David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 1085 (2023-01-11)

Notes (S1084)

Notes Main

Home Page

Notes (S1086)

	Session Aims & Highlights
	- Observing Result  - Night Summary Plot  - Session Event Log
	Operational Issues
	- Critical Issues (0),  Major Issues (1),  Minor Issues (2),  Small Defects (0),  Continuous Improvement (4)
	Images from 2023-01-11 >>

Session Aims & Highlights (2023-01-11)

Main aims

1. Targets.  Acquire images of a selection of variable stars, nearby stars, comets & deep sky targets as allowed by sky conditions.
2. AstroMain. Check new version of AstroMain for any issues introduced by recent bug fixes and small improvements.

 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 3.60.6, AstroPlan 1.35.8,   AstroShCap 1.3.12, AstroGuard 1.10.2
  AstroVOE 1.12.2  AstroSN 1.8.7,  AstroProtect 1.7,  AstroMove 1.9.8
  (AstroWeather 1.19.6, AstroAllSky 3.17.2,  AstroObsCam 1.11.2, AstroLaunch 1.10.5

Highlights

• Targets. 18 out of 18 planned targets were completed.   
• Dome Slews. Five dome slews (25%) experienced hold-ups amounting to a total of 5 minutes of wasted time. Two of the slews had hold ups of 78-79s  (5/20 slews affected, 25%, 5.3 minutes total hold-up time).

