David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 1026 (2022-08-10)

Notes (S1025)

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Notes (S1027)

	Session Aims & Highlights
	- Observing Result  - Night Summary Plot  - Session Event Log
	Operational Issues
	- Critical Issues (0),  Major Issues (0),  Minor Issues (5),  Small Defects (3),  Continuous Improvement (2)
	Images from 2022-08-10 >>        [ Local Files >> ]

Session Aims & Highlights (2022-08-10)

Main aims

1. Targets.  Acquire images of a selection of variable stars, nearby stars, comets & deep sky targets as allowed by time & twilight conditions.
2. AstroMain. Check out fixes and new features in 3.53.4 version of AstroMain. Ensure that new version hasn't introduced any new issues.  

 Equipment & Software

• 12" LX200 and ST-10XME
• 80mm APO and ZWO ASI 178MC
• CCDApp2, TheSky6, CCDSoft5, DeviceHub 6.6.0.16,  MeadeGeneric 1.3.5.414, UPB 1.5, ASCOM 6.6
• Pegasus UPB & Motor Focus, TCF-S
• SharpCap 3.2, PHD2  2.6.11
   
• AstroMain 3.53.4,  AstroPlan 1.30.12,   AstroShCap 1.3.12, AstroGuard 1.8.2
  AstroVOE 1.10  AstroSN 1.8.2,  AstroProtect 1.7,  AstroMove 1.9.1
  (AstroWeather 1.17.5, AstroAllSky 3.16,  AstroObsCam 1.9, AstroLaunch 1.9.4)

Highlights

•  AstroMain. AstroMain 3.53.4 operated without any significant new issues or problems.
•  Targets. x out of x planned targets were acquired. Last 4 targets failed due to cloud.
•  Dome.  Dome rotation held up at Az 305.4° (00:32) & 305.8° (01:18).  Later on an anomalous slew occurred during final dome slew from Az 162° to 90°, the dome started at and ended at expected positions but the Az values returned by Pulsar driver showed this unexplained anomaly where at T+34s the  Dome Az reported by the driver suddenly jumped from 92.8° to 176.4°.

Notes:

• Start delayed by low star count due to bright moonlit sky.

