David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 978 (2022-02-27)

Notes (S977)

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Notes (S979)

	Session Aims & Highlights
	- Observing Result  - Night Summary Plot  - Session Event Log
	Operational Issues
	- Critical Issues (0),  Major Issues (0),  Minor Issues (3),  Small Defects (1),  Continuous Improvement (4)
	Images from 2022-02-27 >>         [ Local Files >> ]

Session Aims & Highlights (2022-02-27)

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 new improvements in AstroMain 3.50.5 & AstroPlan 1.29.12 and AstroAllSky 3.15.2.

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 3.50.5,  AstroPlan 1.29.12,   AstroShCap 1.3.12, AstroGuard 1.7
  AstroVOE 1.9.2  AstroSN 1.7.3,  AstroProtect 1.6,  AstroMove 1.8.6
  (AstroWeather 1.16.3, AstroAllSky 3.15.2,  AstroObsCam 1.8, AstroLaunch 1.8.3)

Highlights

•  Targets.  x targets acquired before sky clouded over.
•  AstroMain.  No issues associated with using new AstroMain 3.50.5 version.

Notes:

• Conditions windy.
• Session operations ended early by development of cloud
  
  

  Summary Plots & Logs

Observing Plan

Observing Result

Dome & Scope Slewing Performance

Slew/Centering Performance

Guiding Performance Reasons for poor Dec guiding : Black points (13,14) - Cloud Red point (9, 12) - Non-effective Dec Guiding (South), Orange targets () -