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 22:55:13 Session Monitoring AutoStart monitoring for Live Session opportunity between 22:55 & 06:27 22:55:14   AutoStart Delayed Session delayed due to too few stars 23:00:35 Session AutoStarting Session autostarting (23:00) 23:00:55   CCDSoft Restarting CCDSoft being restarted (to set AutoSave No.) 23:01:20   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera connected (set point -25°C) 23:01:22 Session Created Session Created (Live, 2023-01-11 S01085, ImageSaveNum: 1085001) 23:01:47   Scope Switched On Telescope Power has been switched on via UPB Powerbox. 23:03:30   Services Started Observatory Services started 23:03:37 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 23:03:40 Session Pending Session pending (2023-01-11) 23:03:42 Session Initiating Session initiating (2023-01-11) 23:03:44   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.35.8) 23:04:00 Observatory (Manual) Observatory placed in Manual Mode 23:55:58 User Intervention User Intervention to initiate Autostart following investigation/fix issue with Plan Creation 23:56:00 Session Monitoring AutoStart monitoring for Live Session opportunity between 23:55 & 06:27 23:56:02 Observatory (AutoStart) Observatory placed in Auto-Start Mode 23:56:04   AutoStart Delayed Session delayed due to too few stars 00:01:47 Obs.Monitor Frozen Obs.Monitor appears to be frozen at around 00:01 in section 'Refresh Dome Picture/Label Dome Azimuth' 01:12:30 Session AutoStarting Session autostarting (01:12) 01:12:52   Services Started Observatory Services started 01:12:56 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 01:13:00 Session Pending Session pending (2023-01-11) 01:13:02 Session Initiating Session initiating (2023-01-11) 01:13:04   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.35.8) 01:13:50   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (Plan ID: 856) 01:14:02   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera connected (set point -20°C) 01:14:37   Telescope Connected Telescope connected (TheSky6) 01:15:01 Session Equilibration Session ready to Open Dome 01:15:46   Dome Opened Dome opened (opening time 45s) 01:16:06 Session Running Session running 01:16:09   Queue Started Observing Queue started (18 targets selected) 01:16:12     Target Started (NrZen) Target started (Focus Field 9, HIP 44139) 01:16:26       Dome Unparked Dome unparked 01:18:30       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:21:16       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1, wide) 01:22:52       SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend is called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars) 01:23:13       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1) 01:23:15       Focusing Started-Foc2 Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 01:23:22       SoftSuspend Cancelled Soft Suspend is cancelled due to improved conditions 01:25:20       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2, wide) 01:27:01       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2) 01:27:18     Target Completed (NrZen) Target completed (Focus Field 9, HIP 44139) 01:29:32     Target Started (1/18) Target started (1/18, UGC 3044 w/SN2023cf) 01:32:41       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:35:07       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 3) 01:51:05     Target Completed Target completed (1/18, UGC 3044 w/SN2023cf) 01:51:52     Target Started (2/18) Target started (2/18, 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann) 01:54:38       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:56:54       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 4) 02:11:34     Target Completed Target completed (2/18, 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann) 02:11:50     Target Started (3/18) Target started (3/18, NGC 2713 w/AT2023cy) 02:14:44       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:16:49       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 5) 02:32:35     Target Completed Target completed (3/18, NGC 2713 w/AT2023cy) 02:34:10     Target Started (4/18) Target started (4/18, M31 w/AT2023U) 02:38:31       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-S) 02:54:45     Target Completed Target completed (4/18, M31 w/AT2023U) 02:56:30     Target Started (5/18) Target started (5/18, NGC 5631 w/SN2022aaiq) 03:00:08       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:02:34       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 6) 03:18:57     Target Completed Target completed (5/18, NGC 5631 w/SN2022aaiq) 03:19:01     Target Started (6/18) Target started (6/18, C/2022 E3 (ZTF)) 03:21:40       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is lost (TCF-S) 03:33:42     Target Completed Target completed (6/18, C/2022 E3 (ZTF)) 03:36:52     Target Started (7/18) Target started (7/18, C/2022 A2 (PANSTARRS)) 03:37:52     Dome Slew Dome slew held up at Az. 66.4° (Delay 38s) 03:40:36       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:42:58       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 7) 04:02:23     Target Completed Target completed (7/18, C/2022 A2 (PANSTARRS)) 04:02:27     Target Started (8/18) Target started (8/18, UGC 8046 w/SN2022zxr) 04:06:18       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-S) 04:22:09     Target Completed Target completed (8/18, UGC 8046 w/SN2022zxr) 04:22:13     Target Started (9/18) Target started (9/18, NGC 5631 w/SN2022acsj) 04:23:10       Dome Unparked Dome unparked 04:23:48     Dome Slew Dome slew held up at Az. 92.6, 90.0, 89.6° (Total delay 78s) 04:26:09       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 04:28:36       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 8) 04:45:02     Target Completed Target completed (9/18, NGC 5631 w/SN2022acsj) 04:45:06     Target Started (10/18) Target started (10/18, UGC 10407 w/AT2022adyb) 04:45:56     Dome Slew Dome slew held up at Az. 91.2° (Delay 30s) 04:46:16       Dome Unparked Dome unparked 04:48:33       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 04:50:58       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 9) 05:07:02     Target Completed Target completed (10/18, UGC 10407 w/AT2022adyb) 05:07:06     Target Started (11/18) Target started (11/18, C/2019 U5 (PANSTARRS)) 05:10:48       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-S) 05:21:09     Target Completed Target completed (11/18, C/2019 U5 (PANSTARRS)) 05:22:56     Target Started (12/18) Target started (12/18, Ceres) 05:25:24       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 05:27:35       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 10) 05:31:06     Target Completed Target completed (12/18, Ceres) 05:32:58     Target Started (13/18) Target started (13/18, NGC 5548 w/AT2022abcs) 05:36:35       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 05:38:47       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 11) 05:54:46     Target Completed Target completed (13/18, NGC 5548 w/AT2022abcs) 05:55:18     Target Started (14/18) Target started (14/18, AT2023ds (CV)) 05:57:40     Dome Slew Dome slew held up at Az. 88.6, 87.4, 66.5° (Total delay 79s) 06:00:14       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 06:02:23       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 12) 06:08:38     Target Completed Target completed (14/18, AT2023ds (CV)) 06:08:42     Target Started (15/18) Target started (15/18, 61 Cyg) 06:10:16     Dome Slew Dome slew held up at Az. 66.4° (Delay 71s) 06:12:46       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 06:14:41       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 13) 06:16:15     Target Completed Target completed (15/18, 61 Cyg) 06:16:19     Target Started (16/18) Target started (16/18, GCVS BL Lac) 06:19:19       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 06:21:31       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 14) 06:25:24     Target Completed Target completed (16/18, GCVS BL Lac) 06:25:29     Target Started (17/18) Target started (17/18, NGC 5468 w/SN2023cj) 06:29:28       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 06:31:24       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 15) 06:47:45     Target Completed Target completed (17/18, NGC 5468 w/SN2023cj) 06:47:50     Target Started (18/18) Target started (18/18, 81P/Wild) 06:52:34       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-S) 07:09:55     Target Completed Target completed (18/18, 81P/Wild) 07:09:59   Queue Completed Job Queue completed 07:10:00 Session Closing Session closing 07:10:55   Dome Closed Dome closed (closing time 50s) 07:11:56   Dome Parked Dome parked (parking time 54s), Az: 90.0 deg 07:13:07   Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 66s) 07:13:22   Telescope State Handbox reads 'Scope parked Turn scope off.' 07:13:45   Telescope Switched Off Telescope Power has been switched off via UPB Switch. 07:15:07   Services Stopped Night Services stopped 07:15:10 Session Housekeeping Session Housekeeping started (Create Fits Summary, Transfer Files) 07:15:30 Session Finished Session Finished