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 21:13:07 Session Monitoring AutoStart monitoring for Live Session opportunity between 22:02 & 03:15 21:13:11   AutoStart Waiting AutoStart waiting till earliest start time at 22:02 22:02:07   AutoStart Delayed Session delayed due to too few stars 23:29:42 Session AutoStarting Session autostarting (23:29) 23:30:22   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera connected (set point -10°C) 23:30:24 Session Created Session Created (Live, 2022-08-10 S01026, ImageSaveNum: 1026001) 23:30:26   Scope Switched On Telescope Power has been switched on via UPB Powerbox. 23:32:08   Services Started Observatory Services started 23:32:16 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 23:32:18 Session Pending Session pending (2022-08-10) 23:32:20 Session Initiating Session initiating (2022-08-10) 23:32:22   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.30.12) 23:32:56   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (Plan ID: 788) 23:33:09   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera connected (set point -10°C) 23:33:14   Telescope Connected Telescope connected (TheSky6) 23:33:39 Session Equilibration Session ready to Open Dome 23:34:24   Dome Opened Dome opened (opening time 45s) 23:35:24 Session Running Session running 23:35:26   Queue Started Observing Queue started (14 targets selected) 23:35:29     Target Started (NrZen) Target started (Focus Field 20, HIP 98535) 23:35:44   Dome Unparked Dome unparked 23:37:37       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 23:41:19       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1, wide) 23:43:37       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1) 23:43:39       Focusing Started-Foc2 Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 23:45:50       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2, wide) 23:47:36       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2) 23:47:54     Target Completed Target completed (Focus Field 20, HIP 98535) 23:48:50     Target Started (1/14) Target started (1/14, UGC 6983 w/SN2022pru) 23:53:08       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is lost (TCF-S) 00:09:21     Target Completed Target completed (1/14, UGC 6983 w/SN2022pru) 00:10:50     Target Started (2/14) Target started (2/14, UGC 8317 w/AT2022qvu) 00:14:03       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-S) 00:30:08     Target Completed Target completed (2/14, UGC 8317 w/AT2022qvu) 00:32:50     Target Started (3/14) Target started (3/14, NGC 6701 w/AT2022nxe) 00:35:59       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:38:15       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 3) 00:54:04     Target Completed Target completed (3/14, NGC 6701 w/AT2022nxe) 00:54:50     Target Started (4/14) Target started (4/14, NGC 5875 w/SN2022oqm) 01:00:19       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:02:16       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 4) 01:18:18     Target Completed Target completed (4/14, NGC 5875 w/SN2022oqm) 01:18:23     Target Started (5/14) Target started (5/14, NGC 5894 w/SN2022pgf) 01:19:11     Dome Slew Dome slew held up at Az. 305.8° (Delay 38s) 01:23:21       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - unable to find a star (TCF-S) 01:28:23     Target Aborted (5/14) Target aborted (5/14, NGC 5894 w/SN2022pgf) due to Priority 1 ToO Target 01:28:28     Target Started (6/15) Target started (6/15, GCVS AM Her, ToO) 01:32:17       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is lost (TCF-S) 01:37:50     Target Completed Target completed (6/15, GCVS AM Her, ToO) 01:38:50     Target Started (7/15) Target started (7/15, IC 1132 w/SN2022prv) 01:44:38       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - unable to find a star (TCF-S) 01:48:02     Target Aborted (7/15) Target aborted (7/15, IC 1132 w/SN2022prv) due to Priority 1 ToO Target 01:48:06     Target Started (8/16) Target started (8/16, NGC 6742, ToO) 01:50:35       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:52:24 User Intervention User Interventation in order to perform Foc1 focusing include wide search 01:52:34       Focusing Aborted Foc1 Focusing Aborted 01:52:36     Target Failed Target failed due to aborted (8/16, NGC 6742, ToO) 01:52:38   Queue Aborted Job Queue aborted 01:53:12       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:57:25       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 6, wide) 02:00:38       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 6) 02:00:49 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 02:00:50 Session Pending Session pending (2022-08-10) 02:00:52 Session Initiating Session initiating (2022-08-10) 02:00:56   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (Plan ID: 788) 02:01:11   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera connected (set point -10°C) 02:01:17   Telescope Connected Telescope connected (TheSky6) 02:01:36 Session Running Session running 02:01:38   Queue Started Observing Queue started (8 targets selected) 02:01:45     Target Started (7/14) Target started (7/14, GCVS SS Cyg) 02:07:29       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:09:49       Focusing Failed Foc1 focusing failed (failed QC check - Ambiguous) 02:14:28     Target Completed Target completed (7/14, GCVS SS Cyg) 02:17:05     Target Started (8/14) Target started (8/14, GCVS BL Lac) 02:19:49       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:22:45       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 8) 02:26:35     Target Completed Target completed (8/14, GCVS BL Lac) 02:27:11     Target Started (9/14) Target started (9/14, NGC 6745 w/SN2022prr) 02:31:45       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - unable to find a star (TCF-S) 02:49:01     Target Completed Target completed (9/14, NGC 6745 w/SN2022prr) 02:49:05     Target Started (10/14) Target started (10/14, 61 Cyg) 02:51:38       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:53:56       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 9) 02:55:31     Target Completed Target completed (10/14, 61 Cyg) 02:56:03     Target Started (11/14) Target started (11/14, GCVS EV Lac) 02:58:49       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:01:07       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 10) 03:03:37     Target Completed Target completed (11/14, GCVS EV Lac) 03:04:42     Target Started (12/14) Target started (12/14, M31 w/AT2022qug) 03:07:42       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-S) 03:23:42     Target Completed Target completed (12/14, M31 w/AT2022qug) 03:26:41     Target Started (13/14) Target started (13/14, GCVS HH And) 03:29:13       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:31:41       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 11) 03:33:39     Target Completed Target completed (13/14, GCVS HH And) 03:34:44     Target Started (14/14) Target started (14/14, WDS GRB 34) 03:37:27       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:39:42       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 12) 03:41:40     Target Completed Target completed (14/14, WDS GRB 34) 03:41:43   Queue Completed Job Queue completed 03:41:47 Session Closing Session closing 03:42:37   Dome Closed Dome closed (closing time 45s) 03:43:57   Dome Parked Dome parked (parking time 73s), Az: 90.0 deg 03:45:19   Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 77s) 03:45:34   Telescope State Scope parked Turn scope off. (Handbox) 03:45:57   Telescope Switched Off Telescope Power has been switched off via UPB Switch. 03:46:50   Services Stopped Night Services stopped 03:46:52 Session Housekeeping Session Housekeeping started (Create Fits Summary, Transfer Files) 03:47:08 Session Finished Session Finished