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 19:27:33 Session Monitoring AutoStart monitoring for Live Session opportunity between 19:27 & 05:01 19:27:36 Session AutoStarting Session autostarting (19:27) 19:28:05 Session Created Live Session Created (2022-02-27 S00978, ImageSaveNum: 978001) 19:28:07   Scope Switched On Telescope Power has been switched on via UPB Powerbox. 19:29:49   Services Started Observatory Services started 19:29:55 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 19:29:57 Session Pending Session pending (2022-02-27) 19:29:59 Session Initiating Session initiating (2022-02-27) 19:30:01   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.29.12) 19:30:54   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (Plan ID: 736) 19:31:17   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -20°C) 19:31:23   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 19:31:48 Session Equilibration Session ready for dome & camera equilibration 19:32:33   Dome Opened Dome opened (opening time 45s) 19:33:03 Session Running Session running 19:33:05   Queue Started Observing Queue started (33 targets selected) 19:33:08     Target Started (NrZen) Target started (Focus Field 6, HIP 28634) 19:34:46       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 19:38:52       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1, wide) 19:42:23       Focusing Failed Foc1 focusing failed (failed QC check - Ambiguous) 19:42:25       Focusing Started-Foc2 Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 19:44:38       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2, wide) 19:46:05       Focusing Aborted Foc2 Focusing Aborted 19:46:09     Target Completed Target completed (Focus Field 6, HIP 28634) 19:46:11   Queue Aborted Job Queue aborted 19:48:32       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 19:54:19       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 3, wide) 19:56:37       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 3) 19:56:57       Focusing Started-Foc2 Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 19:59:30       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 4, wide) 20:01:28       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 4) 20:02:24 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 20:02:26 Session Pending Session pending (2022-02-27) 20:02:28 Session Initiating Session initiating (2022-02-27) 20:02:35   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (Plan ID: 736) 20:02:47   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -20°C) 20:02:52   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 20:03:16 Session Equilibration Session ready for dome & camera equilibration 20:03:19 Session Running Session running 20:03:21   Queue Started Observing Queue started (33 targets selected) 20:03:25     Target Started (1/33) Target started (1/33, NGC 5117 w/SN2022abq) 20:09:08     Target Completed Target partially completed (1/33, NGC 5117 w/SN2022abq) 20:09:12     Target Started (2/33) Target started (2/33, NGC 5273 w/AT2022csj) 20:13:18       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is lost (TCF-S) 20:29:58     Target Completed Target completed (2/33, NGC 5273 w/AT2022csj) 20:30:02     Target Started (3/33) Target started (3/33, NGC 4253 w/AT2022cqd) 20:33:26       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - unable to find a star (TCF-S) 20:49:45     Target Completed Target completed (3/33, NGC 4253 w/AT2022cqd) 20:51:06     Target Started (4/33) Target started (4/33, IC 3242) 20:55:31       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-S) 21:11:47     Target Completed Target completed (4/33, IC 3242) 21:13:05     Target Started (5/33) Target started (5/33, 19P/Borrelly) 21:16:58       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-S) 21:25:05   SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend is called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars) 21:25:31     Target Completed Target completed (5/33, 19P/Borrelly) 21:25:34   Queue Paused Queue paused for Session Suspension 21:25:36 Session Suspended Session suspended 21:26:26   Dome Closed Dome closed (closing time 50s) 21:36:22 Session Resuming Session resuming 21:37:07   Dome Opened Dome opened (opening time 45s) 21:37:09 Session Running Session running 21:37:11   Queue Resumed Observing Queue resumed 21:37:13     Target Started (6/33) Target started (6/33, NGC 1233 w/SN2022bqi) 21:53:09     Target Completed Target partially completed (6/33, NGC 1233 w/SN2022bqi) 21:53:13     Target Started (7/33) Target started (7/33, GCVS GK Per) 21:55:50       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 21:58:26       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 5) 22:01:58     Target Completed Target completed (7/33, GCVS GK Per) 22:02:02     Target Started (8/33) Target started (8/33, AT2022ddv) 22:22:19     Target Completed Target completed (8/33, AT2022ddv) 22:22:23     Target Started (9/33) Target started (9/33, 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann) 22:25:04       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:27:24       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 6) 22:33:27     Target Completed Target completed (9/33, 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann) 22:33:32     Target Started (10/33) Target started (10/33, Nova Per 2020) 22:36:04       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:38:46       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 7) 22:47:30     Target Completed Target completed (10/33, Nova Per 2020) 22:47:35     Target Started (11/33) Target started (11/33, NGC 3683 w/AT2022azb) 22:52:03       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - unable to find a star (TCF-S) 23:08:43     Target Completed Target completed (11/33, NGC 3683 w/AT2022azb) 23:08:47     Target Started (12/33) Target started (12/33, UGC 9083 w/AT2021buk) 23:12:05       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 23:14:57       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 8) 23:18:24   SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend is called due to Deteriorating Conditions (reducing clarity) 23:18:54 Critical Cloud Alert Critical Cloud Alert (Obs.Manager will close the Dome) 23:18:56   HardSuspend Called Hard Suspend is called due to Critical Conditions (cloud) 23:18:58     Target Aborted (12/33) Target aborted (12/33, UGC 9083 w/AT2021buk) due to cloud 23:19:00   Queue Paused Queue paused for Session Suspension 23:19:02 Session Suspended Session suspended 23:19:49   Dome Closed Dome closed (closing time 50s) 23:27:42     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (12/33, UGC 9083 w/AT2021buk) due to wind 23:49:41     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (13/33, NGC 5732 w/SN2021agpf) due to cloud 00:00:34 Session Resuming Session resuming 00:01:19   Dome Opened Dome opened (opening time 45s) 00:01:21 Session Running Session running 00:01:23   Queue Resumed Observing Queue resumed 00:01:25     Target Started (14/33) Target started (14/33, 104P/Kowal) 00:10:45     Target Completed Target partially completed (14/33, 104P/Kowal) 00:10:49     Target Started (15/33) Target started (15/33, AT2022dcp) 00:23:01   SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend is called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars) 00:31:32     Target Completed Target completed (15/33, AT2022dcp) 00:31:34   Queue Paused Queue paused for Session Suspension 00:31:36 Session Suspended Session suspended 00:32:27   Dome Closed Dome closed (closing time 55s) 00:47:45     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (16/33, UGC 3383 w/AT2021abbn) due to cloud 01:09:45     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (17/33, UGC 3627 w/SN2022bse) due to cloud 01:31:45     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (18/33, AT2021aagc) due to cloud 01:47:53     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (19/33, C/2019 L3 (ATLAS)) due to cloud 02:07:38     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (20/33, SN 2022bnf) due to cloud 02:29:38     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (21/33, UGC 4671 w/SN2021afsj) due to cloud 02:41:44     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (22/33, GCVS ER UMa) due to cloud 02:58:45     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (23/33, GCVS SS Cyg) due to rain 03:11:59     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (24/33, Nova Cas 2021) due to rain 03:25:52     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (25/33, C/2017 K2 (PANSTARRS)) due to rain 04:00:47     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (26/33, Kn 61) due to rain 04:12:19     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (27/33, 61 Cyg) due to rain 04:21:30     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (28/33, GCVS BL Lac) due to rain 04:31:36     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (29/33, GCVS CY Lyr) due to rain 04:42:08     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (30/33, GCVS CI Cyg) due to rain 05:00:13     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (31/33, 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko) due to rain 05:19:58     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (32/33, NGC 2922 w/SN2022bdu) due to rain 05:51:58     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (33/33, IC 635 w/AT2022bqu) due to rain 05:52:03   Queue Completed Job Queue completed 05:52:06 Session Closing Session closing 05:52:11   Dome Closed Dome already closed (closed at 00:32, closing time 55s) 05:53:40   Dome Parked Dome parked (parking time 80s), Az: 90.0 deg 05:54:56   Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 72s) 05:55:11   Telescope State Scope parked Turn scope off. (Handbox) 05:55:34   Telescope Switched Off Telescope Power has been switched off via UPB Switch. 05:56:29   Services Stopped Night Services stopped 05:56:31 Session Housekeeping Housekeeping Started (Cleanup FITS, Create Fits Summary, Transfer Files) 05:56:37 Session Finished Session Finished

