David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 1007 (2022-05-07)

Notes (S1006)

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Notes (S1008)

	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 (1)
	Images from 2022-05-07 >>         [ Local Files >> ]

Session Aims & Highlights (2022-05-07)

Main aims

1. AstroMain.  Confirm that new 3.51.4 version  of AstroMain and new 1.30.4.version of AstroPlan are working ok and that recent fixes/new features having introduced an issues or sideeffects
2. 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 6.6.0.6,  MeadeGeneric 1.3.3.373, UPB 1.5, ASCOM 6.6
• Pegasus UPB & Motor Focus, TCF-S
• SharpCap 3.2, PHD2  2.6.10
   
• AstroMain 3.51.4,  AstroPlan 1.30.4,   AstroShCap 1.3.12, AstroGuard 1.8
  AstroVOE 1.10  AstroSN 1.8.1,  AstroProtect 1.7,  AstroMove 1.9
  (AstroWeather 1.17, AstroAllSky 3.16,  AstroObsCam 1.9, AstroLaunch 1.9.1)

Highlights

•  AstroMain.   Latest versions of AstroMain & AstroPlan program operated without an problems
•  Dec Guiding.   Guiding in Dec was very good across all targets (Green , < 1" RMS)
•  Targets. 10-11 targets were successfully acquired, though quality suffered significantly due to poor sky transparency
•  Sky Transparency.  Sky transparency poor or very poor (diffuse high cloud moving from west to east) 

Notes:

  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)

