David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 1079 (2022-12-31)

Notes (S1078)

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Notes (S1080)

	Session Aims & Highlights
	- Observing Result  - Night Summary Plot  - Session Event Log
	Operational Issues
	- Critical Issues (0),  Major Issues (1),  Minor Issues (0),  Small Defects (1),  Continuous Improvement (3)
	Images from 2022-12-31 >>

Session Aims & Highlights (2022-12-31)

Main aims

1. Targets.  Acquire images of a selection of variable stars, nearby stars, comets & deep sky targets as allowed by sky conditions.

 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 3.60.2, AstroPlan 1.35.5,   AstroShCap 1.3.12, AstroGuard 1.10.2
  AstroVOE 1.12.2  AstroSN 1.8.6,  AstroProtect 1.7,  AstroMove 1.9.8
  (AstroWeather 1.19.6, AstroAllSky 3.17.2,  AstroObsCam 1.11.2, AstroLaunch 1.10.5

Highlights

• AstroMain.  No significant issues with new AstroMain 3.60.1 version.
• Dome Slews.  No dome slew was affected by a holdup. (0/7 slews affected, 0%, 00 minutes total hold-up time).
• Targets. 5 out of 30 planned targets were completed. Other planned targets failed due to cloud.   Session was aborted early due to expected rain.

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 16:51:11 Session Monitoring AutoStart monitoring for Live Session opportunity between 16:51 & 06:31 16:51:16   AutoStart Delayed Session delayed due to too few stars 16:58:56 Session AutoStarting Session autostarting (16:58) 16:59:17   CCDSoft Restarting CCDSoft being restarted (to set AutoSave No.) 16:59:30 Session Created Session Created (Live, 2022-12-31 S01079, ImageSaveNum: 1079001) 16:59:56   Scope Switched On Telescope Power has been switched on via UPB Powerbox. 17:01:40   Services Started Observatory Services started 17:01:47 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 17:01:52 Session Pending Session pending (2022-12-31) 17:01:54 Session Initiating Session initiating (2022-12-31) 17:01:56   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.35.5) 17:03:02   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (Plan ID: 850) 17:03:27   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera connected (set point -25°C) 17:04:04   Telescope Connected Telescope connected (TheSky6) 17:04:28 Session Equilibration Session ready to Open Dome 17:05:13   Dome Opened Dome opened (opening time 45s) 17:05:14   Equilibration Started Dome Equilibration started 17:08:58   Equilibration Ended Dome Equilibration ended (3.8 mins total) 17:09:00 Session Running Session running 17:09:02   Queue Started Observing Queue started (40 targets selected) 17:09:04     Target Started (NrZen) Target started (Focus Field 0, HIP 106) 17:09:18       Dome Unparked Dome unparked 17:12:53       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 17:15:16       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1, wide) 17:17:10       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1) 17:17:12       Focusing Started-Foc2 Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 17:19:14       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2, wide) 17:20:58       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2) 17:21:15     Target Completed (NrZen) Target completed (Focus Field 0, HIP 106) 17:22:24     Target Started (1/40) Target started (1/40, 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann) 17:29:29       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - unable to find a star (TCF-S) 17:40:37     Target Completed Target completed (1/40, 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann) 17:40:41     Target Started (2/40) Target started (2/40, AT2021afdl (CV)) 17:44:31       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-S) 