David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 861 (2021-02-22)

Notes (S860)

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Notes (S862)

	Session Aims & Highlights
	- Observing Result  - Night Summary Plot  - Session Event Log
	Operational Issues
	- Critical Issues (0),  Major Issues (0),  Minor Issues (6),  Continuous Improvement (5)
	Images from 2021-02-22 >>     [ Local Files >> ]

Session Aims & Highlights (2021-02-22)

Main aims

1. AstroMain.  Test features and fixes added in AstroMain 3.36 software, and crucially test stability and absence of UI lockups
2. ObsCam. Conduct first live test of new AstroObsCam software for capturing webcam pictures of the telescope & interior of the observatory during operation including AstroAllSky-AstroObsCam communication and picture upload & display on current session webpage.
3. Targets. Acquire images of a selection of variable stars, nearby stars, comets & deep sky targets as allowed by conditions.

Equipment & Software

• 12" LX200 and ST-10XME
• 80mm APO and ZWO ASI 178MC
• CCDApp2, TheSky6, CCDSoft5, PHD2,  DeviceHub 6.5.1.0,  UPB 1.5, ASCOM 6.5 SP1
• Pegasus UPB & Motor Focus, TCF-S
• SharpCap 3.2, PHD2  2.6.9Dev3
   
• AstroMain 3.37,  AstroGuard 1.5,   AstroPlan 1.20.5, AstroShCap 1.3.10, AstroVOE 1.5.2, AstroSN 1.4.1,  AstroProtect 1.5
  (AstroWeather 1.11, AstroAllSky 3.9, AstroObsCam 1.4.3)

Highlights

• AstroMain.  Apart from one lockup of the UI the new 3.36 version of AstroMain worked well, providing several new features and fixes
• ObsCam. Second live test of new AstroObsCam software for capturing webcam pictures of the telescope & interior of the observatory during operation went very well.  It included AstroAllSky-AstroObsCam communication and picture upload & display on the current session and observatory status webpages. 

Lowlights

•   TBA.

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)