Actual Weather vs Pre-Session Weather Forecast

Session Event Log

Time     Event Detail 22:18:40 Session Monitoring AutoStart monitoring for Live Session opportunity between 22:40 & 02:17 22:18:44   AutoStart Waiting AutoStart waiting till earliest start time at 22:40 22:40:32   AutoStart Delayed Session delayed due to too few stars 23:00:14 Session AutoStarting Session autostarting (23:00) 23:00:54   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -15°C) 23:00:56 Session Created Live Session Created (2022-05-07 S01007, ImageSaveNum: 1007001) 23:00:58   Scope Switched On Telescope Power has been switched on via UPB Powerbox. 23:02:37   Services Started Observatory Services started 23:02:44 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 23:02:46 Session Pending Session pending (2022-05-07) 23:02:48 Session Initiating Session initiating (2022-05-07) 23:02:50   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.30.4) 23:03:27   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (Plan ID: 766) 23:03:40   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -15°C) 23:03:46   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 23:04:10 Session Equilibration Session ready for dome & camera equilibration 23:05:50 Wait On Weather Waiting for acceptable conditions 23:05:53 Session Suspended Session suspended 23:05:55   Dome Closed Dome already closed (closure time is unknown) 23:05:57   Queue Started Observing Queue started (12 targets selected) 23:09:11 Session Resuming Session resuming 23:09:56   Dome Opened Dome opened (opening time 45s) 23:09:58 Session Running Session running 23:10:00   Queue Resumed Observing Queue resumed 23:10:02     Target Started (NrZen) Target started (Focus Field 13, HIP 63666) 23:11:15       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 23:14:37       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1, wide) 23:16:38       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1) 23:16:40       Focusing Started-Foc2 Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 23:16:56     Target Completed Target completed (Focus Field 13, HIP 63666) 23:17:52     Target Started (1/12) Target started (1/12, NGC 3367 w/SN2022ewj) 23:21:48       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is lost (TCF-S) 23:37:44     Target Completed Target completed (1/12, NGC 3367 w/SN2022ewj) 23:37:49     Target Started (2/13) Target started (2/13, UGC 6665, ToO) 23:40:44       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-S) 23:56:41     Target Completed Target completed (2/13, UGC 6665, ToO) 23:56:45     Target Started (3/13) Target started (3/13, NGC 5239 w/AT2022ivt) 00:06:38     Target Completed Target partially completed (3/13, NGC 5239 w/AT2022ivt) 00:06:42     Target Started (4/13) Target started (4/13, NGC 4647 w/SN2022hrs) 00:36:17     Target Completed Target completed (4/13, NGC 4647 w/SN2022hrs) 00:36:21     Target Started (5/13) Target started (5/13, C/2019 U5 (PANSTARRS)) 00:39:21       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:41:33       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2) 00:51:43     Target Completed Target completed (5/13, C/2019 U5 (PANSTARRS)) 00:51:47     Target Started (6/13) Target started (6/13, Nova Cas 2021) 00:56:19       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:58:30       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 3) 01:07:26     Target Completed Target completed (6/13, Nova Cas 2021) 01:07:30     Target Started (7/13) Target started (7/13, NGC 2880 w/AT2022jjm) 01:27:06     Target Completed Target completed (7/13, NGC 2880 w/AT2022jjm) 01:27:10     Target Started (8/13) Target started (8/13, NGC 3631 w/AT2022jle) 01:30:37       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is lost (TCF-S) 01:46:35     Target Completed Target completed (8/13, NGC 3631 w/AT2022jle) 01:47:08     Target Started (9/13) Target started (9/13, NGC 5117 w/SN2022abq) 01:51:36       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is lost (TCF-S) 02:07:33     Target Completed Target completed (9/13, NGC 5117 w/SN2022abq) 02:09:07     Target Started (10/13) Target started (10/13, NGC 4545 w/SN2022fuc) 02:12:41       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:14:53       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 4) 02:30:39     Target Completed Target completed (10/13, NGC 4545 w/SN2022fuc) 02:31:07     Target Started (11/13) Target started (11/13, GCVS SS Cyg) 02:34:51       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:37:11       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 5) 02:41:38     Target Completed Target completed (11/13, GCVS SS Cyg) 02:47:23     Target Started (12/13) Target started (12/13, GCVS BL Lac) 02:50:33       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:52:51       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 6) 02:56:41     Target Completed Target completed (12/13, GCVS BL Lac) 02:57:29     Target Started (13/13) Target started (13/13, AT2022iev) 03:01:42       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-S) 03:17:43     Target Completed Target completed (13/13, AT2022iev) 03:17:47   Queue Completed Job Queue completed 03:17:49 Session Closing Session closing 03:18:41   Dome Closed Dome closed (closing time 50s) 03:19:26   Dome Parked Dome parked (parking time 38s), Az: 90.0 deg 03:20:33   Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 60s) 03:20:48   Telescope State Scope parked Turn scope off. (Handbox) 03:21:10   Telescope Switched Off Telescope Power has been switched off via UPB Switch. 03:22:03   Services Stopped Night Services stopped 03:22:05 Session Housekeeping Housekeeping Started (Cleanup FITS, Create Fits Summary, Transfer Files) 03:22:17 Session Finished Session Finished

Session Alerts

Time     Alert Detail 02:24:45 Dome Dome has been stationary for more than 15 mins 02:25:10 Dome Dome Movements have begun again (outage 15.5 mins)

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Operational Issues (2022-05-07, S1007)

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

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Critical Issues

• None

Major Issues

• None

Minor Issues

• Auto-focusing of secondary scope didn't occur or failed. Autofocusing of (TS80) secondary scope / guide scope during Initial Near Zenith Focusing (on Focus Field 13) failed as a suitable star couldn't be found in 'Locate_02.fits' image and the focusing process was therefore aborted. Examining the image showed a single dim star but the .fsrc file was empty of an star information.  Unclear if this was due to an occluded sky view or poor sky transparency. No indication that this a generic issue as autofocusing on secondary scope has been working ok in recent session.  Decision taken to close issue but to monitor situation at start of the next session.
  Closed  2022-05-08 (Session) 
   