Session Alerts

Time     Alert Detail -- No Alerts                --

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Operational Issues (2022-02-27, S978)

• Critical Issues (0)
• Major Issues (0)
• Minor Issues (3)
• Small Defects (1)
• Continuous Improvement (4)

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Critical Issues

• None

Major Issues

• None

Minor Issues

• Wind Directions shown on Wind Graphs, AllSky Plots and ObsViewer Pictures are invalid/misleading due to erronous values from Wind Sensor. Wind Directions shown on Wind Graphs (AstroWeather), AllSky Plots (AstroAllSky) and ObsViewer Pictures (AstroMain) are invalid/misleading to errornous. Raise continuous improvement tickets to allow wind direction from Currently.WindDirection from API Weather Records to be used instead.
  Done 2022-02-28  (AstroWeather, AstroAllSky, AstroMain)
   
• Dew Point Temperature and DPD values showed data spikes or data dropouts.  4 spikes between 22:30 and 23:00, plus 2 spikes between 02:00 and 03:00. Issue not seen / not noticed before.   Examining dbase.csv file which is written by Virtual Weather Station program shows that during these spike events the Outdoor Humidity field has the value of the last available Base Station Humidity.   Its unclear if this is a bug in VWS or is something that VWS or the Base Station does when it doesn't have a Outdoor Humidity reading.   It is suspected that this more like to be bug/feature in VWS ?  A continuous improvement ticket is raised (initially On Hold) to monitor such and issue and replace the Outdoor Humidity with last Outdoor Humidity value to cover should 'outages' and replace with vcnull if outage persists.  Issue reviewed 2022-03-12, since issue didnt occur during any of the following sessions,  it was deemed to be due to just a random glitch and could be closed
  Closed 2022-03-12  (Session / WeatherStation )
   
