David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 968 (2022-02-09)

Notes (S967)

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Notes (S969)

	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 (6)
	Images from 2022-02-09 >>         [ Local Files >> ]

Session Aims & Highlights (2022-02-09)

Main aims

1. Targets.  Acquire images of a selection of variable stars, nearby stars, comets & deep sky targets as allowed by time & conditions.
2. AstroMain.  Check bug fixes associated with AstroMain 3.49.2

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 3.49.2,  AstroPlan 1.29.9,   AstroShCap 1.3.12, AstroGuard 1.6.3
  AstroVOE 1.9.2  AstroSN 1.7.3,  AstroProtect 1.6
  (AstroWeather 1.15.3, AstroAllSky 3.14.6,  AstroObsCam 1.8, AstroLaunch 1.8.2)

Highlights

•  Targets.  x targets acquired.
•  Sky Condition.  Conditions generally clear for the whole night. Whilst passing cloud , cloud near horizons affected some images/some targets, the dome remained open the whole night and all targets were recorded as 'Completed'.
•  Obs.Monitor.  Obs.Monitor froze for 4.5 minutes in section 'Monitor TheSky6 Scope' before resuming again. This is second session in a row that has seen Obs.Monitor freeze in the TheSky6 Scope section.

Notes:

  Summary Plots & Logs

Observing Plan

Observing Result

Dome & Scope Slewing Performance

Slew/Centering Performance

Guiding Performance Reasons for poor Dec guiding : Black point (23) - Cloud Purple/Red points - None Orange point (18) - Cloud in final frame Orange points (14, 25, 35 - Non-effective Dec Guiding (South)

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)

