David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 833 (2020-11-25)

Notes (S832)

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Notes (S834)

	Session Aims & Highlights
	- Observing Result  - Night Summary Plot  - Session Event Log
	Operational Issues
	- Critical Issues (0),  Major Issues (2),  Minor Issues (4),  Continuous Improvement (4)
	Images from 2020-11-25 >>

Session Aims & Highlights (2020-11-25)

Main aims -

1. Targets.  Acquire images of a selection of variable stars, nearby stars, comets and deep sky targets as moonlight conditions allowed.
2. Bug Fixes. Check that bug fixes made since last session haven't upset the program operation and are working where appropriate.

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 3.32.8,  AstroGuard 1.4.6,   AstroPlan 1.17.5  AstroShCap 1.3.6, AstroVOE 1.5, AstroProtect 1.4.1
  (AstroWeather 1.10.13, AstroAllSky 3.6)

Highlights

• Targets.  x targets were observed.
• Safety Protection.  After recognising that there was a critical issue with the telescope (Ra 0 / Dec 0) at startup the AutoStart worked as per design and moved the session back to manual mode for user resolution. .

Lowlights

•   Telescope Ra 0/ Dec0 at Startup Issues. Between end of previous session and start of this session telescope had somehow loss it knowledge of its park position and startup with Ra 0 / Dec 0 (deafult startup position) which delayed session and required 3 extra trips out to the observatory to resolve, and loosing at least b queue froze at 03:19 and prevented further observations (1.3 hours of clear sky observing time were lost)
•   Foc1 focusing. Drift in focus position (possibly due to gradual slip in primary mirror focus) caused best focus position to slip very close to minimum step position, clipping up to 4 ot 5 points from the profile and leading to situation where curve fit was rejected and not allowing focus to be set at the best focus position. Images from second half of session slightly comprised, but fortunately not too badly.