Session Alerts

Time     Alert Detail 00:33:05 Anomalous Dome Slew Dome slew resumed at Az 287.0° (T+10.1s) 00:33:07 Anomalous Dome Slew Dome slew resumed at Az 287.0° (T+10.1s) 00:33:23 Anomalous Dome Slew Dome slew resumed at Az 295.4° (T+29.0s) 01:38:56 Anomalous Dome Slew Dome slew resumed at Az 275.4° (T+1.6s)

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Operational Issues (2022-08-10, S1026)

• Critical Issues (0)
• Major Issues (0)
• Minor Issues (5)
• Small Defects (3)
• Continuous Improvement (2)
  

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Critical Issues

• None

Major Issues

• None

Minor Issues

• Four 'Anomalous Dome Slew' alerts issued during session (00:33 & 01:38). Alerts raised with description 'Dome Slew resumed...'  Two alerts (at 00:33:05 & at 00:33:07) are clearly for the same event and a 3rd alert (at 00:33:23) was for the same slew. Are these alerts still appropriate/necessary given addition of slew hold-up monitoring that was added since the original code was put in for raising these alerts.   Regardless of this , having 3 alerts from the same slew is unnecessary when 1 alert should have been sufficient. 
  Examining slew operation at 00:32:54.95.   Dome seems to have been slewed from Az 302.5° to 285.7° (T0 to T+9.0s) and then stopped (Slewing=False (0) ), before slewing  to 305.7° (T+21.0s) and then stopped (Slewing=False (0) ) before finally slewing to Az 286.1° (T+34.9s).  Pulsar Log file shows SlewToAzimuth (302.5) at 00:31:43.67 (from Az 301.5),   SlewToAzimuth(285.7) at 00:32:54.991 (and repeated several times between 00:32:55.035 &  00:32:55.781),  SlewToAzimuth (305.7) at 00:33:03.804 (when scope was moving at Az 306.2 - 307.9),  SlewToAzimuth (285.7) at 00:33:18.847 (when scope was scope was settling at 293.76).  
So this seems to be valid SessionAlert. It is unclear why DeviceHub has commanded the SlewToAzimuth (302.5), unfortunately the DH Activity Log hadn't been opened ahead of the session.
Examining the slew operation at  01:38:54. Dome seems to have stopped slewing at 01:38:56.13 at Az: 275.0 (+1.2s), before slewing to Az 281.5 (at T+5.6s).  Pulsar log file shows SlewToAzimuth (274.0) at 01:33:43.115 (adjustment), SlewToAzimuth (275.0) at 01:38:53.328  (adjustment), SlewToAzimuth(281.5) at 01:38:56.047.
This seems to be valid Session Alert - it appears that a regular slaved dome slew was underway when the scope slew was commenced. Timing must have been an edge case, as Dome wasn't seen to be Slewing just before slew opeartion started otherwise dome slew would have been aborted.  Modifications made in AstroMain 3.53.5 so that a second alert can't be generated within 2s of a first alert (in order to remove annoying 'duplicates') and to ensure that the very latest DomeSlewing value is picked up from DeviceHub.Dome.
  Closed 2022-08-11 (AstroMain 3.53.5, DeviceHub)
   
