Started (1/9) Target started (1/9, GCVS R CrB) 00:26:17       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:28:52       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 5) 00:31:47     Target Completed Target completed (1/9, GCVS R CrB) 00:32:18     Target Started (2/9) Target started (2/9, GCVS U Her) 00:35:24       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:38:27       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 6) 00:45:51     Target Completed Target completed (2/9, GCVS U Her) 00:45:53     Target Started (3/9) Target started (3/9, GCVS AM Her) 00:47:56       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:51:05       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 7) 00:55:56     Target Completed Target completed (3/9, GCVS AM Her) 00:55:58     Target Started (4/9) Target started (4/9, GCVS S Cyg) 00:58:15       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:01:50       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 8) 01:11:39     Target Completed Target completed (4/9, GCVS S Cyg) 01:11:41     Target Started (5/10) Target started (5/10, NGC 6445, ToO) 01:25:05     Target Completed Target completed (5/10, NGC 6445, ToO) 01:25:08     Target Started (6/11) Target started (6/11, NGC 6544, ToO) 01:27:50       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:28:37       Focusing Failed Foc1 Focusing Failed - star lost 01:35:36     Target Completed Target completed (6/11, NGC 6544, ToO) 01:35:39     Target Started (7/12) Target started (7/12, NGC 6583, ToO) 01:38:19       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:41:49       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 10) 01:46:34     Target Completed Target completed (7/12, NGC 6583, ToO) 01:46:36     Target Missed (8/12) Target's time slot was missed (8/12, GCVS SS Her) 01:46:38     Target Missed (9/12) Target's time slot was missed (9/12, HIP 87937) 01:46:40     Target Missed (10/12) Target's time slot was missed (10/12, GCVS CY Lyr) 01:46:42     Target Missed (11/12) Target's time slot was missed (11/12, GCVS CI Cyg) 01:46:44     Target Started (12/12) Target started (12/12, 61 Cyg) 01:48:57       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:52:00       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 11) 01:53:23     Target Completed Target completed (12/12, 61 Cyg) 01:53:26   Queue Completed Job Queue completed 01:53:27 Session Closing Session closing 01:54:22   Shutter Closed Shutter closed (closing time 50s) 01:54:34   Dome Parked Dome parked (parking time 12s) 01:55:29   Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 47s) 01:55:59   Telescope Switched Off Telescope Power has been switched off via UPB Powerbox. 01:56:49   Services Stopped Night Services stopped 01:56:51 Session Housekeeping Housekeeping Started (Cleanup FITS, Create Fits Summary, Transfer Files) 01:56:58 Session Finished Session Finished

Session Alerts

Time     Alert Detail -- No Alerts                --

Back to Top

Operational Issues (2020-06-08, S790)

• Critical Issues (0)
• Major Issues (0)
• Minor Issues (2)
• Continuous Improvement (5)

[ Prev | Next ]

Critical Issues

• None

Major Issues

• None

Minor Issues

• Opened dome using manual 'Open Dome' button during Daylight Test (2020-06-08)  but following the Opening Dome message there was a followup message saying that Dome hasn't opened after 90s. After initiating the dome opening the protective relay kicked-in after 30s (as expected) and closed shutter before the shutter had finished opening. AstroMain should have recognised the situation and described the result more appropriately.
  Done 2020-06-10 (AstroMain 3.5.2)
   
• Issue showing Current Session Page on IPad.  Safari keep showing data/images associated with previous session (2020-06-01) rather than current session (2020-06-08). Problem persisted even after refreshing page multiple times. Page displayed ok on IE11 / Windows and displayed ok when later on IPad when page closed and reopened.
  To monitor for future occurances (Website)

Continuous Improvement

• Make DeviceHub the default hub (instead of POTH Hub).  Following successful live session use of DeviceHub in Session S790 (2020-06-08) and potential future issues with POTH Hub following future Windows updates that remove VB6 libraries it is proposed to make DeviceHub the official default Hub. POTH Hub will still be available as a fall-back option in the short/medium term
  Done 2020-06-09 (AstroMain 3.25.2 and AstroGuard 1.4.1)
   
• Change description of ScopeUse.Focusing in end of session housekeeping table from 'Re-Focusing' to 'Focusing'
  Done 2020-06-09 (AstroMain 3.5.2)
   
• Change 'Open/Close Shutter'  to 'Open/Close Dome'  across the AstroSuite software
  Done 2020-06-10 (AstroMain 3.25.2, AstroGuard 1.4.2)
   
• Modify AstroProtect so that Park Dome is aborted after 3 minutes if not achieved.  Use SlewToAz (90), followed by Park
  Done 2020-06-10 (AstroProtect 1.4)
   
• Group AutoMap FITS images single automap folder rather than individual folders. Automap files now saved into an 'Automap 3x3' folder.   ('Automap' + ' ' + Bin)
  Done 2020-10-05  (Excel FitsSummary)

[ Prev | Next ]

Back to Top