David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 1070 (2022-12-13)

Notes (S1069)

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Notes (S1071)

	Session Aims & Highlights
	- Observing Result  - Night Summary Plot  - Session Event Log
	Operational Issues
	- Critical Issues (0),  Major Issues (0),  Minor Issues (2),  Small Defects (1),  Continuous Improvement (5)
	Images from 2022-12-13 >>

Session Aims & Highlights (2022-12-13)

Main aims

1. Targets.  Acquire images of a selection of variable stars, nearby stars, comets & deep sky targets as allowed by sky conditions.
2. 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann. Acquire further images of 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann, as followup to images taken in previous sessions (S1061 - S1069) . Continue to look out for expanding coma following 4 mag outburst on Nov 22nd 2022.
3. AstroMain.  Check new AstroMain version (3.59.5) for any issues introduced by several recent changes, bug fixes and additions.

 Equipment & Software

• 12" LX200 and ST-10XME
• 80mm APO and ZWO ASI 178MC
• CCDApp2, TheSky6, CCDSoft5, DeviceHub 6.6.1.1,  MeadeGeneric 1.3.5.414, UPB 1.5, ASCOM 6.6
• Pegasus UPB & Motor Focus, TCF-S
• SharpCap 3.2, PHD2  2.6.11dev2, deCONZ 1.18.2, ASCOM 6.6 SP1
   
• AstroMain 3.59.5, AstroPlan 1.35.1,   AstroShCap 1.3.12, AstroGuard 1.10.1
  AstroVOE 1.12.0  AstroSN 1.8.6,  AstroProtect 1.7,  AstroMove 1.9.8
  (AstroWeather 1.19.6, AstroAllSky 3.17.2,  AstroObsCam 1.11.1, AstroLaunch 1.10.5

Highlights

• Targets. 3 out of 43 planned targets were completed, with one further target partially completed, before cloud intervals and snow showers developed.  The session was terminated by user at 21:40.  Clearer intervals occurred later in the night, but the threat from snow showers was too great,
• 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann.  No images acquired.
• AstroMain. No significant issues with AstroMain 3.59.5
• Dome Slews. Although there were only 6 dome slews made 50% of them were affected by hold-ups (3/6 slew affected, 50%, 3.90 minutes total hold-up time).   Although conditions were not dissimilar, the previous session had none of its 47 slews affected.

Notes:

• Cold conditions, reaching minimum of -3°C. 

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 17:09:52 Session Monitoring AutoStart monitoring for Live Session opportunity between 17:09 & 06:24 17:09:56   AutoStart Delayed Session delayed due to threat of rain 17:59:46 Session AutoStarting Session autostarting (17:59) 18:00:06   CCDSoft Restarting CCDSoft being restarted (to set AutoSave No.) 18:00:20 Session Created Session Created (Live, 2022-12-13 S01070, ImageSaveNum: 1070001) 18:00:47   Scope Switched On Telescope Power has been switched on via UPB Powerbox. 18:02:29   Services Started Observatory Services started 18:02:36 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 18:02:38 Session Pending Session pending (2022-12-13) 18:02:40 Session Initiating Session initiating (2022-12-13) 18:02:42   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.35.1) 18:09:57   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (Plan ID: 841) 18:10:21   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera connected (set point -25°C) 18:10:48   Telescope Connected Telescope connected (TheSky6) 18:11:12 Session Equilibration Session ready to Open Dome 18:11:57   Dome Opened Dome opened (opening time 45s) 18:12:00 Session Running Session running 18:12:02   Queue Started Observing Queue started (43 targets selected) 18:12:03     Target Started (NrZen) Target started (Focus Field 0, HIP 106) 18:12:22       Dome Unparked Dome unparked 18:14:17     Dome Slew Dome slew held up at Az. 90.2, 153.9, 154.2, 156.6° (Total delay 76s) 18:19:26       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 18:22:07       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1, wide) 18:24:05       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1) 18:24:30       Focusing Started-Foc2 Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 18:26:16       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2, wide) 18:28:00       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2) 18:28:17     Target Completed (NrZen) Target completed (Focus Field 0, HIP 106) 18:28:21     Target Started (1/43) Target started (1/43, M31 w/Nova2022zzj) 18:29:28     Dome Slew Dome slew held up at Az. 160.6, 157.3, 151.1° (Total delay 40s) 18:32:22       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 18:34:01       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 3) 18:47:07     Target Completed Target partially completed (1/43, M31 w/Nova2022zzj) 18:47:11     Target Started (2/43) Target started (2/43, M33 w/ATNova M33 2022-11a?) 18:51:23       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 18:54:00       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 4) 19:09:47     Target Completed Target completed (2/43, M33 w/ATNova M33 2022-11a?) 19:09:51     Target Started (3/43) Target started (3/43, M33 w/ATNova M33 2022-11a?) 19:11:37       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 19:14:02       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 5) 19:29:50     Target Completed Target completed (3/43, M33 w/ATNova M33 2022-11a?) 19:29:54     Target Started (4/43) Target started (4/43, GCVS SS Cyg) 19:32:02     Dome Slew Dome slew held up at Az. 173.4, 216.9, 217.1° (Total delay 59s) 19:34:31       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 19:36:40       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 6) 19:40:50     Target Completed Target completed (4/43, GCVS SS Cyg) 19:45:23     Target Started (5/43) Target started (5/43, NGC 3898) 19:45:32       SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend is called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars) 19:45:34   Critical RainThreat Alert Critical Rain Threat Alert (Obs.Manager will close the Dome) 19:45:36   HardSuspend Called Hard Suspend is called due to Critical Conditions (threat of rain) 19:45:39     Target Aborted (5/43) Target aborted (5/43, NGC 3898) due to threat of rain 19:45:41   Queue Paused Queue paused for Session Suspension 19:45:43 Session Suspended Session suspended 19:46:27   Dome Closed Dome closed (closing time 50s) 20:04:19     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (5/43, NGC 3898) due to cloud 20:26:19     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (6/43, NGC 891) due to cloud 20:48:19     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (7/43, UGC 11698 w/SN2022abik) due to cloud 21:02:19     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (8/43, AT2022vqu (CV)) due to cloud 21:12:25     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (9/43, GCVS BL Lac) due to cloud 21:24:51     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (10/43, Jupiter) due to cloud 21:38:59     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (11/43, GCVS U And) due to cloud 21:40:49 User Intervention User request to close and finish session 21:40:51   Queue Aborted Job Queue aborted 21:40:54 Session Closing Session closing 21:40:59   Dome Closed Dome already closed (closed at 19:46, closing time 50s) 21:42:54   Dome Parked Dome parked (parking time 107s), Az: 90.0 deg 21:44:14   Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 74s) 21:44:29   Telescope State Handbox reads 'Scope parked Turn scope off.' 21:44:52   Telescope Switched Off Telescope Power has been switched off via UPB Switch. 21:46:06   Services Stopped Night Services stopped 21:46:09 Session Housekeeping Session Housekeeping started (Create Fits Summary, Transfer Files) 21:46:14 Session Finished Session Finished