Session Event Log

Time     Event Detail 17:49:28 Session Monitoring AutoStart monitoring for Live Session opportunity starting between 18:18 & 05:22 18:18:38   AutoStart Waiting AutoStart waiting till earliest start time at 18:18 18:18:39   AutoStart Delayed Session delayed due to cloud 18:34:44 Session AutoStarting Session autostarting (18:34) 18:35:15 Session Created Live Session Created (2021-02-22 S00861, ImageSaveNum: 861001) 18:35:17   Scope Switched On Telescope Power has been switched on via UPB Powerbox. 18:37:15   Services Started Observatory Services started 18:37:24 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 18:37:26 Session Pending Session pending (2021-02-22) 18:37:28 Session Initiating Session initiating (2021-02-22) 18:37:30   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.20.5) 18:38:59   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (, Plan ID: 598) 18:39:12   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -15°C) 18:39:18   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 18:39:28 Session Equilibration Session ready for dome & camera equilibration 18:40:15   Dome Opened Dome opened (opening time 46s) 18:40:26   Equilibration Started Dome Equilibration started 18:45:25   Equilibration Ended Dome Equilibration ended (5.0 mins total) 18:45:27 Session Running Session running 18:45:29   Queue Started Observing Queue started (39 targets selected) 18:46:34       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 18:49:39       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1) 18:51:24       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1) 18:51:50       Focusing Started-Foc2 Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 18:54:07       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2, wide) 18:55:57       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2) 18:56:13       Focusing Checked Foc2 Focusing Check Succeeded 19:01:06     Target Started (1/39) Target started (1/39, UGC 784 w/SN2021pc) 19:05:51       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-S) 19:23:03     Target Completed Target completed (1/39, UGC 784 w/SN2021pc) 19:23:06     Target Started (2/39) Target started (2/39, Nova Per 2020 (CV)) 19:26:07       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 19:27:57       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 3) 19:36:04     Target Completed Target completed (2/39, Nova Per 2020 (CV)) 19:36:06     Target Started (3/39) Target started (3/39, AT2021ckv) 19:40:42       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 19:42:44       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 4) 19:58:46     Target Completed Target completed (3/39, AT2021ckv) 19:58:49     Target Started (4/39) Target started (4/39, WDS GRB 34) 20:02:35       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 20:04:26       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 5) 20:06:07     Target Completed Target completed (4/39, WDS GRB 34) 20:06:10     Target Started (5/39) Target started (5/39, NGC 304 w/AT2021dnn) 20:09:09       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-S) 20:26:19     Target Completed Target completed (5/39, NGC 304 w/AT2021dnn) 20:26:38     Target Started (6/39) Target started (6/39, UGC 1436 w/SN2021nv) 20:30:07       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-S) 20:46:57     Target Completed Target completed (6/39, UGC 1436 w/SN2021nv) 20:49:00     Target Started (7/39) Target started (7/39, UGC 2505 w/SN2021bge) 20:53:52       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is lost (TCF-S) 21:11:14     Target Completed Target completed (7/39, UGC 2505 w/SN2021bge) 21:11:17     Target Started (8/39) Target started (8/39, GCVS GK Per) 21:13:54       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 21:15:45       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 6) 21:18:44     Target Completed Target completed (8/39, GCVS GK Per) 21:19:34     Target Started (9/39) Target started (9/39, GCVS DY Per) 21:22:51       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 21:24:42       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 7) 21:29:06     Target Completed Target completed (9/39, GCVS DY Per) 21:29:41     Target Started (10/39) Target started (10/39, GCVS U Gem) 21:33:15       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 21:35:17       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 8) 21:38:03     Target Completed Target completed (10/39, GCVS U Gem) 21:39:14     Target Started (11/39) Target started (11/39, GCVS SY Cnc) 21:41:58       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 21:44:19       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 9) 21:47:12     Target Completed Target completed (11/39, GCVS SY Cnc) 21:48:54     Target Started (12/39) Target started (12/39, AT2021rl) 21:54:05       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 21:56:09       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 10) 22:12:04     Target Completed Target completed (12/39, AT2021rl) 22:12:06     Target Started (13/39) Target started (13/39, AT2021dbp (CV)) 22:15:14   SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend is called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars) 22:15:35       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:17:33       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 11) 22:23:12     Target Completed Target completed (13/39, AT2021dbp (CV)) 22:23:14   Queue Paused Queue paused for Session Suspension 22:23:17 Session Suspended Session suspended 22:24:05   Dome Closed Dome closed (closing time 50s) 22:31:17 Session Resuming Session resuming 22:31:19     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (14/39, GCVS FU Ori) due to other condition 22:32:02   Dome Opened Dome opened (opening time 45s) 22:32:04 Session Running Session running 22:32:06   Queue Resumed Observing Queue resumed 22:32:08     Target Started (15/39) Target started (15/39, GCVS DX Cnc) 22:35:08       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:37:22       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 12) 22:42:19     Target Completed Target completed (15/39, GCVS DX Cnc) 22:42:21     Target Started (16/39) Target started (16/39, SN 2021xn) 22:46:45   SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend is called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars) 22:46:53       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-S) 22:47:45   SoftSuspend Cancelled Soft Suspend is cancelled due to Improved Conditions 22:53:55   SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend is called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars) 23:03:57     Target Completed Target completed (16/39, SN 2021xn) 23:03:59   Queue Paused Queue paused for Session Suspension 23:04:01 Session Suspended Session suspended 23:04:51   Dome Closed Dome closed (closing time 50s) 23:07:21 Session Resuming Session resuming 23:08:07   Dome Opened Dome opened (opening time 45s) 23:08:09 Session Running Session running 23:08:11   Queue Resumed Observing Queue resumed 23:08:13     Target Started (17/39) Target started (17/39, C/2019 L3 (ATLAS)) 23:11:18       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - unable to find a star (TCF-S) 23:16:02   SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend is called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars) 23:17:42   SoftSuspend Cancelled Soft Suspend is cancelled due to Improved Conditions 23:19:28     Target Completed Target completed (17/39, C/2019 L3 (ATLAS)) 23:19:30     Target Started (18/39) Target started (18/39, GCVS RR Tau) 23:20:48   SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend is called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars) 23:22:12       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 23:23:59       Focusing Failed Foc1 focusing failed - star lost 23:29:59     Target Completed Target completed (18/39, GCVS RR Tau) 23:30:02   Queue Paused Queue paused for Session Suspension 23:30:04 Session Suspended Session suspended 23:30:53   Dome Closed Dome closed (closing time 50s) 23:39:08     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (19/39, AT2021ayk (CV)) due to cloud 23:59:30     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (20/39, KUG 0830+278 w/SN2020adow) due to cloud 00:11:48     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (21/39, GCVS ER UMa) due to cloud 00:25:40     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (22/39, GCVS CN Leo) due to cloud 00:41:22     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (23/39, UGC 6930 w/SN2020rcq) due to cloud 01:02:14     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (24/39, NGC 4041 w/AT2021cek) due to cloud 01:24:06     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (25/39, NGC 4774 w/AT2021cjd) due to cloud 01:46:28     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (26/39, MCG +6-30-84 w/SN2021K) due to cloud 02:08:20     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (27/39, NGC 4227 w/SN2021biz) due to cloud 02:11:29   UPB.Switch Restart UPB.Switch has been restarted. 02:20:08     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (28/39, GCVS AM CVn) due to cloud 02:39:45     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (29/39, NGC 4631 w/AT2021biy) due to cloud 03:00:57     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (30/39, C/2020 T2 (Palomar)) due to cloud 03:20:34     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (31/39, UGC 9083 w/AT2021buk) due to cloud 03:42:26     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (32/39, LEDA 1634284 w/SN2021bkw) due to cloud 04:04:18     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (33/39, AT2021bgi) due to cloud 04:26:10     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (34/39, AT2021bfp) due to cloud 04:48:02     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (35/39, UGC 3502 w/AT2021cwc) due to wind 05:03:51     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (36/39, GCVS S Cyg) due to cloud 05:15:09     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (37/39, GCVS BL Lac) due to cloud 05:26:49     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (38/39, GCVS U Her) due to cloud 05:53:04     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (39/39, C/2018 N2 (ASASSN)) due to cloud 05:53:09   Queue Completed Job Queue completed 05:53:14 Session Closing Session closing 05:53:18   Dome Closed Dome already closed (closed at 23:30, closing time 50s) 05:54:44   Dome Parked Dome parked (parking time 77s), Az: 90.0 deg 05:55:29   Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 37s) 05:55:59   Telescope Switched Off Telescope Power has been switched off via UPB Switch. 05:56:50   Services Stopped Night Services stopped 05:56:53 Session Housekeeping Housekeeping Started (Cleanup FITS, Create Fits Summary, Transfer Files) 05:57:24 Session Finished Session Finished