• Dome Slew to Park Position at Az 90 was anomalous (03:42). Dome slew was highlighted in Slew Table (Av Speed only 0.99°/s.  Dome Slew Path in logfile shows a clear anomaly.  Dome slews from Az 162.0° to 92.8° at T+33.3s  but at T+34.3s (03:43:17 ) the dome is suddenly shown to be back at Az 176.4° from where it slews to Az 90 reaching the park position at T+72.6s. This is highly odd  and has not been seen before.  Pulsar log file shows
  03:42:42.531 Volatile 162.0 0 0.000000 162.0 0 1
03:42:42.753 SlewToAzimuth Start 90
03:42:43.540 Volatile 161.1 1 0.000000 90.0 2 1
     intervening messages show normal progression of slew from Az 161.1 to 92.8
03:43:14.984 Volatile 92.8 1 0.000000 90.0 2
03:43:15.944 Volatile 176.4 1 0.000000 90.0 2
   intervening messages show normal progression of slew from Az 176.4 to 90.0
03:43:54.394 Volatile 90.0 0 0.000000 90.0 0 1
  Case to be reported to Pulsar Observatories. This was the final slew of the session and whilst it wasn't visually observed in person, telescope images confirm that the dome must have started the slew from around Az 162° and visual observation of the dome post-session showed it parked up at Az 90. Prior to the anomalous slew , the dome had been successfully slewed to Az 157.7° at 03:34 for imaging WDS GRB 34 (Az 153.9° / Alt 75.9°) and proceeded to take successful images between 03:35 and 03:41. During this time slaved dome slews incrementally moved the dome from 157.7° to Az 162.0° to keep with changes in telescope position due to sidereal tracking. Logs record the dome moving to Az 162.0° at 03:41:46.  Description of the anomalous slew was reported to Pulsar Observatories on 2022-08-11. Issue closed after review 2022-08-12 (closed, but subject to any future updates / observations etc)
  Reported to Pulsar Observatories 2022-08-11. Closed 2022-08-12  (Session / Pulsar Dome)
   
• Problem with the local 'Session_Pictures.htm' file created for session (Post-Session).  The 'Session_Pictures.htm' created during post-session Reduction is very slow to open in web browser (Edge & IE11) and doesn't show the expected CSS styling.   Problem also occurs when trying to open previously created 'Session_Pictures' files from other sessions where there wasn't previously a problem.   The page references
  <link href="http://www.astro-richweb.net/richweb.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css">.   Problem seems to be due to a current connection issue to this particular web site /domain as other pages on the website can't be reached at present, but other websites can be reached ok. Issue could be fixed moving foward by replace href link with local link to "C:\Data\Webs\Richweb2\richweb.css", but the links to navigation icons also need to be replaced with local urls.
  Resolved when website became accessible again 2022-08-11 (Website Host)
   
• All images from Target 5/14 (NGC 5894 w/SN2022pgf) shows an absence of any stars (00:18). The Locate Frames,  Guide Scope Frames and Main Frames from Target 5/14 were devoid of any stars.   AllSky images at the time, although lit by near full moon and with mist at low altitude, show a clear sky with no obvious cloud at or passing through the NGC 5894 region (lying at Altitude 45.1°).  Whilst sky transparency was poor at the time, a mag 10.5 star (GSC 3874:623) lying a 5' offset from the target should have at least been visible and should certainly have been visible in 180s main frame exposures.  Dome was open at the time (confirmed by logs) and Dome Az lay at 312.3° which was consistent with the Target Az calculated by DeviceHub for telescope pointing to target at Az 314.5°/Alt 45.1°. Apart from the absence of stars in images there are no other indications that would suggest both the telescope's & guidescope's view of the target was blocked by the dome roof or shutter.  However this is the only explanation.  An anomaly was picked up whilst dome was slewed to Az 90° at 03:42, where the Dome Az suddenly jumped position.   So was there a problem reading the correct dome Az which mean that dome wasn't actually at the location that the driver (& client) thought it was ?   A similar issue affected images from Target 7/15 (IC 1132 w/SN2022prv), but in this case the target had an altitude of only 16° where mist close to the horizon provides a reasonable explanation for absent stars.  Target 6/15 (AM Her) was acquired in between the two problem targets, and whilst sky transparency was poor there were stars and dome was evidently positioned ok for telescope to see the target.   A similar issue affected Target 9/14 (NGC 6745) but whilst Locate Frames and Main Frames were devoid of stars they were plenty of stars visible in Cam2 Reference image taken with the guidescope. Guiding shows a progressive deterioration in guide star SNR (from starting value of 149 to a later value of 6 when the star then became lost.  It is diffcult to explain absence of stars in first main frame image (180s) when the guide star SNR was 149. Suggests partial occlusion by the roof ?, but can't rule out poor sky transparency.   Last 5 targets of the session didn't suffer from the issue.  Cause of the issue is inconclusive. Issue closed after review on 2022-08-11.
  Closed 2022-08-11 (Session)
   