Actual Weather vs Pre-Session Weather Forecast

Session Event Log

Time     Event Detail 18:06:26 Session Monitoring AutoStart monitoring for Live Session opportunity between 18:06 & 05:42 18:06:29   AutoStart Delayed Session delayed due to too few stars 18:14:25 Session AutoStarting Session autostarting (18:14) 18:14:54 Session Created Live Session Created (2022-02-09 S00968, ImageSaveNum: 968001) 18:14:56   Scope Switched On Telescope Power has been switched on via UPB Powerbox. 18:16:36   Services Started Observatory Services started 18:16:43 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 18:16:46 Session Pending Session pending (2022-02-09) 18:16:48 Session Initiating Session initiating (2022-02-09) 18:16:50   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.29.9) 18:17:32   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (, Plan ID: 726) 18:17:56   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -20°C) 18:18:02   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 18:18:27 Session Equilibration Session ready for dome & camera equilibration 18:19:12   Dome Opened Dome opened (opening time 45s) 18:19:52 Session Running Session running 18:19:54   Queue Started Observing Queue started (40 targets selected) 18:19:57     Target Started (NrZen) Target started (Focus Field 3, HIP 14181) 18:21:38       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 18:24:05       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1, wide) 18:26:01       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1) 18:26:04       Focusing Started-Foc2 Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 18:28:11       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2, wide) 18:29:56       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2) 18:30:14     Target Completed Target completed (Focus Field 3, HIP 14181) 18:31:54     Target Started (1/40) Target started (1/40, Nova Cas 2021) 18:35:05       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 18:37:13       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 3) 18:45:17     Target Completed Target completed (1/40, Nova Cas 2021) 18:45:39     Target Started (2/40) Target started (2/40, GCVS BL Lac) 18:48:35       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 18:50:45       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 4) 18:54:34     Target Completed Target completed (2/40, GCVS BL Lac) 18:55:45     Target Started (3/40) Target started (3/40, 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko) 18:59:57       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 19:02:07       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 5) 19:18:37     Target Completed Target completed (3/40, 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko) 19:18:41     Target Started (4/40) Target started (4/40, GCVS RR Tau) 19:28:28     Target Completed Target completed (4/40, GCVS RR Tau) 19:28:32     Target Started (5/40) Target started (5/40, UGC 3457 w/SN2022blm) 19:31:31       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 19:33:41       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 6) 19:49:26     Target Completed Target completed (5/40, UGC 3457 w/SN2022blm) 19:49:30     Target Started (6/40) Target started (6/40, C/2019 L3 (ATLAS)) 19:52:09       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 19:54:20       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 7) 20:02:15     Target Completed Target completed (6/40, C/2019 L3 (ATLAS)) 20:02:19     Target Started (7/40) Target started (7/40, AT2021aagc) 20:04:59       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 20:07:25       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 8) 20:23:28     Target Completed Target completed (7/40, AT2021aagc) 20:24:21     Target Started (8/40) Target started (8/40, GCVS YZ Cnc) 20:27:07       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 20:29:19       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 9) 20:35:48     Target Completed Target completed (8/40, GCVS YZ Cnc) 20:37:21     Target Started (9/40) Target started (9/40, GCVS RZ LMi) 20:40:12       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 20:42:13       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 10) 20:48:04     Target Completed Target completed (9/40, GCVS RZ LMi) 20:48:47     Target Started (10/40) Target started (10/40, GCVS SS Cyg) 20:52:31       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 20:54:41       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 11) 20:59:08     Target Completed Target completed (10/40, GCVS SS Cyg) 21:05:02     Target Started (11/40) Target started (11/40, UGC 6014 w/AT2022bil) 21:08:50       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 21:11:16       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 12) 21:27:03     Target Completed Target completed (11/40, UGC 6014 w/AT2022bil) 21:27:07     Target Started (12/40) Target started (12/40, AT2022bqs (CV)) 21:30:37       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 21:33:03       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 13) 21:38:49     Target Completed Target completed (12/40, AT2022bqs (CV)) 21:39:02     Target Started (13/40) Target started (13/40, SN 2021wcu) 21:41:47       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 21:44:15       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 14) 22:01:12     Target Completed Target completed (13/40, SN 2021wcu) 22:01:16     Target Started (14/40) Target started (14/40, AT2022bnf) 22:04:20       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:06:46       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 15) 22:23:46     Target Completed Target completed (14/40, AT2022bnf) 22:23:50     Target Started (15/40) Target started (15/40, NGC 2922 w/SN2022bdu) 22:47:01     Target Completed Target completed (15/40, NGC 2922 w/SN2022bdu) 22:47:06     Target Started (16/40) Target started (16/40, UGC 5528 w/SN2022B) 22:50:06       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is lost (TCF-S) 23:05:59     Target Completed Target completed (16/40, UGC 5528 w/SN2022B) 23:07:02     Target Started (17/40) Target started (17/40, NGC 3628 w/AT2022brm) 23:09:49       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-S) 23:26:05     Target Completed Target completed (17/40, NGC 3628 w/AT2022brm) 23:29:02     Target Started (18/40) Target started (18/40, UGC 522 w/AT2022bqt) 23:33:39       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-S) 23:50:04     Target Completed Target completed (18/40, UGC 522 w/AT2022bqt) 23:51:02     Target