David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 1013 (2022-05-30)

Notes (S1012)

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Notes (S1014)

	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 2022-05-30 >>         [ Local Files >> ]

Session Aims & Highlights (2022-05-30)

Main aims

1. Targets.  Acquire images of a selection of variable stars, nearby stars, comets & deep sky targets as allowed by time & conditions.
2. MeadeGeneric.  Check out newly installed 1.3.5.414 version of MeadeGeneric telescope driver. Check that it hasn't introduced any issues and that that removal of 10000ms limit for new Pulse Guides is working ok.

 Equipment & Software

• 12" LX200 and ST-10XME
• 80mm APO and ZWO ASI 178MC
• CCDApp2, TheSky6, CCDSoft5, DeviceHub 6.6.0.8,  MeadeGeneric 1.3.3.375, UPB 1.5, ASCOM 6.6
• Pegasus UPB & Motor Focus, TCF-S
• SharpCap 3.2, PHD2  2.6.10
   
• AstroMain 3.51.11,  AstroPlan 1.30.7,   AstroShCap 1.3.12, AstroGuard 1.8.1
  AstroVOE 1.10  AstroSN 1.8.2,  AstroProtect 1.7,  AstroMove 1.9.1
  (AstroWeather 1.17, AstroAllSky 3.16,  AstroObsCam 1.9, AstroLaunch 1.9.1)

Highlights

•  Targets. 9 targets were successfully acquired.
• MeadeGeneric. No issues were encountered using the newly installed 1.3.5.414 version of the MeadeGeneric telescope driver.  Longer Pulse Guides (fixed in 1.3.4) confirmed to work ok.

Notes:

• Testing. Observatory opened earlier in order to test Longer Pulse Guides using the newly installed 1.3.5.414 version of MeadeGeneric driver.
  and test operation with AstroMain 3.51.11
• Bright sky. Autostart delayed slightly by too few stars. (0-1 stars)
• Summer Twilight . Twilight conditions for session. (Sun Alt -10.80° at local midnight)

  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 23:27:05   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -15°C) 23:27:07 Session Created Live Session Created (2022-05-30 S01013, ImageSaveNum: 1013001) 23:27:09 Program Resumed AstroMain UI resumed again at 23:27 after 18s 23:28:18   Scope Switched On Telescope Power has been switched on via UPB Powerbox. 23:28:53   Dome Opened Dome opened (opening time 46s) 23:30:03   Services Started Observatory Services started 23:30:23   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 23:33:11   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -20°C) 23:45:38 Session Monitoring AutoStart monitoring for Live Session opportunity between 23:45 & 01:18 23:45:40 Observatory (AutoStart) Observatory placed in Auto-Start Mode 23:45:42   AutoStart Delayed Session delayed due to too few stars 23:54:31 Session AutoStarting Session autostarting (23:54) 23:54:52   Services Started Observatory Services started 23:54:56 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 23:55:01 Session Pending Session pending (2022-05-30) 23:55:03 Session Initiating Session initiating (2022-05-30) 23:55:05   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.30.7) 23:55:48   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (Plan ID: 773) 23:56:02   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -20°C) 23:56:08   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 23:56:27 Session Equilibration Session ready for dome & camera equilibration 23:57:07 Session Running Session running 23:57:09   Queue Started Observing Queue started (9 targets selected) 23:57:12     Target Started (NrZen) Target started (Focus Field 15, HIP 73454) 23:59:37       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:02:51       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1, wide) 00:04:47       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1) 00:04:50       Focusing Started-Foc2 Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 00:07:01       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2, wide) 00:08:48       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2) 00:09:06     Target Completed Target completed (Focus Field 15, HIP 73454) 00:10:33     Target Started (1/9) Target started (1/9, NGC 4647 w/SN2022hrs) 00:14:44       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:17:26       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 3) 00:44:02     Target Completed Target completed (1/9, NGC 4647 w/SN2022hrs) 00:44:06     Target Started (2/9) Target started (2/9, AT2022jrp (CV)) 00:47:02       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:49:14       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 4) 00:55:00     Target Completed Target completed (2/9, AT2022jrp (CV)) 00:55:04     Target Started (3/9) Target started (3/9, C/2017 K2 (PANSTARRS)) 00:58:15       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:00:53       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 5) 01:09:44     Target Completed Target completed (3/9, C/2017 K2 (PANSTARRS)) 01:09:48     Target Started (4/9) Target started (4/9, GCVS SS Cyg) 01:13:28       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:15:26       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 6) 01:20:38     Target Completed Target completed (4/9, GCVS SS Cyg) 01:24:03     Target Started (5/9) Target started (5/9, GCVS BL Lac) 01:26:54       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:28:56       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 7) 01:32:48     Target Completed Target completed (5/9, GCVS BL Lac) 01:34:09     Target Started (6/9) Target started (6/9, NGC 4545 w/SN2022fuc) 01:38:39       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:40:48       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 8) 01:57:01     Target Completed Target completed (6/9, NGC 4545 w/SN2022fuc) 01:57:05     Target Started (7/9) Target started (7/9, HIP 87937) 02:01:10       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:03:35       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 9) 02:06:14     Target Completed Target completed (7/9, HIP 87937) 02:06:18     Target Started (8/9) Target started (8/9, AT2022bj (CV)) 02:08:39       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:11:03       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 10) 02:17:35     Target Completed Target completed (8/9, AT2022bj (CV)) 02:17:39     Target Started (9/9) Target started (9/9, GCVS AM Her) 02:19:54       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:22:04       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 11) 02:27:39     Target Completed Target completed (9/9, GCVS AM Her) 02:27:42   Queue Completed Job Queue completed 02:27:47 Session Closing Session closing 02:28:42   Dome Closed Dome closed (closing time 50s) 02:29:25   Dome Parked Dome parked (parking time 36s), Az: 90.0 deg 02:30:35   Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 67s) 02:30:50   Telescope State Scope parked Turn scope off. (Handbox) 02:31:12   Telescope Switched Off Telescope Power has been switched off via UPB Switch. 02:32:09   Services Stopped Night Services stopped 02:32:11 Session Housekeeping Housekeeping Started (Cleanup FITS, Create Fits Summary, Transfer Files) 02:32:17 Session Finished Session Finished