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 17:19:12 Session Created Live Session Created (2020-11-25 S00833, ImageSaveNum: 833001) 17:19:15   Scope Switched On Telescope Power has been switched on via UPB Powerbox. 17:21:10   Services Started Observatory Services started 17:21:17 Observatory (Manual) Observatory placed in Manual Mode 17:35:20   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 17:40:19   Dome Opened Dome opened (opening time 45s) 17:57:32   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -20°C) 18:18:04   Services Stopped Observatory Services stopped 18:18:24 Program Closed Program closed by User 18:18:26 Program Closed Program closed by User 18:21:29 Session Resumed Live Session Resumed (2020-11-25 S00833, ImageSaveNum: 833009) 18:22:44   Obs.Manager Started Obs.Manager started 18:22:46   Obs.Overseer Started Obs.Overseer started 18:22:50   Services Started Observatory Services started 18:22:59   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -20°C) 18:36:37   Services Started Observatory Services started 18:37:26 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 18:37:30 Session Pending Session pending (2020-11-25) 18:37:32 Session Initiating Session initiating (2020-11-25) 18:37:34   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.17.5) 18:39:03   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (2020-11-25 V1 BEST PLAN, Plan ID: 568) 18:39:06   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -20°C) 18:39:14   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 18:39:30 Session Equilibration Session ready for dome & camera equilibration 18:39:32 Session Running Session running 18:39:34   Queue Started Observing Queue started (49 targets selected) 18:40:38       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 18:44:09       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1) 18:46:51       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1) 18:46:54       Focusing Started-Foc2 Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 18:49:07       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2, wide) 18:50:57       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2) 18:51:13       Focusing Checked Foc2 Focusing Check Succeeded 18:51:21     Target Started (1/49) Target started (1/49, GCVS SS Cyg) 18:59:03     Target Completed Target completed (1/49, GCVS SS Cyg) 18:59:05     Target Started (2/49) Target started (2/49, GCVS BL Lac) 19:01:19       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 19:04:10       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 3) 19:07:43     Target Completed Target completed (2/49, GCVS BL Lac) 19:07:45     Target Started (3/49) Target started (3/49, GCVS HH And) 19:10:24       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 19:13:14       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 4) 19:14:55     Target Completed Target completed (3/49, GCVS HH And) 19:14:58     Target Started (4/49) Target started (4/49, GCVS RX And) 19:17:55       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 19:20:45       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 5) 19:23:20     Target Completed Target completed (4/49, GCVS RX And) 19:23:23     Target Started (5/49) Target started (5/49, KIC 8462852) 19:26:27       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 19:29:40       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 6) 19:36:31     Target Completed Target completed (5/49, KIC 8462852) 19:36:33     Target Started (6/49) Target started (6/49, 61 Cyg) 19:38:19       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 19:40:57       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 7) 19:42:16     Target Completed Target completed (6/49, 61 Cyg) 19:42:18     Target Started (7/49) Target started (7/49, 184P/Lovas) 19:46:20       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-S) 19:56:02     Target Completed Target completed (7/49, 184P/Lovas) 19:56:09     Target Started (8/49) Target started (8/49, GCVS CY Lyr) 19:59:02       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 20:01:51       Focusing Failed Foc1 focusing failed - failed QC check (Quadratic) 20:05:19     Target Completed Target completed (8/49, GCVS CY Lyr) 20:06:27     Target Started (9/49) Target started (9/49, GCVS CI Cyg) 20:08:45       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 20:11:33       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 9) 20:15:12     Target Completed Target completed (9/49, GCVS CI Cyg) 20:15:14     Target Started (10/49) Target started (10/49, GCVS S Cyg) 20:17:32       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 20:20:37       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 10) 20:30:19     Target Completed Target completed (10/49, GCVS S Cyg) 20:30:21     Target Started (11/49) Target started (11/49, GCVS Z And) 20:32:45       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 20:35:34       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 11) 20:39:13     Target Completed Target completed (11/49, GCVS Z And) 20:39:16     Target Started (12/49) Target started (12/49, GCVS U And) 20:41:55       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 20:44:35       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 12) 20:54:16     Target Completed Target completed (12/49, GCVS U And) 20:54:19     Target Started (13/49) Target started (13/49, NGC 514) 20:56:54       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 20:59:44       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 13) 21:10:42     Target Completed Target completed (13/49, NGC 514) 21:10:44     Target Started (14/49) Target started (14/49, 11P/Tempel-Swift-LINEAR) 21:12:42       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - unable to find a star (TCF-S) 21:21:36     Target Completed Target completed (14/49, 11P/Tempel-Swift-LINEAR) 21:22:00   SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend is called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars) 21:22:03   Queue Paused Queue pausing for Session Suspension 21:22:05 Session Suspended Session suspended 21:22:55   Dome Closed Dome closed (closing time 50s) 21:32:06   Camera1 SetPoint -25°C SBIG Camera Set Point Temperature Updated (new set point -25°C) 21:32:41     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (15/49, WDS GRB 34) due to cloud 21:42:07   Camera1 SetPoint -20°C SBIG Camera Set Point Temperature Updated (new set point -20°C) 21:42:24     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (16/49, GCVS DY Per) due to cloud 21:54:50     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (17/49, C/2019 L3 (ATLAS)) due to cloud 22:09:05     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (18/49, 156P/Russell-LINEAR) due to cloud 22:20:22     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (19/49, GSC 1224:29) due to cloud 22:34:02     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (20/49, 398P/Boattini) due to cloud 22:53:47     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (21/49, GCVS CM Tau) due to cloud 23:03:30     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (22/49, GCVS FO Ori) due to cloud 23:11:55     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (23/49, GCVS FU Ori) due to cloud 23:20:31     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (24/49, GCVS GK Per) due to cloud 23:31:05     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (25/49, GCVS RR Tau) due to cloud 23:42:22     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (26/49, GCVS DX Cnc) due to cloud 23:51:03 Session Resuming Session resuming 