David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 829 (2020-11-13)

Notes (S828)

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Notes (S830)

	Session Aims & Highlights
	- Observing Result  - Night Summary Plot  - Session Event Log
	Operational Issues
	- Critical Issues (0),  Major Issues (0),  Minor Issues (6),  Continuous Improvement (1)
	Images from 2020-11-13 >>

Session Aims & Highlights (2020-11-13)

Main aims -

1. Comet C/2020 M3 (Atlas). Take images of new comet currently pasisng through Orion
2. Targets.  Acquire images of a selection of deep sky targets
3. Bug fixes.  Check that bugs discovered in last session in AstroMain 3.31.2 have been fixed, and that recent new features are working ok

Equipment & Software

• 12" LX200 and ST-10XME
• 80mm APO and ZWO ASI 178MC
• CCDApp2, TheSky6, CCDSoft5, PHD2,  DeviceHub 4.5.0.1, UPB 1.5 
• Pegasus UPB & Motor Focus, TCF-S
• SharpCap 3.2, PHD2  2.6.9
   
• AstroMain 3.32.5,  AstroGuard 1.4.6,   AstroPlan 1.17.2  AstroShCap 1.3.6, AstroVOE 1.5, AstroProtect 1.4.1
  (AstroWeather 1.10.13, AstroAllSky 3.6)

Highlights

•   Dome Parking.  D.

Lowlights

•   Cloud. C

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 a clear spell in middle of evening (cloud cover 0-23%) but clouding at 22:00 to 02:00 (cloud cover 54-78%) , becoming totally overcast from 02:00 onwards.  Minimum temperature 6 degC. Wind becoming strong onwards dawn with potential rain (heavy rain forecast from 08:00 onwards) In the event there was a clear spell from 18:00 to 20:10 but transparency and seeing were fairly poor, and sky was bright due to moonlight and cloud reflection. Cloud thickened at 21:45 and session suspended.   User intervention made to finish session at 23:30 due to  cloud and rain risk.