17:50:47     Target Completed Target completed (2/40, AT2021afdl (CV)) 17:50:51     Target Started (3/40) Target started (3/40, M31 w/Nova M31 2022-12a?) 17:54:10       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 17:56:06       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 3) 18:12:41     Target Completed Target completed (3/40, M31 w/Nova M31 2022-12a?) 18:15:04     Target Started (4/40) Target started (4/40, Jupiter) 18:21:02       TL Frame Completed Time-lapse frame 1 completed 18:31:01       TL Frame Completed Time-lapse frame 2 completed 18:41:02       TL Frame Completed Time-lapse frame 3 completed 18:51:02       TL Frame Completed Time-lapse frame 4 completed 19:01:03       TL Frame Completed Time-lapse frame 5 completed 19:11:06       TL Frame Completed Time-lapse frame 6 completed 19:21:02       TL Frame Completed Time-lapse frame 7 completed 19:31:04       TL Frame Completed Time-lapse frame 8 completed 19:40:53       SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend is called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars) 19:41:01       TL Frame Completed Time-lapse frame 9 completed 19:41:03   Queue Paused Observing Queue pausing for Session Suspension 19:41:08 Session Suspending Session suspending 19:41:48   Dome Closed Dome closed (closing time 40s) 19:41:50 Session Suspended Session suspended 19:47:29       TL Frame Cancelled Time-lapse frame 10 cancelled due to threat of rain 19:47:31     Target Completed Target partially completed (4/40, Jupiter) 19:54:34   Critical RainThreat Alert Critical Rain Threat Alert (Obs.Manager will close the Dome) 19:54:49   Dome Closed Dome closed (closing time 15s) 20:09:26     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (5/40, GCVS RX And) due to cloud 20:23:44     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (6/40, GCVS U And) due to cloud 20:38:18     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (7/40, C/2021 Y1 (ATLAS)) due to cloud 20:48:24     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (8/40, GCVS BL Lac) due to cloud 21:08:24     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (9/40, M31 w/AT2022aedk) due to cloud 21:21:34     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (10/40, GSC 1224:29) due to cloud 21:32:44     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (11/40, AT2022zkn (CV)) due to cloud 21:52:44     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (12/40, AT2022usq) due to rain 22:14:44     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (13/40, NGC 5631 w/SN2022aaiq) due to cloud 22:36:44     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (14/40, AT2022ablr) due to cloud 22:49:31     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (15/40, GCVS FO Ori) due to rain 23:04:46     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (16/40, P/2010 H2 (Vales)) due to cloud 23:22:46     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (17/40, GCVS SS Cyg) due to cloud 23:31:29 User Intervention User request to close and finish session 23:31:31   Queue Aborted Job Queue aborted 23:31:34 Session Closing Session closing 23:31:39   Dome Closed Dome already closed (closed at 19:54, closing time 15s) 23:33:02   Dome Parked Dome parked (parking time 75s), Az: 90.0 deg 23:34:14   Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 69s) 23:34:29   Telescope State Handbox reads 'Scope parked Turn scope off.' 23:34:51   Telescope Switched Off Telescope Power has been switched off via UPB Switch. 23:36:16   Services Stopped Night Services stopped 23:36:19 Session Housekeeping Session Housekeeping started (Create Fits Summary, Transfer Files) 23:37:09 Session Finished Session Finished