23:51:49   Dome Opened Dome opened (opening time 45s) 23:51:51 Session Running Session running 23:51:53     Target Started (27/49) Target started (27/49, GCVS TT Ari) 23:51:55   Queue Resumed Observing Queue resumed 23:59:10     Target Completed Target partially completed (27/49, GCVS TT Ari) 23:59:12     Target Started (28/49) Target started (28/49, GCVS CN Ori) 00:02:02       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:04:18       Focusing Failed Foc1 focusing failed - failed QC check (Quadratic) 00:07:43     Target Completed Target completed (28/49, GCVS CN Ori) 00:07:45     Target Started (29/49) Target started (29/49, NGC 2232) 00:10:40       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:12:52       Focusing Failed Foc1 focusing failed - failed QC check (Quadratic) 00:32:53   SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend is called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars) 00:35:03 Critical Cloud Alert Critical Cloud Alert (Obs.Manager will close the Shutter) 00:35:05   HardSuspend Called Hard Suspend is called due to Critical Conditions (cloud) 00:35:07     Target Aborted (29/49) Target aborted (29/49, NGC 2232) due to cloud 00:35:09   Queue Paused Queue paused for Session Suspension 00:35:11 Session Suspended Session suspended 00:35:53   Dome Closed Dome closed (closing time 45s) 00:52:34 Session Resuming Session resuming 00:53:19   Dome Opened Dome opened (opening time 45s) 00:53:21 Session Running Session running 00:53:23     Target Started (29/49) Target started (29/49, NGC 2232) 00:53:25   Queue Resumed Observing Queue resumed 00:59:20   SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend is called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars) 01:00:45 Critical Cloud Alert Critical Cloud Alert (Obs.Manager will close the Shutter) 01:00:47   HardSuspend Called Hard Suspend is called due to Critical Conditions (cloud) 01:02:11     Target Aborted (29/49) Target aborted (29/49, NGC 2232) due to cloud 01:02:13   Queue Paused Queue paused for Session Suspension 01:02:15 Session Suspended Session suspended 01:03:10   Dome Closed Dome closed (closing time 45s) 01:06:41     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (30/49, GCVS NV Ori) due to cloud 01:16:17     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (31/49, GCVS SU Tau) due to cloud 01:17:31   UPB.Switch Restart UPB.Switch has been restarted. 01:26:05     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (32/49, GCVS ER UMa) due to cloud 01:38:17     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (33/49, C/2020 M3 (Atlas)) due to cloud 01:47:26     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (34/49, GCVS SY Cnc) due to cloud 01:57:37     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (35/49, LAMOST-HVS1) due to cloud 02:13:19     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (36/49, UGC 6930) due to cloud 02:22:23   Camera1 SetPoint -15°C SBIG Camera Set Point Temperature Updated (new set point -15°C) 02:34:41     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (37/49, NGC 2782) due to cloud 02:37:09 Session Resuming Session resuming 02:37:54   Dome Opened Dome opened (opening time 45s) 02:37:56 Session Running Session running 02:37:58     Target Started (38/49) Target started (38/49, Scholz's Star) 02:38:00   Queue Resumed Observing Queue resumed 02:40:38       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:42:39       Focusing Failed Foc1 focusing failed - failed QC check (Quadratic) 02:58:15     Target Completed Target completed (38/49, Scholz's Star) 02:59:07     Target Started (39/49) Target started (39/49, GCVS RZ LMi) 03:01:44       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:03:58       Focusing Failed Foc1 focusing failed - failed QC check (Quadratic) 03:09:09     Target Completed Target completed (39/49, GCVS RZ LMi) 03:12:32   SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend is called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars) 03:12:34     Target Started (40/49) Target started (40/49, NGC 4559) 03:14:07   SoftSuspend Cancelled Soft Suspend is cancelled due to Improved Conditions 03:14:11       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-S) 03:18:13   SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend is called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars) 03:19:53   SoftSuspend Cancelled Soft Suspend is cancelled due to Improved Conditions 03:30:04     Target Completed Target completed (40/49, NGC 4559) 03:33:17     Target Started (41/49) Target started (41/49, UGC 4609) 03:35:31       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:37:57       Focusing Failed Foc1 focusing failed - failed QC check (Quadratic) 03:54:02     Target Completed Target completed (41/49, UGC 4609) 03:55:39     Target Started (42/49) Target started (42/49, PGC 29653) 03:58:33       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 04:00:59       Focusing Failed Foc1 focusing failed - failed QC check (Quadratic) 04:17:03     Target Completed Target completed (42/49, PGC 29653) 04:18:01     Target Started (43/49) Target started (43/49, UGCA 150) 04:20:45       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 04:23:01       Focusing Failed Foc1 focusing failed - failed QC check (Quadratic) 04:38:51     Target Completed Target completed (43/49, UGCA 150) 04:40:23     Target Started (44/49) Target started (44/49, UGCA 186) 04:42:23       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 04:44:39       Focusing Failed Foc1 focusing failed - failed QC check (Quadratic) 05:00:32     Target Completed Target completed (44/49, UGCA 186) 05:02:45     Target Started (45/49) Target started (45/49, UGC 5760) 05:04:51       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 05:07:19       Focusing Failed Foc1 focusing failed - failed QC check (Quadratic) 05:23:05     Target Completed Target completed (45/49, UGC 5760) 05:25:07     Target Started (46/49) Target started (46/49, UGC 5509) 05:26:51       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 05:29:29       Focusing Failed Foc1 focusing failed - failed QC check (Quadratic) 05:44:58     Target Completed Target completed (46/49, UGC 5509) 05:47:29     Target Started (47/49) Target started (47/49, GCVS CN Leo) 05:50:05       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 05:52:42       Focusing Failed Foc1 focusing failed - failed QC check (Quadratic) 06:00:47     Target Completed Target completed (47/49, GCVS CN Leo) 06:00:49     Target Started (48/49) Target started (48/49, UGCA 225) 06:03:07       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 06:05:23       Focusing Failed Foc1 focusing failed - failed QC check (Quadratic) 06:21:02     Target Completed Target completed (48/49, UGCA 225) 06:23:03     Target Started (49/49) Target started (49/49, M85) 06:25:14       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 06:27:50       Focusing Failed Foc1 focusing failed - failed QC check (Quadratic) 06:37:28     Target Completed Target completed (49/49, M85) 06:37:32   Queue Completed Job Queue completed 06:37:34 Session Closing Session closing 06:38:26   Dome Closed Dome closed (closing time 50s) 06:39:04   Dome Parked Dome parked (parking time 30s), Az: 90.1 deg 06:39:39   Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 29s) 06:40:10   Telescope Switched Off Telescope Power has been switched off via UPB Powerbox. 06:40:58   Services Stopped Night Services stopped 06:41:00 Session Housekeeping Housekeeping Started (Cleanup FITS, Create Fits Summary, Transfer Files) 06:41:22 Session Finished Session Finished