Session Event Log

Time     Event Detail 16:53:25 Session Monitoring AutoStart monitoring for Live Session opportunity starting between 16:57 & 05:48 16:57:50   AutoStart Waiting AutoStart waiting till earliest start time at 16:57 16:57:51   AutoStart Delayed Session delayed due to cloud 17:16:42 Session AutoStarting Session autostarting (17:16) 17:17:24   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -15°C) 17:17:26 Session Created Live Session Created (2020-11-13 S00829, ImageSaveNum: 829001) 17:17:28   Scope Switched On Telescope Power has been switched on via UPB Powerbox. 17:19:20   Services Started Observatory Services started 17:19:28 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 17:19:32 Session Pending Session pending (2020-11-13) 17:19:34 Session Initiating Session initiating (2020-11-13) 17:19:36   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.17.2) 17:20:03   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (2020-11-13 V1 BEST PLAN, Plan ID: 564) 17:20:06   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -15°C) 17:20:11   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 17:20:21 Session Equilibration Session ready for dome & camera equilibration 17:22:18   Dome Opened Dome opened (opening time 45s) 17:22:34   Equilibration Started Dome Equilibration started 17:27:33   Equilibration Ended Dome Equilibration ended (5.0 mins total) 17:27:35 Session Running Session running 17:27:37   Queue Started Observing Queue started (38 targets selected) 17:28:30       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 17:32:03       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1) 17:35:06       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1) 17:35:31       Focusing Started-Foc2 Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 17:37:48       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2, wide) 17:39:39       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2) 17:39:55       Focusing Checked Foc2 Focusing Check Succeeded 17:40:02     Target Started (1/38) Target started (1/38, PGC 70994) 17:43:04       Focusing Failed Foc1 Focusing Failed - star is too dim (TCF-S) 18:00:34     Target Completed Target completed (1/38, PGC 70994) 18:01:56     Target Started (2/38) Target started (2/38, GCVS BL Lac) 18:04:58       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 18:07:59       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 3) 18:11:31     Target Completed Target completed (2/38, GCVS BL Lac) 18:12:13     Target Started (3/38) Target started (3/38, GCVS SS Cyg) 18:14:39       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 18:17:23       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 4) 18:21:03     Target Completed Target completed (3/38, GCVS SS Cyg) 18:27:24     Target Started (4/38) Target started (4/38, NGC 48) 18:30:35       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 18:33:51       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 5) 18:49:56     Target Completed Target completed (4/38, NGC 48) 18:49:58     Target Started (5/38) Target started (5/38, GCVS Z And) 18:51:43       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 18:54:35       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 6) 18:58:17     Target Completed Target completed (5/38, GCVS Z And) 18:58:35     Target Started (6/38) Target started (6/38, GCVS HH And) 19:00:52       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 19:04:00       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 7) 19:05:58     Target Completed Target completed (6/38, GCVS HH And) 19:06:50     Target Started (7/38) Target started (7/38, UGCA 25) 19:09:15       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 19:12:06       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 8) 19:28:09     Target Completed Target completed (7/38, UGCA 25) 19:29:12     Target Started (8/38) Target started (8/38, WDS GRB 34) 19:31:34       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 19:35:23       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 9) 19:37:03     Target Completed Target completed (8/38, WDS GRB 34) 19:37:27     Target Started (9/38) Target started (9/38, GCVS RX And) 19:39:36       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 19:42:44       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 10) 19:45:21     Target Completed Target completed (9/38, GCVS RX And) 19:45:47     Target Started (10/38) Target started (10/38, NGC 708) 19:48:00       Focusing Failed Foc1 Focusing Failed - star is too dim (TCF-S) 20:04:52     Target Completed Target completed (10/38, NGC 708) 20:08:09     Target Started (11/38) Target started (11/38, GCVS GK Per) 20:10:27       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 20:13:16       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 11) 20:16:15     Target Completed Target completed (11/38, GCVS GK Per) 20:16:50     Target Started (12/38) Target started (12/38, UGCA 92) 20:19:05       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 20:21:57       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 12) 20:37:30     Target Completed Target completed (12/38, UGCA 92) 20:39:12     Target Started (13/38) Target started (13/38, NGC 2158) 20:41:33       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 20:44:34       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 13) 21:32:09     Target Completed Target completed (13/38, NGC 2158) 21:33:18     Target Started (14/38) Target started (14/38, NGC 514) 21:35:49       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 21:39:04       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 14) 21:50:04     Target Completed Target completed (14/38, NGC 514) 21:50:41     Target Started (15/38) Target started (15/38, UGCA 24) 21:53:11       Focusing Failed Foc1 Focusing Failed - unable to find a star (TCF-S) 22:10:05     Target Completed Target completed (15/38, UGCA 24) 22:10:08     Target Started (16/39) Target started (16/39, C/2020 M3 (Atlas), ToO) 22:13:37       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:16:28       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 15) 22:18:56     Target Completed Target completed (16/39, C/2020 M3 (Atlas), ToO) 22:18:58     Target Started (17/39) Target started (17/39, NGC 596) 22:40:12     Target Completed Target completed (17/39, NGC 596) 22:40:14     Target Started (18/40) Target started (18/40, C/2020 M3 (Atlas), ToO). Using SharpCap 22:42:31       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:45:29       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 16) 22:53:24     Target Completed Target completed (18/40, C/2020 M3 (Atlas), ToO) 22:53:26     Target Started (19/40) Target started (19/40, NGC 615) 22:53:28   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -15°C) 23:00:22     Target Completed Target partially completed (19/40, NGC 615) 23:00:25     Target Started (20/40) Target started (20/40, UGCA 44) 23:02:33   SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend is called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars) 23:03:49     Target Failed Target failed due to cloud (20/40, UGCA 44) 23:03:51   Queue Paused Queue paused for Session Suspension 23:03:54 Session Suspended Session suspended 23:04:44   Dome Closed Dome closed (closing time 50s) 23:13:54   Camera1 SetPoint -15°C SBIG Camera Set Point Temperature Updated (new set point -15°C) 23:17:08     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (20/40, UGCA 44) due to wind 23:30:40     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (21/40, GSC 1224:29) due to cloud 23:46:12     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (22/40, NGC 720) due to cloud 00:07:34     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (23/40, UGCA 47) due to wind 00:29:56     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (24/40, NGC 1843) due to wind 00:41:06     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (25/40, GCVS FU Ori) due to wind 01:00:38     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (26/40, NGC 1637) due to wind 01:12:34     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (27/40, C/2020 M3 (Atlas)) due to wind 01:31:49     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (28/40, GCVS CM Tau) due to wind 01:43:08     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (29/40, GCVS RR Tau) due to cloud 02:03:15     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (30/40, UGCA 116) due to cloud 03:00:23     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (31/40, NGC 2232) due to cloud 03:20:19     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (32/40, Scholz's Star) due to cloud 03:41:41     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (33/40, UGC 3904) due to cloud 04:04:03     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (34/40, NGC 2782) due to wind 04:38:34     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (35/40, UGC 4599) due to cloud 05:00:55     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (36/40, UGC 4704) due to cloud 05:23:17     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (37/40, UGCA 154) due to cloud 05:41:39     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (38/40, UGC 6930) due to cloud 06:03:01     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (39/40, OJ 287) due to cloud 06:25:27     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (40/40, LAMOST-HVS1) due to cloud 06:25:32   Queue Completed Job Queue completed 06:25:34 Session Closing Session closing 06:25:39   Dome Closed Dome already closed (closed at 23:04, closing time 50s) 06:26:27   Dome Parked Dome parked (parking time 40s), Az: 90.1 deg 06:27:01   Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 28s) 06:27:51   Services Stopped Night Services stopped 06:27:53 Session Housekeeping Housekeeping Started (Cleanup FITS, Create Fits Summary, Transfer Files) 06:28:09 Session Finished Session Finished