• Local JPG Pictures Page (Session.htm) listing NGC 3367 w/SN2022ewj ahead of Focus Field 13. Focus Field is normally always listed first.   Focus Field has ObsID 2 whilst NGC 3367 target unexpectedly has ObsID 1.  Examining log files shows that after starting the session conditions weren't immediately acceptable for dome opening and at  23:05:53 the session was placed into Suspended state and the Job Queue started beginning with Target 1 (NGC 3367) under Suspended Start conditios).  When conditions became acceptable at 23:09:11 (just over 3 minures later) the dome was opening and operations commenced with Near Zenith Focusing (Focus Field 13), before continuing with Target 1 (NGC 3367) at 23:17:52.   NGC 3367 initially took the value ObsID 1 and a TargetInfo plot was opened.   Near Zenith Focusing took the value ObsID 2 and a new TargetInfo Plot was opened.  When Near Zenith Focusing finished,   NGC 3367 continued but with ObsID still set on value 2.  Details were appended to the TargetInfo Plot used by Focus Field 13, rather than beginning  fresh TargetInfo Plot. As a consequence of these runtime states, the Local JPG Pictures Page collected all image/information using ObsID 2 under the same section, thus 'mixing' up image from Focus Field 13 with those from NGC 3367.  Logic associated with ObsID needs to be checked and modified.  It would seem that after finising Near Zenith Focusing, the ObsID should have been incremented to value 3 and a new TargetInfo Plot opened.   The Local JPG Picture Page should have two entries for NGC 3367 w/SN2022ewj (ObsiD 1) and NGC 3367 w/SN2022ewj (ObsiD 3).   Issue follow an earlier issue in session S965, 2022-02-06 when 'Repeated attempts to performed Near Zenith Focusing interferred with oid references, TargetInfo charts and post session JPG Picture page'.  Issue fixed in AstroMain 3.51.5 by using a flag RestartTarget to call for target to be restarted after performing an 'intra-target' NearZenithFocusing operation.
  Fixed  2022-05-09 (AstroMain 3.51.5) 
   
• Recent Night time sessions have become very short. Sessions have become much shorter as the day-lengths have increased moving towards later spring, limiting the available observing time.  To maximise observing time, accepting that some images will be acquired under natutical twilight conditions the Start/End Times for Sessions which were set to  -12 deg Sun Alt , have been relaxed to -10.5 deg Sun Alt in AstroMain's settings.    Setting will be returned to -12 deg after the summer period.
  Closed  2022-05-09 (Session, AstroMain settings) 

Small Defects

• TargetInfo plot shows 'Session is suspended due to other condition - Blank (0)'  in the description for 'Target On Hold' .  At same time Report File shows Hold Session suspended (Due to other condition - Blank (0)) ' as the description forSession Status: ' also contains the Dome Opening / Near Zenith Focusing delayed at start of session due to 1 (NGC 3367).   Preceding reason for 'Waiting for acceptable conditions' was (too few stars), and this should been the reason for Suspension Suspended.  This has been  an ongoing occasional issue which hasn't been fully resolved to date.     Description is produced by GetSuspendReason() routine depandant on the value of the global variable ReasonToSuspend, either directly or indirectly via GetFailDescription() routine.  In this case ReasonToSuspend had the value 0 at time that GetSuspendReason() when reporting status when Session is suspended.  See also S906 (2021-08-22) for similar issue. ReasonToSuspend is set to  FailureState.Blank (ie 0) by UpdateReasonToSuspend() routine when none of the explicit conditions is true.   The explicit set of conditions  doesn't include a condition leading to FailedState.TooFewStars.  Fixed in AstroMain 3.50.5 by adding an appropriate condition check that can lead to ReasonToSuspend = FailureState.TooFewStars 
  Fixed  2022-05-09 (AstroMain 3.51.5) 

• Develop a button or text box posting routine that can quickly show the last Session No. that has images (and therefore probably a web page section) for  the current target (Post-Session Analysis).   This is so that the web section can be quickly identified and used as basis for the web section for the curret target without having to visually search through the list of previously created images in the Store Folder. 
  Done  2022-05-09 (AstroMain 3.51.5) 

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