Session Alerts

Time     Alert Detail 17:21:17 Scope Alert TheSky's scope is reporting a RA=0/Dec=0 position or is not connected 01:17:31 UPB.Switch disconnected UPB.Switch has unexpectedly disconnected. Restart will be attempted 01:17:33 UPB.Switch UPB.Switch has been successfully restarted.

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Operational Issues (2020-11-25 S833)

• Critical Issues (0)
• Major Issues (2)
• Minor Issues (4)
• Continuous Improvement (4)

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Critical Issues

• None

Major Issues

• Telescope had Ra 0 / Dec 0 coordinates when initially connected, which stopped the session from autostarting and delayed the start of the session considerably. The Ra 0 / Dec 0 condition is used by Autostart to indicate a critical telescope problem and as per design this stopped the session from running in automated mode and the session was returned to manual control for user resolution. The Ra 0 / Dec 0 condition at start-up is an indication that the scope wasn't correctly Parked & Shutdown at the end of the previous session, and indeed there was a issue with shutting down the observatory at end of last session.  Clearly something went wrong which should be investigated.   Problem was resolved in session by aligning and syncing the telescope initially on the moon, then on Mars and then a starfield in Pegasus, before finally doing a short mapping run. The task was hampered by the Telrad not working even after putting in new batteries, and a issue with saving the TheSky6 document. 
  Fixed 2020-11-25 (Session). Note: The underlying problem (parking scope at end of last session) and the Telrad issue are handled separately.
   