Session Alerts

Time     Alert Detail 20:29:15 Dome Dome has been unexpectedly stationary for more than 12 mins 20:29:35 Dome Dome Movements have begun again (outage 12.4 mins) 02:23:20 UPB.Switch disconnected UPB.Switch has unexpectedly disconnected. Restart will be attempted 02:23:22 UPB.Switch UPB.Switch could not be restarted

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Operational Issues (2020-11-13 S829)

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

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Critical Issues

•  None

Major Issues

• None

Minor Issues

• UPB.Switch couldn't be restarted following an unexpected disconnection (02:23), leaving Observatory services compromised.. Unexpected disconnection of UPB.Switch occurs relatively frequently (2 to 3 times a day), and is detected by Obs.Manager and an attempt is made to automatically restart the UPB switch. This attempt is normally successful,  however sometimes the UPB Switch cannnot be reconnected. These leaves the Obs.Manager unable to see/revise dew heater levels and unable switch off the Telescope power after it has been parked. The event is accompanied by loss in UPB Environment data (temperature & humidity) and loss of Focuser 2 (focuser steps and focus operation).  Need to 1) create a backdoor routine (RestartUPB) to stop all 3 UPB services (switch, environment & focuser), kill the UPB software, and then restart UPB Software and 3 UPB servces,  2) extend Obs.Manager processes to call the new RestartUPB() in the event that UPB.Switch alone can not be successfully restarted.  Examination of code shows that a routine already (Powerbox.Restart) exists for stopping and restarting UPB Software & Services and that Obs.Manager calls this routine when bRestartPowerboxConnection is set. At the moment this flag is set when UPB Com Port is detected to change.  Code extended to also raise the bRestartPowerboxConnection flag when
  simple Restart Switch operation has failed.
  Fix attempted 2020-11-14 (AstroMain 3.32.6)
   