• Near Zenith focusing poor quality or failed as the dome aperture was pointing into strong wind causing windshake to telescope.  This is a known issue and a improvement has been defined but yet delievered. This should be elevated in priority.  Whilst issue was resolved in-session, by aborting the run and slewing to a point where dome aperture/telescope are point away from the wind direction and were offered protection by roof and manually initiating Foc1 and FOc2 focus profiles, the issue is left open until continuuous improvement is completed.   Fix implemented in AstroMain 3.51.4.  This was a implementation (finally) of an original continuous improvement ticket item raised after session S966 (2022-02-07).  GetWindExclusion() and CalculateWindExclusionZone() functions imported from AstroPlan and used to access FWindDirection and FWindExclusion Zone, new function CheckWindAtAz(Az,Alt) added to check that specified Az/Alt isn't excluded because of Wind Direction & Strength, and a modification made to FocusScopeNearZenith() routine to use CheckWindAtAz() in finding best Focus Field.
  Fixed  2022-05-07  (AstroMain 3.51.4)

Small Defects

• Program List on the Targets List form wasn't updated after adding a new program on the Programs Form.   Although a new program was visible in program list on Target Form and a new target could be added belong to the new program, targets belonging to the new program could be filtered upon in Target List form. Investigating it seems that the new program is added to the listbox,  but the previous list of programs remains and a quick scroll suggests the new program isn't there, but scrolling further down shows an extra set of programs including the new program.  It seems the Program List Box is updated, but the existing list isn't cleared first. Bug fix (required code line  ' TargetListForm.comboProgramNameFilter.Items.Clear()' was missing from CreateProgramLists() routine)
  Fixed 2022-02-28  (AstroPlan 1.29.13)

• Provide and use an option for Currently.WindDirection to be used for Wind Direction Indicators on Wind Graphs. Wind Directions from Wind Sensor are misleading/erronous, and whilst this situation persists it is proposed to use wind directions from Currently.WindDirection value produced by API Weather requests..  Plots affected are Graph 4 (8h), GraphID 49 (16h) & Graph ID 9 (5d).  The Wind Direction graph (Graph 42 (5d) ) should plot raw direction values rather av. wind direction values. A user checkbox setting (cboxUseCurrentlyWindDirection, default Checked) is implemented on the Settings tab but the value is not saved when program is closed.
  Done 2022-02-28  (AstroWeather 1.16.5) 
   
• Provide and use an option for Currently.WindDirection to be used for Wind Direction Indicators on ObsPics/ObsViewer. Wind Directions from Wind Sensor are misleading/erronous, and whilst this situation persists it is proposed to use wind directions from Currently.WindDirection value produced by API Weather requests..  Option controlled using VM.UseCurrentlyWindDirection (default=True) but a user checkbox setting is not yet implemented.
  Done 2022-02-28  (AstroMain 3.50.6)
   
• Provide and use an option for Currently.WindDirection to be used for Wind Direction Indicators on AllSky Graphs. Wind Directions from Wind Sensor are misleading/erronous, and whilst this situation persists it is proposed to use wind directions from Currently.WindDirection value produced by API Weather requests.
  Done 2022-02-28  (AstroAllSky 3.15.3) 
   
• Monitor Outdoor Humidity for data dropouts and replace with last good reading.   4 spikes on outdoor humidity value between 22:30 and 23:00, plus 2 spikes between 02:00 and 03:00, which is due to Outdoor Humidity value dropping back to the last Base Station Humidity value.  Consider software monitoring for this issue and replace the Outdoor Humidity with last Outdoor Humidity value to cover should 'outages' and replace with vcnull if outage persists.  Ticket placed on-hold until it become clear if this issue is becoming common or it was a temporary problem associated with just a single session.  Issue closed after review 2022-06-09 since there hasn't been any repeat of the issue since S978.
  Closed 2022-06-09 (AstroMain, Weather Station )

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