Session Alerts

Time     Alert Detail -- No Alerts                --

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Operational Issues (2022-05-30, S1013)

• 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

• AstroMain's 'Take Check Image' button routine (Scope1/Polar Align tab) reports anomalously large Ra/Dec Changes since baseline.  Ahead of testing Longer PulseGuide (using MeadeGeneric 1.3.5) a baseline image was successfully taken and linked (nStars=6) to provde a baseline Ra/Dec coordinates, despite issues with some frosting on the CCD View and bright skies/few stars.  After completing the Pulse Guide (made using Guide North (300 arc sec) command), a check images was taken. The check image had too few stars (nStars = 4) and reported RA = 00 00 00, Dec 00 00 00, with a RA/Dec Change of -13,925.58 arc min,  -925.03 arc min.   When a check image can't be successfully linked,  RA/Dec coordinates should be reported as 'Unknown'.
  Fixed 2022-05-31 (AstroMain 3.51.12)
   
• Possible issue with PulseGuide commands in PHD2.  When checking the Observatory Computer the following day it was noticed that PHD2 was showing a warning message saying that there was a problem with the PulseGuide command  (with buttons  OK  & Don't Show this again).  Since MeadeGeneric was updated to 1.3.5 ahead of the session and since its various changes (see MeadeGeneric 1.3.5.414 update, 2022-05-30) that could have impact on PHD2 guiding process it was felt important to investigate this anomaly. DeviceHub ASCOM log files shows 2376 PulseGuide commands being received from PHD2 during the session. Checking MeadeGeneric ASCOM logs shows normal PulseGuide commands being recieved by the telescope driver from PHD2 (via DeviceHub). SideOfPier requests show  'Not implemented' and 'Error: Property read SideOfPier is not implemented in this driver' messages.  The error description is believed to be just the logging of extra detail on the returned exception that is logged  with MeadeGeneric 1.3.5 (not in 1.3.3) but this is not considered to be a fundamental change that effects PHD2. Guide Charts from session are relatively normal.   It's not possible to determine the precise origin of the PHD2 warning, but it doesn't seem to represent a general issue with guiding during the session. The issue is closed after review (PHD2 warnings should nevertheless be monitored if possible during the next session in order to determine if there anything of concern here).
  Closed 2022-05-31  (Session, PHD2, MeadeGeneric)
   
• At beginning of the session the SBIG CCD Camera showed signs of frost in the corners of the CCD View and three dark frost slugs near the top edge of the CCD View.  See Fig 1 below (10s, 3x3, C, #1013002). The 'corner frost' dissipated after a few minutes, but it took nearly 50 minutes for the last two frost slugs to disappear.  Issue wasn't bad enough to impact the session, but it shows that the camera's CCD Desicator needs renewing ahead of next session as the problem will gradually get worse.  Desicator was renewed 2022-05-31 (ie ahead of session S1014).
  Fixed 2022-05-31 (Observatory, SBIG Camera)

Small Defects

• During Reduced Folder analysis the Image Scale for the two check images (images that couldn't be linked) were written with value 0 to the Summ File rather than -99 (Post-Session Analysis).  Similarly Pointing Error and Zero Point are written as value 0 instead of -99 (vcNull).  Bug located (a critical Else block was missing)  . Else Block added in AstroMain 3.51.12 to set vcNull values when StarCount isn't valid.
  Fixed 2022-05-31 (AstroMain 3.51.12)

• Sky brightness range for Sky Conditions Chart to be automatically set to 0-80 during summer twilight months (instead of normal 0-40 range). AssignObservatorySession() modifed in AstroMain 3.51.12  to call  SetSkyBrightnessMax(80) if the current month is May, June or July, otherwise call SetSkyBrightnessMax(40). This was the easiest way to implement an improvement.  This corresponds to the period  "summer solistice - 51d/ +41d".   
  Done 2022-05-31 (AstroMain 3.51.12)

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