• Sky Conditions Tab not getting uploaded to website. AstroPlan has recently been updated to upload 3 Sky Conditions Tabs (allows for possibility that AstroMain restarts) could give rise to multiple versions of this file (01, 02, 03 etc).   The AstroPlan version on Obs.Computer (was v.1.17.2, created 2020-11-07 19:14,   but support for SkyConditions tab was only created in 1.17.3 (2020-11-09).  So the ObsComputer hadn't been updated with latest version. The AstroMain version on the Obs.Computer was 3.32.5, created 2020-11-12, which postdates support for adding of Multiple versions of SkyConditions Chart to the Live Folder (added in 3.25.32.5, 2020-11-08). However there is no evidence that this feature was working correctly during the session.   Fixed bug in AstroPlan (it was attempting to upload .jpg SkyCondition files instead of .png files)
  Fix attempted 2020-11-14 (AstroPlan 1.17.4 / AstroMain 3.32.6)
    
• Logfile shows 'Problem writing file' Session.LatestReport.htm at 02:16. Exception message indicates that process can not access the file as it is being used by another process.  Another occurance of the exception happened at 05:02.  It is assumed that file was abeing accessed by AstroPlan for purpose of uploading the file to website.   The problem occurs to infrequently to be a concern, as the file will be written and uploaded successfully upon a following cycle.
  Issue understood and accepted (AstroPlan / AstroMain)
    
• Red Alert "Dome has been unexpectedly stationary for more than 12 mins" at 20:29.  Flag was automatically lowered less than a minute later when Dome was detected to have moved again.  Condition arose when telescope was imaging Target 12/38 (UGCA 92), at Az 48.6 deg, Altitude 55.6 deg.  A similar incident happened before (S820, 2020-10-23) when scope was at Az 48.2 / Alt 74.1.   This happens because the dome slaving calculations show that the dome slit doesn't need to be moved often when scope is at these positions.
  Issue understood and accepted (Session / AstroMain)
    
• Target Name Labels are not appearing on Observing Result chart produced later for the session using AstroPlan 1.17.4 after lsetting one target as rejected.   Labels appear ok for when making chart for earlier sessions (which weren't modified/saved) . Labels appeared ok in the live plot from the session. Debugging line-by-line shows that TargetName retrieved from 'observation' table is blank. AstroPlan was changed v1.16.7 (2020-10-17) to plot TargetName from observation table to enable the names of manually initiated target observations (Target ID = 0) to be plotted.   Using a copy of the targets database from the observatory and repeating the steps demonstrated that labels were initially plotted ok, but became blnak when plotted after one target was set as rejected and the session observations saved.
  Fixed 2020-11-18 (AstroMain / AstroPlan 1.17.5)
   
• Obs.Monitor running very slowly over a 35 min period (02:23 to 02:58). Obs.Monitor cycles suddenly started taking 6-7s to complete causing the warning messages from Obs.Overseer to be logged saying that 'Obs.Monitor is Pending (5s)'.  Problem began from 02:23 which exactly corresponds with the time that all UPB ASCOM Services stalled and must be assumed to be associated in someway.  It is less clear why  the messages suddenly stopped at 02:58.   Whilst a fix to underlying cause has been attempted (see above issue) extra reslience needs to be added to program code to prevent such a situation from degrading Obs.Monitor performance. Believed to be fixed by modification in AstroMain 3.38.1 that prevent the Obs.Monitor from accessing to Focuser1 properties whilst Focuser1.Moving is True.
  Done 2021-03-08 (AstroMain 3.38.1)

Continuous Improvement 

• After Restarting UPB Software & Services following an issue restarting UPB.Switch a Green Alert should be issued. A red alert is issued when UPB Switch can not be restarted following an apparent loss of UPB Switch Connection. This conditions now raises a bRestartPowerboxConnection flag and the Obs.Manager uses this to stop and restart UPB Software & Services.  The system should check if the restart is successful and if it is it should generate a green alert to indicate that 'all is well again'.  Closed after review 2022-06-15. Examination of  PowerBox.RestartSwitch() routine in AstroMain 3.51.17 shows that code has at some point been extended to include a Green Alert after UPB.Switch is restarted.
  Done, Closed  2022-06-15 (AstroMain)

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