David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 949 (2022-01-05)

Notes (S948)

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Notes (S950)

	Session Aims & Highlights
	- Observing Result  - Night Summary Plot  - Session Event Log
	Operational Issues
	- Critical Issues (0),  Major Issues (0),  Minor Issues (1),  Small Defects (0),  Continuous Improvement (0)
	Images from 2022-01-05 >>         [ Local Files >> ]

Session Aims & Highlights (2022-01-05)

Main aims

1. Targets.  Acquire images of a selection of variable stars, nearby stars, comets & deep sky targets as allowed by time & conditions.

Equipment & Software

• 12" LX200 and ST-10XME
• 80mm APO and ZWO ASI 178MC
• CCDApp2, TheSky6, CCDSoft5, DeviceHub 6.5.1.9,  MeadeGeneric 1.3.3.373, UPB 1.5, ASCOM 6.5 SP1
• Pegasus UPB & Motor Focus, TCF-S
• SharpCap 3.2, PHD2  2.6.10
   
• AstroMain 3.48.16,  AstroPlan 1.29.2,   AstroShCap 1.3.12, AstroGuard 1.6.3,  AstroVOE 1.9,  AstroSN 1.7.1,  AstroProtect 1.6
  (AstroWeather 1.15.2, AstroAllSky 3.14.3,  AstroObsCam 1.8, AstroLaunch 1.8.1)

Highlights

•  Guiding Performance. Dec Guiding performance was good (or at least a lot better than it has been prior to telescope rebalancing, polar alignment adjustment, software improvements.  Dec Guiding performance is no longer worse than RA Guiding performance.   Next step would be to try to improve RA guiding by generating new PEC Curves and/or slightly better Polar Alignment.
•  Wind Exclusion Zone. Use of wind exclusion zones during building of session's Observing Plan meant that planned targets were positioned away from the direction of strongest wind and consequently very few frames were lost because of wind shake/vibration.
•  Targets. Multiple targets werre successfully imaged. Conditions good & no significant issues with software or equipment.

Notes:

  Summary Plots & Logs

Observing Plan

Observing Result

Dome & Scope Slewing Performance

Slew/Centering Performance

Guiding Performance Reasons for poor Dec guiding : Red point  (6)   - 6" jump in Dec at 20:39:16 during Frame 2, possibly related to single small N Dec Guide Pulse at 20:39:14 (or small N Dec Guide Pulse at 20:39:04).   Orange point (9) - Ineffective Dec Guiding (South) and jump to wrong side of zero line (Near Zenith)    (Loss of guide star in Frame 4 caused Red Point on Av RMS/RA chart) Orange point (10)   - 2" jump in Dec to wrong side of zero line during Frame 1 and not corrected by Lock Position adjustment ahead of Frame 2  (lost star events might be related to rapid RA movements ?) Orange point (13)   - Ineffective Dec Guiding (South).

Sky Conditions (Locate Frames) Sky Brightness measurement problem (due to a SBIG camera bias level issue) is now fixed

Night Sky Summary Plot Top axis: Sky Brightness at Zenith (in ADU/s) Lefthand axis: Local Time (hh LT). Righthand axis: Sun Altitude (degs)