• Telescope not correctly parked/shutdown at end of previous session (S832, 2020-10-22). Although scope was moved to or close to its Park Position at end of last session, the scope was somehow not correctly Parked/Shutdown which meant that upon start-up, the scope didn't percieve that it was starting up from the park position, but was at the default start up coordinates of Ra 0 / Dec 0.   Shutdown of the observatory at the end of last session wasn't under normal automated control. Due to a frozen Job Queue,  the process was performed by manual intervention, first killing the Job Queue thread, and then running 'Close/Finish Session' routine via user button . Comparison of Report log and Log File with those from S831 and S833 suggests there was a completely normal Park/Shutdown operation. Turn Off telescope power isn't presently logged in the log file (this is raised as improvement ticket) but is recorded as a session Event.   The data indicates that scope fininised parking at 08:33:00 and was powered off 30s later at 08:33:30.  ObsPics look normal.   Anything seems normal but recollection of events suggests that it wasn't totally normal?  Checking logs again showed that there was some issue with the Pre-Park slew - whilst is seems to have gone to Az 180 Alt 5 as per design, the RA/Dec coordinates do not correspond, in particular the Post Slew Dec of +37d 24m (is very different to the normal post slew Dec value of -27d 13m, S831 and S833). It difficult to ascertain what precisely happened. The scope was sitting fixed with tracking off for 5.25 hours, and was then commanded to make a slew.  Somehow there seems to have been a glitch with the telescope or the powerbox.  If scope had somehow been momentarily switched on / switched off that might have caused the scope to loose knowledge of its park position. Propose closing the issue as 'Unresolved'
  Closed,  cause of issue was unclear following detailed investigation 2020-11-26  (Post-Session analysis)

Minor Issues

• Foc1 (TCF-S) Best Focus Position has shifted very close to one end of the focusing range, reaching a value of c 170, at one point (versus 0 - 7000 range).   It is unclear if this is atmospheric / seasonal related or whether ther has been a gradual shift in primary focus position.  Temperature logs record the passage of a warm front during the session. Nevertheless the overall low focuser step position 750 before the warm front, 170 during the warm front, 500 after the warning suggest that a fix is required and therefore it is proposed to refocus the main scope at start of next session based on a new TCF-S focus position at c. 3700.   LX200's main mirror was moved at start of the following session (2020-11-26 S734) allowing the TCF-S focuser to be at focus at 3930 instead of prior positon at 739.
  Focus adjusted 2020-11-26 (Observatory)
   
• Foc1 focus profiles from the second half of session (00:04 onwards, profiles 14 - 26) all failed with message "failed QC check (Quadratic)" and weren't uploaded to website.  Report log reports "Quadratic values indicates an issue with profile form". Foc1 (TCF-S) Best Focus Position had shifted very close to one end of the focusing range reaching a value of 670 at one point during the session (versus 0 - 7000 range) and all profile 14-26 all had 2-4 points failed with message "Outside allowed step range" .  (See Fig 1). Apart from being clipped all these profiles had otherwise well shaped profiles.  In case of Focus Profile 14 (Target CN Ori) where 4 points lay outside of 0-7000 step range , it would seem that quadratic curve (a = 1.1724E-05, b = -0.003947, c = 3.5692) failed QC check and its otherwise 'valid' best focus position of 168 was rejected ("Rejecting Curve Fitted Best Focus Position (168)") and the fall-back method of best position ("using Alternate Best Focus Position (0)") was also rejected .  (for reference Profile 13 quadratic values were  a = 1.9045E-05, b = -0.02874, c = 13.400) . Focuser was moved back to its prior position (347). Fortunately the temperature compensated position wasn't too far off and the image focus wasn't too badly affected during this part of the session.   Examining another case, profile 25 (UGCA 225) had a very well formed profile shape with best focus from quadratic curve fit at position 473. Again its quadratic curve (a = 1.813E-05, b = -0.0171, c = 6.1822) was rejected.   Curves is rejected if a < 0 or c < 10.   Issue is that as best focus tends towards 0 c value seems to naturally get smaller, such that a cutoff suitable at position c.4000 is not good as a cutoff at position c.400.    All the failed points had a bf1 'Mid Point' values that were blank when printed with FormatNumber(bf1, 0, 0, 0, 0). bf2 (P50) and bf3 (Peak) that were also blank.  
  Code modified to use c cutoff of 10 when BestFocusPosition > 1000 and use c cutoff of 3 when BestFocusPosition <= 1000. 
  Code also modified to check that point is Valid when calculating bf1, bf2, bf3, LowSide, HighSide (this check is critical for points that are invalidated for being outside focus range, other 'invalid' points (no FWHM) get picked up by a separate check and haven't exposed the bug before now.
  Fixed attempted 2020-11-26 (AstroMain 3.32.9)
   