Session Alerts

Time     Alert Detail 21:59:43 Dome Dome has been stationary for more than 10 mins 22:04:28 Dome Dome Movements have begun again (outage 14.8 mins) 02:11:29 UPB.Switch disconnected UPB.Switch has unexpectedly disconnected. Restart will be attempted 02:11:31 UPB.Switch UPB.Switch has been successfully restarted.

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Operational Issues (2021-02-22 S861)

• Critical Issues (0)
• Major Issues (0)
• Minor Issues (6)
• Continuous Improvement (5)

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Critical Issues

• None

Major Issues

• None

Minor Issues

• Event line 'Focusing Checked - Foc2 Focusing Check Succeeded' appears as a yellow event but it should be a green event.
  Done 2021-02-23 (AstroMain 3.37.1)
   
• Near Zenith Focusing produced a JPG Focus Frame annotated '0s 0x0 C ....'  (Focus02-Foc2  18:52) .   This appears to be a problem for initial focusing, later focusing for normal targets produces appropriately annotated JPG pictures.  Examining code shows that 0s was obtained from IV.Exp, whilst 0x0 was obtained from IV.Bin. Presumably neither variable was set at any stage prior to calling ConvertFitsToJpg.
  The source FIT file had XBINNING= 1  and EXPTIME = 1.5, so data .   To make the JPG picture  SaveFocusImageToJpg() routine will have been called which would have called  PrepareNewIV() &  GetImageInformation() which should have populated IV parameters.  GetIMageInformation attempts to get IV.Bin from Image.FitsKeyword("CCDXBIN") and get IV.Exp from Image.FitsKeyword("EXPOSURE"). These work with a CCDSoft Image, but not with SharpCap derived FITS images which use different Keywords.   Code updated to use XBINNING and EXPTIME as alternate keywords.
  Done 2021-02-23 (AstroMain 3.37.1)
   
• When session started the Current Session WebPage still showed the previous session name in title bar (S00860) even after new images from the session (S00861) were being loaded and visible.   This occurred when using Safari broswer on IPad, which this the normal method for remotely monitoring the Observatory.  Refreshing the page continued producing the S00860 title for a few minutes until it flipped to the showing the new session. AstroPlan uploader should make a greater attempts to upload the session details contained in Session.Header.js as a priority during the initial stages of the session.  This may or may not need modification to AstroMain. which sends the Session.Header.js file to the Live Folder in preparation for upload.  MS Edge again show the issue seen in previous session where the title continues showing S00860 even after refreshing the page and restarting MS Edge.  At the same time Internet Explorer was showing S00861 title correctly.  Going to History/.../Clear Browsing Data/Clear Cached Data is a workaround to force MS Edge to pick up and use the new Session.Header.js file but this is not a solution.  Fix attempted by using     src="js/Session.Header.js?randomNo = Math.random()" in webpage script
  Closed for now (issue is still potentially intermittant on certain devices) (Web Page)
   