Actual Weather vs Pre-Session Weather Forecast

Session Event Log

Time     Event Detail 18:36:58 Session Monitoring AutoStart monitoring for Live Session opportunity between 18:36 & 06:26 18:37:00 Session AutoStarting Session autostarting (18:37) 18:37:28 Session Created Live Session Created (2022-01-05 S00949, ImageSaveNum: 949001) 18:37:30   Scope Switched On Telescope Power has been switched on via UPB Powerbox. 18:39:12   Services Started Observatory Services started 18:39:19 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 18:39:22 Session Pending Session pending (2022-01-05) 18:39:24 Session Initiating Session initiating (2022-01-05) 18:39:26   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.29.2) 18:39:59   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (, Plan ID: 703) 18:40:20   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -25°C) 18:40:27   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 18:40:51 Session Equilibration Session ready for dome & camera equilibration 18:41:36   Dome Opened Dome opened (opening time 45s) 18:42:26 Session Running Session running 18:42:28   Queue Started Observing Queue started (38 targets selected) 18:42:31     Target Started (NrZen) Target started (Focus Field 2, HIP 9508) 18:44:09       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 18:47:03       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1, wide) 18:49:16       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1) 18:49:18       Focusing Started-Foc2 Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 18:51:27       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2, wide) 18:53:13       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2) 18:53:31     Target Completed Target completed (Focus Field 2, HIP 9508) 18:54:28     Target Started (1/38) Target started (1/38, 19P/Borrelly) 18:57:43       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is lost (TCF-S) 19:06:37     Target Completed Target completed (1/38, 19P/Borrelly) 19:08:43     Target Started (2/38) Target started (2/38, UGC 1098 w/AT2021ahep) 19:11:44       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 19:13:43       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 3) 19:29:45     Target Completed Target completed (2/38, UGC 1098 w/AT2021ahep) 19:30:35     Target Started (3/38) Target started (3/38, 132P/Helin-Roman-Alu) 19:33:29       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 19:35:16       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 4) 19:44:25     Target Completed Target completed (3/38, 132P/Helin-Roman-Alu) 19:45:01     Target Started (4/38) Target started (4/38, UGCA 24) 19:47:51       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is lost (TCF-S) 20:03:40     Target Completed Target completed (4/38, UGCA 24) 20:07:23     Target Started (5/38) Target started (5/38, NGC 1052-DF2) 20:10:35       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 20:12:25       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 5) 20:28:28     Target Completed Target completed (5/38, NGC 1052-DF2) 20:29:45     Target Started (6/38) Target started (6/38, UGC 1971 w/SN2021afkk) 20:33:18       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 20:35:17       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 6) 20:51:42     Target Completed Target completed (6/38, UGC 1971 w/SN2021afkk) 20:51:46     Target Started (7/38) Target started (7/38, AT2021xrf) 20:54:43       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 20:56:30       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 7) 21:12:36     Target Completed Target completed (7/38, AT2021xrf) 21:13:29     Target Started (8/38) Target started (8/38, GCVS RR Tau) 21:16:05       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 21:18:15       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 8) 21:26:07     Target Completed Target completed (8/38, GCVS RR Tau) 21:26:11     Target Started (9/38) Target started (9/38, UGC 3383 w/AT2021abbn) 21:29:33       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 21:31:20       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 9) 21:40:47   SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend is called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars) 21:42:53 Critical Cloud Alert Critical Cloud Alert (Obs.Manager will close the Dome) 21:42:55   HardSuspend Called Hard Suspend is called due to Critical Conditions (cloud) 21:42:57     Target Aborted (9/38) Target aborted (9/38, UGC 3383 w/AT2021abbn) due to cloud 21:42:59   Queue Paused Queue paused for Session Suspension 21:43:01 Session Suspended Session suspended 21:43:48   Dome Closed Dome closed (closing time 50s) 22:05:13     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (10/38, SN 2021wcu) due to cloud 22:20:17     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (11/38, GCVS YZ Cnc) due to cloud 22:31:19     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (12/38, GCVS DX Cnc) due to cloud 22:49:41     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (13/38, 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko) due to cloud 23:02:40     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (14/38, Nova Cas 2021) due to cloud 23:22:02     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (15/38, NGC 7446 w/SN2021agdd) due to cloud 23:34:20     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (16/38, GCVS BL Lac) due to cloud 23:54:12     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (17/38, UGC 3855 w/SN2021agco) due to cloud 00:16:38     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (18/38, Scholz's Star) due to cloud 00:28:36     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (19/38, GCVS U Mon) due to cloud 00:40:13     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (20/38, AT2021agdv (CV)) due to cloud 01:13:01     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (21/38, NGC 