• Closing Observation reporting contains an out-of-place 'Ok' message in report file in the Park Telescope section,
   tracking.   'Ok' appears on a line by itself following the Turn Off Tracking line.  Problem was present in the previous two sessions (S832 & S831) and must therefore represent a persistent bug. Problem appears to be cosmetic and not a functional issue.
    Park Telescope                        2020-11-26 06:39  (Local)
    Slew Scope to Pre-Park      Ok        Preparing to move scope to its Pre-Park Location
    Slewing ...                 
    Turn Off Tracking..         Ok        Telescope Tracking is OFF
  Ok        
    Scope Speed:                Info      3.1 deg/s         (52.1 degs in 17s)
    Park Telescope...           Parking   Parking Scope
    Park Telescope...           Ok        Telescope is Parked (29s)
  Fixed 2020-11-26 (AstroMain 3.32.9)
   
• Best Focus Graph started with Xmin of 18:30 whereas other time based graphs commenced at XMin of 17:00.  Graphs should all have the same starting time.  An issue starting the session possibly exaggerated the difference and there was a restart of the AstroMain program at 18:21 as a result of TheSky document saving problem following first short TPoint mapping run which might have affected the Best Focus Graph differently to other graphs.  Problem is due to combination of BestFocus Graph start being delayed to first point becomes available and due to MasterGraphStartTime = vcNullDate being reset when Session was restarted, without it being read from. Eventually fixed in AstroMain 3.39.10. 
    Fixed 2021-05-06 (AstroMain 3.39.10)

Continuous Improvement 

• Add extra buttons to AstroMain to facility quick disposal of FV and C:/Data windows
  Done 2020-11-26 (AstroMain 3.32.9)
   
• Create a means by which a focus profile dataset can be easily read in AstroMain in order to replay a profile under simulator conditions in order to test tweaks to the autofocus code. At the moment practice/sim profiles are hard coded and can only be changed by modifying the code.
  Done 2020-12-08 (AstroMain 3.32.14)
   
• Powering off the telescope should be logged in session log file. Whilst this information is reported in Report file and is saved as Event to database, for completeness they should be logged in the log file. Its absence was noted whilst investigating Telescope Park/Shutdown issue on the last session (S832) .
  Done 2020-11-26 (AstroMain 3.32.9)
   
• Altthough failed focus profiles might not be used to update the focus setting, if they have generated a profile number it would still be useful to plot the points on graphs. Plotting the data (Temperature, Focus value if available, FWHM if available, profile no. / time) on the Focus Temparture, Best Focus and Zenith FWHM plots should be done whenever a focus profile number has been used.  Modification made for Foc1 focusing 2020-11-26 by using a new  bFocusIsAccepted flag and delaying the point at which MeasureFocusProfile_Foc1() routine is exited until after the graph calls have been made.
  Done 2020-11-26 (AstroMain 3.32.9)

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