Started (19/40) Target started (19/40, IC 635 w/AT2022bqu) 23:54:44       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-S) 00:10:35     Target Completed Target completed (19/40, IC 635 w/AT2022bqu) 00:13:02     Target Started (20/40) Target started (20/40, NGC 3678 w/AT2022ei) 00:15:48       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-S) 00:31:46     Target Completed Target completed (20/40, NGC 3678 w/AT2022ei) 00:35:02     Target Started (21/40) Target started (21/40, NGC 5117 w/SN2022abq) 00:37:23       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-S) 00:53:19     Target Completed Target completed (21/40, NGC 5117 w/SN2022abq) 00:57:02     Target Started (22/40) Target started (22/40, NGC 4348 w/SN2022fw) 01:00:11       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-S) 01:16:07     Target Completed Target completed (22/40, NGC 4348 w/SN2022fw) 01:19:02     Target Started (23/40) Target started (23/40, UGCA 258 w/SN2022mm) 01:23:15       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is lost (TCF-S) 01:39:33     Target Completed Target completed (23/40, UGCA 258 w/SN2022mm) 01:41:02     Target Started (24/40) Target started (24/40, NGC 4165 w/SN2021gno) 01:43:49       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:44:17       Focusing Failed Foc1 focusing failed - star lost 02:00:07     Target Completed Target completed (24/40, NGC 4165 w/SN2021gno) 02:03:02     Target Started (25/40) Target started (25/40, NGC 4227 w/SN2021biz) 02:05:44       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:08:08       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 17) 02:24:41     Target Completed Target completed (25/40, NGC 4227 w/SN2021biz) 02:25:03     Target Started (26/40) Target started (26/40, GCVS GK Per) 02:29:15       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:31:39       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 18) 02:35:12     Target Completed Target completed (26/40, GCVS GK Per) 02:35:16     Target Started (27/40) Target started (27/40, NGC 4896 w/SN2021wad) 02:39:10       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:41:37       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 19) 02:57:25     Target Completed Target completed (27/40, NGC 4896 w/SN2021wad) 02:57:29     Target Started (28/40) Target started (28/40, LEDA 1614458 w/AT2022ed) 03:01:04 Obs.Monitor Frozen Obs.Monitor appears to be frozen at around 03:01 in section Monitor TheSky6 Scope 03:05:42       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - unable to find a star (TCF-S) 03:21:52     Target Completed Target completed (28/40, LEDA 1614458 w/AT2022ed) 03:21:56     Target Started (29/40) Target started (29/40, AT2021agpw (CV)) 03:24:43       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:27:08       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 20) 03:32:54     Target Completed Target completed (29/40, AT2021agpw (CV)) 03:32:58     Target Started (30/40) Target started (30/40, GCVS CY Lyr) 03:35:48       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:37:50       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 21) 03:41:40     Target Completed Target completed (30/40, GCVS CY Lyr) 03:41:44     Target Started (31/40) Target started (31/40, UGC 9083 w/AT2021buk) 03:44:57       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:47:09       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 22) 04:04:12     Target Completed Target completed (31/40, UGC 9083 w/AT2021buk) 04:04:16     Target Started (32/40) Target started (32/40, AT2022sl (CV)) 04:07:00       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 04:08:56       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 23) 04:15:28     Target Completed Target completed (32/40, AT2022sl (CV)) 04:15:32     Target Started (33/40) Target started (33/40, GCVS U Her) 04:17:52       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 04:19:48       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 24) 04:28:39     Target Completed Target completed (33/40, GCVS U Her) 04:28:43     Target Started (34/40) Target started (34/40, AT2022abs (CV)) 04:31:15       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 04:33:25       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 25) 04:39:10     Target Completed Target completed (34/40, AT2022abs (CV)) 04:39:23     Target Started (35/40) Target started (35/40, CGCG 200-019 w/SN2021usd) 04:42:15       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 04:44:27       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 26) 05:00:28     Target Completed Target completed (35/40, CGCG 200-019 w/SN2021usd) 05:01:23     Target Started (36/40) Target started (36/40, GCVS SS Her) 05:04:27       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 05:06:37       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 27) 05:10:25     Target Completed Target completed (36/40, GCVS SS Her) 05:10:55     Target Started (37/40) Target started (37/40, C/2017 K2 (PANSTARRS)) 05:13:32       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-S) 05:22:29     Target Completed Target completed (37/40, C/2017 K2 (PANSTARRS)) 05:24:48     Target Started (38/40) Target started (38/40, UGC 10566 w/SN2022aab) 05:27:18       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-S) 05:43:57     Target Completed Target completed (38/40, UGC 10566 w/SN2022aab) 05:46:48     Target Started (39/40) Target started (39/40, Mrk 506 w/AT2021agiv) 05:49:38       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 05:52:02       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 28) 06:08:57     Target Completed Target completed (39/40, Mrk 506 w/AT2021agiv) 06:09:01     Target Started (40/40) Target started (40/40, HIP 87937) 06:11:45       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 06:13:56       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 29) 06:16:23     Target Completed Target completed (40/40, HIP 87937) 06:16:26   Queue Completed Job Queue completed 06:16:29 Session Closing Session closing 06:17:24   Dome Closed Dome closed (closing time 50s) 06:17:55   Dome Parked Dome parked (parking time 24s), Az: 90.0 deg 06:19:03   Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 64s) 06:19:18   Telescope State Scope parked Turn scope off. (Handbox) 06:19:40   Telescope Switched Off Telescope Power has been switched off via UPB Switch. 06:20:36   Services Stopped Night Services stopped 06:20:38 Session Housekeeping Housekeeping Started (Cleanup FITS, Create Fits Summary, Transfer Files) 06:21:09 Session Finished Session Finished