Session Alerts & Alarms

Time     Type       Name Detail 19:54:34 Red Alert Unexpected Dome Opening Dome is unexpectedly opening (Poor Conditions)

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Operational Issues (2022-12-31, S1079)

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

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Critical Issues

• None

Major Issues

• Shutter not fully closed by Session Suspension (19:41).  During the latter part of time lapse imaging of Target 4/30 (Jupiter) sky conditions deteriorated and following a SoftSuspend the Session when into Suspending State at 19:41, and the Shutter was commanded to close (using Dome.CloseShutter() ).  Dome was reported as closed and the session entered 'Session.Supsended' state.  Shortly afterwards from remote monitoring it was noticed that the ObsViewer picture was highlighting a Shutter anomaly; the Shutter was shown to be closed by the Shutter Sensor was still showing as being 'Open'.  A 'Session Suspended' ObsCam picture was reported to have been taken at 19:42, but a picture doesn't seem to have been captured at this time. Instead a 'SessionSuspended' picture was captured a little later at 19:47:32 (this was unexpectedly very dark), and was following by an 'GCVS_RX_And.Suspended' picture at 19:48:03. The picture although dark would seem to indicate the shutter isn't completely closed , based on an apparent gap in Shutter's ZigbeeOpen/Close Sensor. The report file indicates that the shutter closing was time 40s. This is less than the normal close time (50s), and there wasn't the normally expected message indicating that the Shutter Sensor had turned from Open=True to Open=False. It was suspected that the Shutter might still be open and not closed. An Adhoc ObsCam picture was taken with the AuxLight On at 19:52. This clearly shows that the shutter is partially open, even though Pulsar Dome reports that the Shutter is Closed and that there was no obvious mechanical anomaly (in particular the chain seemed to be intact). The shutter was an estimated to be around 15cm away from the fully closed position.  This issue has been seen once before in 2014 a case which seems very similar - see Investigation- Shutter Didn't Fully Close, 2021-04-13). This is before the Zigbe Shutter sensor was installed in 2H 2022.  To see if the problem was repeatable, an attempt was made by the user to 'Open' the Shutter using AstroMain's 'Open Shutter' button but this was not permitted by the program as the session was still operating in fully automated mode.  Instead the shutter was commanded to Open using an equivalent button on DeviceHub's Dome tab at 19:53:02. AstroMain's ObsManager reported that the 'Dome is unexpectedly opening (Poor Conditions)' and commanded shutter to close.  This time the operation to close the shutter proceeded successfully and at 19:54:43 the Shutter Sensor reported that the Shutter was no longer Open (ie it it was fully closed).  A further Adhoc ObsCam picture was taken with the AuxLight On at 19:56. This shows that Shutter is closed, in particular the two part of the Zigbee Shutter Sesnor are noted to be in contact, confirming the Shutter Sensor's state (Open=False). Pulsar log file shows the Shutter being opened at 17:04:28 (reaching Open status (1) at 17:05:10), and then being closed at 19:41:08 (reaching Closed Status (0) at 19:41:45).   Pulsar dome is clearly showing Dome is Closed (status 0) but zigbee sensor and ObsCam picture clealy show that the shutter is not fully closed. Why is the Pulsar Dome driver reporting that the shutter was closed when it was not ?.  The Pulsar log goes on to shown the Shutter being commanded to Open at 19:54:33 (and beginning to Open (status 2) at 19:54:34) before being commanded to Close at 19:54:34 (reaching closed state (status 1) at 19:54:44).  Temperature at the time was -0.8 deg C (having previously been down to -3.0 degC). It has previously been suspected that a drop of water or blob (frozen or liquid) might cause a sensor wiring short and trigger an anomolous closed shutter status but why was this only trigger 4/5 ths of way from Closing operation and then not activate when shutter. Worth presenting data to Pulsar Observatories for their comment.  With knowledge that issue can be resolved with a reopen/reclose sequence this could be incorporated into ObsManager handling.  There were no problems with Shutter Closing during the next 7 sessions (S1080 to S1086), in particular in session S1081 (2023-01-02) there were 7 suspensions of the session and for each one there were no issues with the Shutter.  Problem is put down to a rare glitch.   A Session Alert is raised in AstroMain 3.60.8 when this issue is detected by the Obs.Manager. Closed after review 2023-01-15. 
  Closed after investigation & review 2023-01-01 (Pulsar Dome, AstroMain) 

Minor Issues

• None

Small Defects

• Image base name isn't changed when a different Frame/Filter set is selected.  Whilst the correct base name is built when a combined image is saved based on the currently selected frame/filter set the name isnt changed when frame/filter set is changed and a previous combined image is selected.  This prevents flexibiity in the creation of images from FIT file or Import of a previous Store File corresponding to the selected frame/filter set.
  Fixed 2023-01-01 (AstroMain 3.60.3) 

• A session Alert/Alarm should be raised when a Close Shutter operation appears to have not closed the Shutter.  Although the Pulsar Dome may report the shutter as closed (via ASCOM and via monitoring of 'Volatile' records in its ASCOM Log, the ZigBee Shutter Sensor has proven itself capable of recognising that Shutter is still in Open State. ObsManager should recognise this situation and raise an alert/alarm to inform user.
  Done 2023-01-15 (AstroMain 3.60.8) 
   
• Automated Issue resolution should be attempt in a situation where a  Close Shutter operation appears to have not fully closed the Shutter.  Although the Pulsar Dome may report the shutter as closed (via ASCOM and via monitoring of 'Volatile' records in its ASCOM Log, the ZigBee Shutter Sensor has proven itself capable of recognising that Shutter is still in Open State. ObsManager should recognise this situation and raise an alert/alarm to inform user (see previous ticket item).   ObsManager should go one step further and attempt to resolve issue.  Provided that it is not raining and shutter appears less than 2/3rd closed), an attempt should be made to reopen the shutter and reclose it. First pass solution added to AstroMain 3.60.8.  This doesn't yet make a check if it is raining and doesn't count the number of attempts made.
  1st pass solution added  2023-01-15 (AstroMain 3.60.8) 
   
• Complete backlog of image building and web page documentation from Dec 2022.  7 sessions still incomplete as of 2022-01-08 (S1069-91, 1073-74, 1076-77).  Backlog of sessions from Dec 2022 finally completed 2023-04-09.
   Done  2023-04-09 (Session, Website)

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