2371) due to cloud 01:28:53     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (22/38, GCVS CN Leo) due to cloud 01:48:05     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (23/38, AT2021agjs) due to cloud 02:09:57     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (24/38, AT2021bnz) due to cloud 02:31:49     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (25/38, NGC 2761 w/SN2021aggu) due to cloud 02:48:20     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (26/38, C/2019 L3 (ATLAS)) due to cloud 03:02:01 Session Resuming Session resuming 03:02:46   Dome Opened Dome opened (opening time 45s) 03:02:49 Session Running Session running 03:02:51   Queue Resumed Observing Queue resumed 03:02:53     Target Started (27/38) Target started (27/38, UGC 5528 w/AT2022B) 03:14:50     Target Completed Target partially completed (27/38, UGC 5528 w/AT2022B) 03:14:54     Target Started (28/38) Target started (28/38, NGC 4165 w/SN2021gno) 03:35:24     Target Completed Target partially completed (28/38, NGC 4165 w/SN2021gno) 03:35:28     Target Started (29/38) Target started (29/38, UGC 5829 w/LBV2021blu) 03:38:25       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:40:30       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 10) 03:59:32     Target Completed Target completed (29/38, UGC 5829 w/LBV2021blu) 03:59:36     Target Started (30/38) Target started (30/38, NGC 4889) 04:02:49       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-S) 04:27:03     Target Completed Target completed (30/38, NGC 4889) 04:27:07     Target Started (31/38) Target started (31/38, AT2021agpw (CV)) 04:30:04       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 04:32:05       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 11) 04:38:09     Target Completed Target completed (31/38, AT2021agpw (CV)) 04:38:13     Target Started (32/38) Target started (32/38, UGC 8975 w/AT2021adpe) 04:41:02       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 04:43:13       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 12) 04:59:18     Target Completed Target completed (32/38, UGC 8975 w/AT2021adpe) 04:59:22     Target Started (33/38) Target started (33/38, UGC 4671 w/SN2021afsj) 05:02:51       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is lost (TCF-S) 05:18:48     Target Completed Target completed (33/38, UGC 4671 w/SN2021afsj) 05:19:01     Target Started (34/38) Target started (34/38, NGC 3310 w/SN2021gmj) 05:21:44       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-S) 05:37:41     Target Completed Target completed (34/38, NGC 3310 w/SN2021gmj) 05:40:52     Target Started (35/38) Target started (35/38, UGC 9083 w/AT2021buk) 05:44:54       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 05:45:46   SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend is called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars) 05:46:57       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 13) 05:52:16 Critical Cloud Alert Critical Cloud Alert (Obs.Manager will close the Dome) 05:52:19   HardSuspend Called Hard Suspend is called due to Critical Conditions (cloud) 05:52:22     Target Aborted (35/38) Target aborted (35/38, UGC 9083 w/AT2021buk) due to cloud 05:52:24   Queue Paused Queue paused for Session Suspension 05:52:27 Session Suspended Session suspended 05:53:17   Dome Closed Dome closed (closing time 50s) 05:59:40     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (35/38, UGC 9083 w/AT2021buk) due to cloud 06:21:32     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (36/38, NGC 5945 w/AT2021abqm) due to cloud 06:43:24     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (37/38, NGC 6500 w/SN2021wuf) due to cloud 07:09:54     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (38/38, C/2017 K2 (PANSTARRS)) due to cloud 07:09:59   Queue Completed Job Queue completed 07:10:01 Session Closing Session closing 07:10:06   Dome Closed Dome already closed (closed at 05:53, closing time 50s) 07:10:33   Dome Parked Dome parked (parking time 19s), Az: 90.0 deg 07:11:48   Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 70s) 07:12:03   Telescope State Scope parked Turn scope off. (Handbox) 07:12:25   Telescope Switched Off Telescope Power has been switched off via UPB Switch. 07:13:18   Services Stopped Night Services stopped 07:13:20 Session Housekeeping Housekeeping Started (Cleanup FITS, Create Fits Summary, Transfer Files) 07:13:31 Session Finished Session Finished

Session Alerts

Time     Alert Detail -- No Alerts                --

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Operational Issues (2022-01-05, S949)

• Critical Issues (0)
• Major Issues (0)
• Minor Issues (1)
• Small Defects (0)
• Continuous Improvement (0)

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Critical Issues

• None

Major Issues

• None

Minor Issues

• Scope made a sudden 6" jump in Dec during Guide Run 6 (UGC 1971, Frame 2, 20:39:16).  Guiding was progressing smoothly when the dy (Dec) RMS error suddenly jumped to  +6" and persisted at this level until end of frame (where a Lock Position adjustment was made ahead of Frame 3).  Jump is speculated to be related to small N Dec Guide Pulse at 20:39:14 (or just beforehand at  20:39:04).  These were the first N Dec Guides of the Guide run and it is is hypothesized that issue related to an overcompensation by scope AntiBacklash behaviour.    Could problem be preempted by making a small (2") PulseGuide in the required guide direction, just before starting to guide.   This would allow any jump in Dec from Backlash Compensation to be made before it impacts guiding.  Fixed my making an initial jog in the N/S required direction before starting to guide (AstroMain 3.48.19).
  Fixed 2022-01-14 (AstroMain 3.48.19)

Small Defects

• None

Continuous Improvement

• None
  

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