Session Alerts

Time     Alert Detail 03:01:37 Obs.Monitor Obs.Monitor appears to be frozen in section Monitor TheSky6 Scope (last cycle at 03:01:04)

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Operational Issues (2022-02-09, S968)

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

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Critical Issues

• None

Major Issues

• None

Minor Issues

• Obs.Monitor appears to be frozen in section Monitor TheSky6 Scope (03:01).  Whilst running the RunAutoPickFocusStar() routine during Target 28/40 (LEDA 1614458  the ObsMonitor frooze in 'Monitor TheSky6 Scope'.  ObsMonitor frooze for 270s, during which job queue didn't seem to proceed on any tasks.  The only work done by the Monitor TheSky6 Scope section is to fetch the value of  Telescope.IsConnected and assign result to VM.TheSkyScopeConnection.  The ObsMonitor frooze in the same 'TheSky6 Scope' section for 35s during the previous S967 session (more). That was thought to be an isolated glitch, but a second instance of the issue has now occurred during two successive sessions.  The ObsMonitor resumed by itself at 03:05:34. and operations continued ok thereafter. During the time the ObsMonitor was frozen there are of course no refresh of the ObsViewer or ObsPics sent to web/stored on disk as the ObsViewer redraw routine is only called at the end of each ObsMonitor cycle.    Need to check ASCOM logs for around this time, otherwise continue to monitor for further occurances of the issue in future sessions and try to identify a pattern.  No ASCOM DeviceHub/MeadeGeneric Logs seem to have been recorded for the night 2022-02-09, reason is unknown.  Session logs don't reveal anything. Session was suspended at the time. So far the issue has resolved itself after a few minutes and hasn't led to the ObsManager freezing at all and is therefore not deemed to be a major issue.  It's unclear what would happen if the ObsOverseer were to try to kill the ObsMonitor thread when this incidents of this type occurs and then restarted ObsMonitor - would it have impact on the TheSky6 API access or bring the TheSky6 program down ?.  Issue reoccurred however during general operation on 2022-02-18 (more). No repeat of problem since Feb 2022.  Issue closed after review (2022-02-18), but continue to monitor for any future instances of the issue.
  Unexplained issue  2022-02-18  (TheSky6 Telescope / AstroMain)

Small Defects

• None

• Add 'Green' Session Alert whenever the ObsMonitor resumes after being frozen. Code added to OverseerLoop to issue send out a green 'ok again' alert.  New global variable added 'ObsMonitorFrozenSecs' to allow the associated message to show the time that ObsMonitor had been frozen by.
  Done 2022-02-10 (AstroMain 3.49.3)
   
• Query. Focus Frame JPG picture from C/2019 L3 (Atlas) target suggests that the focus box wasn't centered on any star.  Investigating shows that a Focus Profile was successfully acquired, and that the Focus Box is coincident with a definate star on the Locate Frame FITs image. The star is present on the large 500px wide JPG picturee, but not on the smaller 282 px wide JPG picture .  It was determined that star appears to be missing in the smaller pictures as it is blanked over by a black rectangle drawn below the image title.  Consider selecting a focus star lying further away from the top edge of the image.
  Query is answered (AstroMain / ImageMagick)
   
• Add hyperlinks to NorthSky/Aurora Watch and Latest AllSky Images eb pages from AllSky Flip Image and Latest AllSky Image sections of the Current Session webpage.
  Done 2022-02-10  (Website)
   
• Query.  GuideSummary Table has 10 x 30s frames for GCVS YZ Cnc ordered | C C C C C | V | V | V | V | V |,   the second set should have been listed  as | V V V V V |.   Both ImageSets were defined as 3x3, 30s, 5 , VVRR and therefore second set should have been listed in same way as the first.  Nova Cas 2021 has been run with  10 x 30s frames which have been ordered | C C C C C | S S S S S | both sets defined as 3x3 (C), 2x2 (S), 30s, VVRR.  The only difference between the Nova Cas 2021 and YZ Cnc is use of S filter instead of V, and use of 2x2 bining for the second set.  Investigating in more detail it was found that I was mistaken about the mode specified for YZ Cnc, the V frames were actually specified as VRVR which explains why they were ordered the way they were. Target modified in AstroPlan to use VVRR mode for V frames.  It could be argued that where there is only one set specified as having VRVR, then it should be handled as a VVRR set.
  Issue understood 2022-02-11  (Targets Database)
   
• Modify 'TakeMainScopeFrames() routine so that where there is only one frame set defined with VRVR sequence mode then it should be handled as having VVRR mode. This is to simplify the reporting of guide summary table and report file.  It comes after experience of seeing 10 x 30s frames for GCVS YZ Cnc ordered | C C C C C | V | V | V | V | V |, when  it would be more appropriate to see them ordered as  | C C C C C | V V V V V |.
  Done 2022-02-11  (AstroMain 3.49.4)
   
• Consider feasibility of communicating the type of dome closure to AstroAllSky running on AllSky/Weather computer and indicate it on the NightSummary Plot in some way.  Types of dome closure are 'SoftSuspend', 'HardSuspend', 'End of Session', 'User Request', "Unknown'. Need to understand the benefits of this and how exactly the closures might be displayed on the NightSummary Plot.  Decision made to place new feature on-hold (2022-05-16) as the difficulty/risk from attempting an implementation are deemed to outweigh the benefits.
  On Hold 2022-05-16  (AstroMain, AstroAllSky)

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