David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 971 (2022-02-14)

Notes (S970)

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Notes (S972)

	Session Aims & Highlights
	- Observing Result  - Night Summary Plot  - Session Event Log
	Operational Issues
	- Critical Issues (0),  Major Issues (0),  Minor Issues (0),  Small Defects (1),  Continuous Improvement (2)
	Images from 2022-02-14 >>         [ Local Files >> ]

Session Aims & Highlights (2022-02-14)

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 and enhancements associated with AstroMain 3.49.5
3. HD 84406.  Take images of star HD 84406 in UMa.  This is the star that is currently being using by James Webb Space Telescope for aligning and focusing its mirrors.

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 3.49.5,  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.
•  HD 84406.  Images of star HD 84406 in UMa successfully taken. Observatory Telescope aligned with the JWST.

Notes:

• Intervention made at 05:00 to apply the virtual Dome Lock, so that dome couldn't be open again in session in view of rain that was forecast for 05:30-07:30 (arrived 06:30).
  
  

  Summary Plots & Logs

Observing Plan

Observing Result

Dome & Scope Slewing Performance

Slew/Centering Performance

Guiding Performance Reasons for poor Dec guiding : Black/Purple points () - None Red/Orange points () - None Yellow points (1,3,11) - Poorly effective Dec guiding (South) during certain intervals.

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 21:10:28 Session Monitoring AutoStart monitoring for Live Session opportunity between 21:10 & 05:31 21:10:32 Session AutoStarting Session autostarting (21:10) 21:11:00 Session Created Live Session Created (2022-02-14 S00971, ImageSaveNum: 971001) 21:11:03   Scope Switched On Telescope Power has been switched on via UPB Powerbox. 21:12:48   Services Started Observatory Services started 21:12:55 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 21:12:58 Session Pending Session pending (2022-02-14) 21:13:00 Session Initiating Session initiating (2022-02-14) 21:13:02   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.29.9) 21:13:34   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (, Plan ID: 729) 21:13:58   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -25°C) 21:14:04   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 21:14:28 Session Equilibration Session ready for dome & camera equilibration 21:15:13   Dome Opened Dome opened (opening time 45s) 21:16:04 Session Running Session running 21:16:06   Queue Started Observing Queue started (33 targets selected) 21:16:09     Target Started (NrZen) Target started (Focus Field 7, HIP 34070) 21:17:53       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 21:20:53       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1, wide) 21:22:49       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1) 21:22:51       Focusing Started-Foc2 Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 21:25:01       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2, wide) 21:26:48       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2) 21:27:06     Target Completed Target completed (Focus Field 7, HIP 34070) 21:28:06     Target Started (1/33) Target started (1/33, UGC 6014 w/AT2022bil) 21:33:45       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 21:36:10       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 3) 21:52:47     Target Completed Target completed (1/33, UGC 6014 w/AT2022bil) 21:52:51     Target Started (2/33) Target started (2/33, AT2022bqs (CV)) 21:56:40       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 21:59:04       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 4) 22:05:50     Target Completed Target completed (2/33, AT2022bqs (CV)) 22:05:54     Target Started (3/34) Target started (3/34, HD 84406, ToO) 22:10:02       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:12:06       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 5) 22:15:19     Target Completed Target completed (3/34, HD 84406, ToO) 22:15:21     Target Missed (4/34) Target's time slot was missed (4/34, 19P/Borrelly) 22:15:59     Target Started (5/34) Target started (5/34, GCVS GK Per) 22:19:36       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:21:47       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 6) 22:25:33     Target Completed Target completed (5/34, GCVS GK Per) 22:25:37     Target Started (6/34) Target started (6/34, 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann) 22:28:20       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:30:32       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 7) 22:36:41     Target Completed Target completed (6/34, 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann) 22:37:16     Target Started (7/34) Target started (7/34, UGC 3457 w/SN2022blm) 22:40:17       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:42:13       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 8) 22:58:23     Target Completed Target completed (7/34, UGC 3457 w/SN2022blm) 22:59:16     Target Started (8/34) Target started (8/34, C/2019 L3 (ATLAS)) 23:02:04       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 23:04:29       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 9) 23:12:24     Target Completed Target completed (8/34, C/2019 L3 (ATLAS)) 23:13:09     Target Started (9/34) Target started (9/34, AT2022bpl (CV)) 23:16:09       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 23:19:16       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 10) 23:25:02     Target Completed Target completed (9/34, AT2022bpl (CV)) 23:25:06     Target Started (10/34) Target started (10/34, AT2022cml) 23:28:59       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 23:31:45       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 11) 23:47:32     Target Completed Target completed (10/34, AT2022cml) 23:47:36     Target Started (11/34) Target started (11/34, NGC 3628 w/AT2022brm) 23:51:01       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-S) 00:07:14     Target Completed Target completed (11/34, NGC 3628 w/AT2022brm) 00:09:09     Target Started (12/34) Target started (12/34, NGC 5117 w/SN2022abq) 00:11:58       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-S) 00:28:20     Target Completed Target completed (12/34, NGC 5117 w/SN2022abq) 00:31:09     Target Started (13/34) Target started (13/34, LEDA 1614458 w/AT2022ed) 00:35:17       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - unable to find a star (TCF-S) 00:52:01     Target Completed Target completed (13/34, LEDA 1614458 w/AT2022ed) 00:53:09     Target Started (14/34) Target started (14/34, SN 2021abzf) 00:56:28       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:58:37       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 12) 01:14:27     Target Completed Target completed (14/34, SN 2021abzf) 01:15:09     Target Started (15/34) Target started (15/34, NGC 4227 w/SN2021biz) 01:17:49       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:20:15       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 13) 01:20:49   SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend is called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars) 01:36:17     Target Completed Target completed (15/34, NGC 4227 w/SN2021biz) 01:36:19   Queue Paused Queue paused for Session Suspension 01:36:21 Session Suspended Session suspended 01:37:11   Dome Closed Dome closed (closing time 50s) 01:56:05     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (16/34, NGC 1233 w/SN2022bqi) due to cloud 02:11:35     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (17/34, GCVS CN Leo) due to cloud 02:30:55     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (18/34, NGC 4188 w/SN2021kgj) due to cloud 02:52:55     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (19/34, NGC 4348 w/SN2022fw) due to cloud 03:14:55     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (20/34, NGC 3836 w/SN2021aefs) due to cloud 03:36:55     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (21/34, UGCA 258 w/SN2022mm) due to cloud 03:50:55     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (22/34, 100P/Hartley) due to cloud 04:00:31     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (23/34, GCVS AM CVn) due to cloud 04:12:16     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (24/34, AT2022bqp (CV)) due to cloud 04:29:16     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (25/34, GCVS SS Cyg) due to cloud 04:38:37     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (26/34, GCVS BL Lac) due to cloud 04:52:37     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (27/34, Nova Cas 2021) due to cloud 05:00:50     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (28/34, HIP 87937) due to cloud 05:14:00     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (29/34, C/2017 K2 (PANSTARRS)) due to cloud 05:21:35     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (30/34, Vega) due to cloud 05:34:53     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (31/34, GCVS RR Lyr) due to cloud 05:42:29     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (32/34, Vega) due to cloud 05:52:01     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (33/34, GCVS CI Cyg) due to cloud 06:21:16     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (34/34, UGC 522 w/SN2022bqt) due to cloud 06:21:21   Queue Completed Job Queue completed 06:21:25 Session Closing Session closing 06:21:30   Dome Closed Dome already closed (closed at 01:37, closing time 50s) 06:22:10   Dome Parked Dome parked (parking time 31s), Az: 90.0 deg 06:23:21   Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 70s) 06:23:31   Telescope State Scope parked Turn scope off. (Handbox) 06:23:53   Telescope Switched Off Telescope Power has been switched off via UPB Switch. 06:24:47   Services Stopped Night Services stopped 06:24:49 Session Housekeeping Housekeeping Started (Cleanup FITS, Create Fits Summary, Transfer Files) 06:25:01 Session Finished Session Finished