Session Alerts & Alarms

Time     Type       Name Detail 00:02:18 Red Alert Obs.Monitor Obs.Monitor appears to be frozen in section 'Refresh Dome Picture/Label Dome Azimuth' (last cycle at 00:01:47) 00:03:18 Green Alert Obs.Monitor Obs.Monitor has resumed again (00:03) after 1.5 mins 03:37:52 Yellow Alert Dome Slew Dome slew held up at Az. 66.4° (Delay 38s) 04:23:48 Yellow Alert Dome Slew Dome slew held up at Az. 92.6, 90.0, 89.6° (Total delay 78s) 04:45:16 Yellow Alert Anomalous Dome Slew Dome slew resumed at Az 85.7° (T+5.4s) 04:45:56 Yellow Alert Dome Slew Dome slew held up at Az. 91.2° (Delay 30s) 05:23:22 Yellow Alert Anomalous Dome Slew Dome slew resumed at Az 179.6° (T+20.8s) 05:57:40 Yellow Alert Dome Slew Dome slew held up at Az. 88.6, 87.4, 66.5° (Total delay 79s) 06:10:16 Yellow Alert Dome Slew Dome slew held up at Az. 66.4° (Delay 71s)

Back to Top

Operational Issues (2023-01-11, S1085)

• Critical Issues (0)
• Major Issues (1)
• Minor Issues (2)
• Small Defects (0)
• Continuous Improvement (4)
  

[ Prev | Next ]

Critical Issues

• None

Major Issues

• During 'Session Initiating' Import Observing Plan failed with the message "Unable to find new Plan" and Obs.Manager dropped the session back to Manual Mode (23:04).  After spotting issue checking AstroPlan showed that its Scheduler had either aborted or was otherwise stalled creating initial plans (Gen1). Attempting to create a plan manually seemed to exit or become stuck at the same point.  It was conjectured that Scheduler had run into a  problem trying to deal with case that there was a booked observation (Booking ID=13) for HAT-P-3 which was recreated earlier for test purposes for 2023-01-11 20:25 to 00:38 and as time of plan creation was from 23:04 + 20 mins.  Issue resolved by changing the booked observation to an earlier date (2023-01-11) and marking HAT-P-3 as Completed.   A separate ticket is raised in fix the underlying bug that caused the schedular to stop.
  Resolved in-session 2023-01-10 (AstroPlan, Session) 