Session Alerts & Alarms

Time     Type       Name Detail 18:14:17 Yellow Alert Dome Slew Dome slew held up at Az. 90.2, 153.9, 154.2, 156.6° (Total delay 76s) 18:29:28 Yellow Alert Dome Slew Dome slew held up at Az. 160.6, 157.3, 151.1° (Total delay 40s) 19:32:02 Yellow Alert Dome Slew Dome slew held up at Az. 173.4, 216.9, 217.1° (Total delay 59s)

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Operational Issues (2022-12-13, S1070)

• Critical Issues (0)
• Major Issues (0)
• Minor Issues (2)
• Small Defects (1)
• Continuous Improvement (5)
  

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Critical Issues

• None

Major Issues

• None

Minor Issues

• 'North Sky/Aurora Watch' web page wasn't displaying NOAA/Ovalation Aurora Forecast Picture. The  'allSky_aurora_watch.htm ' web page wasn't displaying the latest NOAA/Ovalation Aurora Forecast Picture.  Hourly aurora-forecast jpgs are being captured ok and archived to AllSKy Session folder.  Picture was displaying ok the following morning so it seems to have been just a temporary glitch of some kind. Issue closed.
  Resolved itself  2022-12-14 (Website / Aurora Watch).
   
• Dome not rotating (Post-Session). An attempt to enable Snow Protection the following day 15:00 due to strong winds from NE (Az 300) and the risk of snow blowing in below upper lip of the shutter when dome was at it' normal park position (Az 90), however the dome didn't move.   Attempt to move dome directly to Az 40 and to Az 110 also failed to move dome.  It is assumed that dome roof and/or dome rotation wheels are frozen due to ice.   With high wind chill at the moment and door lock likely to be frozen as it was the previous day no attempt was made to investigate.  Investigated 2022-12-15 when condiions were better & door lock was unfrozen again.  Testing the dome rotation showed in was hanging up badly at Az 90 deg.    8 guide wheels were each worked as much as was feasible to check that none where stuck.  Two out of three rotation drive wheels were dried/cleaned one wheel can't be reached due to it position and restrictions reaching it.  Checking again showed dome was no longer hanging up at Az 90 deg.   
  Resolved 2022-12-15 (Observatory / Dome), but continue to monitor.

Small Defects

• Names of cancelled and failed Targets on AzAltResults chart have a "(NaN)" suffix.  Names of cancelled and failed targets are written or the left hand side of chart in the form "(NGC 3898) (NaN)" and "NGC 1363 w/AT (NaN)" respectively.     Fixed 2022-12-14. AzAltChart.AddAzAltResult() was deliberately adding (NaN) when Az = vcNull Or Alt = vcNull, may be as part of code development and testing. It has been removed).
  Done  2022-12-14  (AstroMain 3.59.6).

• Add link to 'North Sky/Aurora Watch' web page from the local 'Master Site Links' web page.
  Resolved itself  2022-12-14 (Website / Aurora Watch).
   
• Ellipse for M33 not to be drawn on JPG Pictures. Extend custom handling in ConvertFitsToJpg()  to exclude M33 Ellipse from being drawn on JPG pictues from Cam1. As only a small segment of the ellipse can be drawn on the FOV of Cam1 image they end up looking like curved satellite or aircraft  tracks, causing confusion.  Similar handling was added to M31 in the previous session.
  Done  2022-12-14  (AstroMain 3.59.6).
   
• Add button links from AstroMain's 'Image Sets' tab to relevant Simbad, TNS and Gaia web pages. These will provide useful shortcuts to get to information concerning an object or a transient or supernova for the images being analysed.
  Done  2022-12-14  (AstroMain 3.59.6). 
   
• Add button links to 'Building Heading' and 'Build Title' from AstroMain's ImageBuilder. These will provide useful shortcuts to build text strings to pasting into session's images web page.
  Done   2022-12-14 (AstroMain 3.59.6).
   
• Develop/Implement a means to cast sound from the Observatory to Indoor Computer, Tablet or Google Home speaker.  It would be useful to be have some means to cast sounds from the Observatory to the user indoors to help diagnose issues, for example with Dome rotation.
  To do  2022-12-14 (AstroMain 3.59.6).

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