• Star objects in some images taken during session showing unexpected spikes and/or unexpected elongation.  Image in Fig 1  is from Target 10/16 (61 Cyg) an illustrates the issue with spiked stars.  Images from Target 7/14 (GCVS SS Cyg) also showed the similar issue.  Last 3 targets of the session didn't suffer from the issue.  Cause of the issue is inconclusive. Issue was closed after review on 2022-08-11.
  Closed 2022-08-11 (Session)

Small Defects

• A '>> Bookmark Test' message reported at 01:52 is left over from past tracing tests and needs to be removed.
  Fixed 2022-08-11 (AstroMain 3.53.5)
   
• Near Zenith Focus Field selection tabulation shows an inconsistancy.  Near Zenith focus field selected 'Focus Field 20 (HIP 98535)' as the best field to use. However the selection logging shows 'Ruling out Focus Field 20 (LHA 0.7) due to a larger LHA/lower altitude' whilst Focus Field 21 isn't ruled out.  Is this an array indexing issue in the reporting or is the wrong focus field being selected ?.    Focus field is selected by GetBestFocusField(1) routine.  Routine run through debugger with TheSky6 date set to 2022-08-10 23:35. This returns  '21'  (LHA -0.3 / Alt 80.7°).  Whilst the best array element is 21, the reference number for the field (and the number used for the Focus Field No is actually 20 ( based on the RA hour) (1st array element is ref 0 (for RA 0+), 24th element is ref 23 (for RA 23+, there is no ref 24 as there is no RA 24+)). Fixed in 3.53.5 by changing the reporting of Focus Field no in GetBestFocusField() routine.  Routine reports ref no (one less than array element no) instead of array element no.
  Fixed 2022-08-11 (AstroMain 3.53.5)
   
• The 'Targets of Opportunity' link at bottom of Plan Targets section in report file is incorrect. Link is '#ToO_targets' whilst the 'correct' link is '#Targets_of_Opportunity_034147'.  The correct link is only defined when the Targets of Opportunity' section is created towards the end of the session. Need to consider how to fix this. Prehaps include a secondary bookmark within the 'Targets of Opportunity' section called 'ToO_targets' would work. May be remove the link altogether, as it has been superceded by later introduction of the Contents section. Fixed in AstroMain 3.53.6 by inserting a custom bookmark (ToO_targets) into the Targets Of Opportunity Section to allow the link from Planned Targets section to work.
  Fixed 2022-08-12 (AstroMain 3.53.6)

• When a target is aborted due to a higher priority the associated session event should be flagged as yellow rather than as red. Implemented in ExecuteQueue() routine with condition check ' If ReasonToAbort = AbortReason.ToO'.
  Done 2022-08-11 (AstroMain 3.53.5)
   
• The Guide Summary table should report SNR rounded as a whole number. The table currently shows guide star SNR (signal to noise ratio) to 1 d.p. This can be shown as a whole number instead.  This would make the table consistent with Guide Stats reporting which shows SNR as a whole number.
  Done 2022-08-11 (AstroMain 3.53.5)

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