Minor Issues

• AstroPlan schedular stopped in CreatePlan() routine whilst creating an Observing Plan. Schedular stopped during Plan Creation as at 23:04. Whilst issue was worked around/resolved in session and may have been associated with a particular circumstance where plan was been created from a time point that was within a booked observation timeslot (not tested/not encountered before), a bug that leads to the Observatory Session aborting automated operations needs to be identified and fixed.  Review of the Report file showed that the Scheduler had recognised that the booked observation (13) was to be included and had stopped part way through creation of Plan 1/200.
    Fetching Booked Observations Ok   1 'Booked Observations' to be included:
  'Booked Observations'        Ok   'Booked Observations' comprise:
  1 Booking ID 13              Ok   Target ID 2621 (20:25 - 00:38, TimeLapseFrames: 0)
  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Generation 1
    23:25 Booked Observation has been missed
    Plan (Initial Build) Info nBooked: 0/1   
  ------(no more output)---------------------------------------------------------------
  Examining Log file shows that at 23:03:59.43 there was a System.ArgumentOutOfRangeException: 'minValue' cannot be greater than maxValue' from System.Random.Next at AstroPlan.Schedular.CSchedular.CreatePlan (Schedular.vb:line 3489).  This is at the following code line which is run when trying to force Include MustInclude targets into the Plan
    iObs = Generator.Next(1, P.nItems)
  The exception was caught by RunSchedular's Out Try Catch EndTry block. This allowed 'CreatePlanFlag.dat' to be deleted which indicated to AstroPlan that the Schedular had 'finished' .  An extra condition check is added in AstroPlan 1.35.9 to ensure P.nItems > 0 before executing the relevant code that gives rise to exception.  But why did P.nItems have the value 0, it indicates that targets didn't get added to the plan for some reason.
  Fixed 2023-01-12 (AstroPlan 1.35.9) 
   
• Dome Parking at end of session left an offset between the two halves of induction charger and prevented the shutter battery from recharging. The Shutter Battery failed to recharge itself following the S1085 session (& failed again following the S1086 session) and battery levels fell from their normal levels of 97% to 86% with voltage falling from 15.0v to 14.6v)  (see Fig 1). This was only noticed on 2023-01-18 (post S1087 session).  Issue was probably due to the two halves of the induction charger not being sufficiently aligned following the park operation at end of the session.  This was only noticed in the following days and therefore no action was taken ahead of the S1087 session to 'correctly' park the dome with good induction charger alignment and boost battery level back up to 97% (15.0v) level.  The 86% level was still ok to conduct the S1087 session and the problem resolved itself following the S1087 session and the shutter was recharged back up to 97% level in time for the following S1088 session (2023-01-18). It would be helpful if the general session following a live session was able to make an assessment of the battery recharging status and raise an event if there is a problem (a separate continuous improvement ticket has been raised for this under S1087 session).
  Closed after review 2023-01-21 (Observatory)

Small Defects

• None

• AstroPlan's Schedular should begin by reporting the Night Date and Start Time for the Plan being created.
  Done 2023-01-12 (AstroPlan 1.35.9)  
   
• AstroMain's ObsManager should record a session event with the reason why the session has to be moved back into manual mode .
  During session initiation the 'Import Observing Plan' task failed with the message "Unable to find new Plan" and Obs.Manager dropped the session back to Manual Mode (23:04).  This should have been recorded as a 'red' Session Event between the two events that were recorded

  23:03:44		Plan Requested	Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.35.8)
  23:04:00		Observatory (Manual)	Observatory placed in Manual Mode

  Done 2023-01-13 (AstroMain 3.60.7) 
   
• AstroMain's ObsManager should record a session alert when session has to be moved back into manual mode and the reason.
  During session initiation the 'Import Observing Plan' task failed with the message "Unable to find new Plan" and Obs.Manager dropped the session back to Manual Mode (23:04).  This should have been raised as a 'red' Session Alert as it requires user investigation & possible interventation. AstroMain 3.60.7 extended so that a session alert is raised for 12 scenarios where Obs.Manager calls SetMode_Manual()
  Done 2023-01-13 (AstroMain 3.60.7) 
   
• Use AllSky Images to continuously monitor Polaris Star as an extra Sky Quality Indicator. There are commercial seeing Monitors like the Alcor CYCLOPE Seeing Monitor  that is permanently mounted in an orientation that points to the star Polaris and continuously monitors its FWHM.   This give me the idea of using AllSky Imges coming from the Observatory's All Sky Camera to monitor various parameters associated with star object at position of Polaris (more or less at a fixed position).   Parameters could include FWHM (this will probably only be relative since the pixel resolution of the AllSky Image is not sufficiently fine),  Sky Transparency, Sky Background.   Ellipticity. Project would include the generation of data record, graphing and upload/display on website.   (Weather, Current Conditions etc)
  To do 2023-01-12 (AstroAllSky, AstroWeather, Website) 

[ Prev | Next ]

Fig 1 :  Graph showing Shutter Battery Levels from 2023-01-11 to 2023-01-19

Back to Top