• AstroMain's UI stopped responding and Obs.Monitor, ObsWorker & ObsManager all froze when the program's form was clicked upon (22:28:50) . Intent was to click on form to bring the program to the front so that a new StarCount threshold could be entered.   Leaving UI alone the program was monitored using LogFile.  This showed that the program threads and UI resumed again by themselves after 148s (22:31:17). Whatever was causing the stall was evidently unlocked and the obs Manager proceeded to reopen the dome following a prior suspension.  Incident is not deemed major in this case as the session continued without further incident  but this involved not making any further attempts to interact with the program's UI.   This is very similar to session S859 (2021-02-16),  except that this didn't involve the Obs.Manager and also a second attempt to access the UI caused the program to lock up for 5+ minutes at which point it was decided to kill the program and restart  observatory software/session.
  Begun a long process of replacing direct calls to UI thread with Invoke or BeginInvoke calls. Finally fixed in AstroMain 3.38 following major re-factoring to provide greater isolation of the UI Thread from the business code.  Deemed fixed by tests during the final part of session S867 (2021-03-05).
  Resolved 2021-03-06 (AstroMain 3.38)
   
• Difference between nighttime and daytime pictures mislead the AstroObsCam's AI interpretation of Telescope Position. Brightness changes between daytime and nightime produce incorrect interpretations of whether the telescope is at its park position or not. When the picture is brighter (as it is during daytime) the scope is seen as being "Not Parked" rather than "Parked".   Picture has to be normalised in some way, but this can't use the whole image or the smaller region including the telescope as any changes in the scope position will affect the normalisation. Normalisation needs to be independent of the scope position.  Fix attempted by using a  brightness adjustment calculated as difference in brightness in the Base Picture and Current Picture (as measured by the average brightness of two spots in the dome area either side of the scope region)
  Fix attempted 2021-02-24  (ObsCam 1.4.5)
   
• Rapid fluctuation in daytime brightness associated with cloud passing across the sun cause False Intruder Alerts. Brightness changes between daytime and nightime produce incorrect AI results. When the picture is suddenly much brighter or much darker than the reference picture taken 2-3 s previously this is picked up as motion, triggering alert.  The affect of daytime brightness fluctuations may or may not be exaggerated by the use of a 1.5 gamma setting which is applied to each frame (for improving nightime detail) before Motion Detection is examined.  Picture has to be normalised in some way, but this has to be done in a way that doesn't normalise out evidence of the 'Intrusion' . (ie normalisation process needs to be independent of any possible intrusion). Fix might include normalising based on taking the median or average brightness value of 3-4 spots taken across the picture.   It's possible that normalisation/detection should be performed on images derived directly from original (linear) capture, rather than modified images that use a gamma correction.  Fix attempted using a frame brightness adjustment based on average of 4 'wall' spots taken across image.
  Fix attempted 2021-02-24  (ObsCam 1.4.5)
  

Continuous Improvement

• Current Session Web page to auto-refresh the ObsCam picture.
  Done 2021-02-23 (Website)
   
• Modify TP Activity/Target Posting in ObsCam with supplementary changes in AstroMain and AstroAllSky. Change required to show current Target Name in Observatory when slewing, waiting or suspended, rather than 'Scope'. AstroMain to be modified to send TargetName via TelePosition (TP) communication. AstroAllSky to be modified to show override Scope.TargetName on Annotated AllSky Pictures when scope is waiting, slewing, suspended, parking or parked.  AstroObsCam modified to change order in which Target and Activity are displayed. Programs changed to all use newly updated enum ScopeMode definitions.   Displays need to checked in next session.   After initial release of AstroAllSky 3.9.1 (2021-02-23) a follow-up fix was needed (3.9.2, 2021-02-24) to avoid having a telescope track appear on NightSummary6.jpg plot when telescope mode was 'Disconnected'.
  Done 2021-02-24 (AstroMain 3.37.1, AstroAllSky 3.9.2, AstroObsCam 1.4.4)
   
• ObsCam picture should keep a running set of recent 1/10th scale mini-bitmaps to allow MotionDetection to compare the Current Frame with a frame taken say 2-3s previously rather than the immediate previous image.
  Done 2021-02-23  (ObsCam 1.4.4)
   
• Query.  When Scope.Tracking is turned after 20 mins of suspension, it is unclear how bFollowScope is set to true to send current scope RA Dec position via TP (TelePosition) to AstroAllSky for it to make the scope appear stationary ? .  FollowScope() is the only place where bFollowScope is set to true and this isn't called by Obs.Manager from the code dealing with 20 min suspension.  Ok it seems that ObsMonitor sets TP.Scope.Ra2000 / Dec2000 from Scope.RightAscension & Scope.Azimuth every 2s or so.  But this is a relatively recent addition and doesn't answer how this was achieved prior to Mid Feb 2021.  This new functionality rather negates the purpose of FollowScope() concept.
  Largely answered 2021-02-23 (AstroMain)
   
• ObsCam picture should compare current frame against the base frame that was taken when scope was parked within a rectangle encompassing the telescope. This would allow a flag to be set to indicate when telescope is it its park position and when it is not.
  Done 2021-02-23  (ObsCam 1.4.4)

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