Session Alerts

Time     Alert Detail -- No Alerts                --

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Operational Issues (2022-02-14, S971)

• Critical Issues (0)
• Major Issues (0)
• Minor Issues (0)
• Small Defects (1)
• Continuous Improvement (2)

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Critical Issues

• None

Major Issues

• None

Minor Issues

• None

Small Defects

• AstroMove's  "Latest" button facility doesn't get the name/date of the latest observing session present on the Observatory Computer on first mouse click. It typically takes two attempts at using the button to get the session name/date to appear in the 'Session' field. Prehaps the field can say 'Working' whilst it fetches the name because the action does take some time.
  Fixed 2022-02-14 (AstroMove 1.8.5)

• Add a button facility from AstroPlan's Target Form to create a visual picture plot to show the location of the current target at the current time (or given future time that night).  This is to make it easier to assess the sky position of the a prespective ToO target that could be inserted into a active job queue.  The current 'Insert ToO' facility checks that star is accessible by the telescope, but doesn't indicate how close to horizon the object is how, how close it is to Meridian and how close it is to setting.  A graph sor something showing Alt / vs time would be a useful addition too.  Feature added in AstroMain 1.30.4 by addition of a small chart to right hand side of a widened 'Submit ToO' Form. Chart shows the current Az/Alt position of the target as well as its position in 2 and 4 hours time.
  Done 2022-05-06 (AstroPlan 1.30.4)
   
• Add a facility to allow 'Extract Spectra' routines to pick out and use brightest star in image and user provided information (Plate Scale/Orientation). Combined 5x10s S filter image of HD 84406 (the alignment star for JWST mirrors) couldn't be imaged linked due to insufficient stars (the reason why the star selected for JWST's mirror allignment operation). Current extract spectra process in AstroMain requires image to be linked before spectra extraction so that coordinates of the target object ar precisely known.  Realtime extract spectra uses the preceeding LocateInfo,  can Extract Spectra use a similar method ?.
  To do 2022-02-20 (AstroMain 3.49.6+)

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