David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 1126 (2023-08-06)

Notes (S1125)

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Notes (S1127A)

	Session Aims & Highlights
	- Observing Result  - Night Summary Plot  - Session Event Log
	Operational Issues
	- Critical Issues (0),  Major Issues (0),  Minor Issues (2),  Small Defects (0),  Continuous Improvement (0)
	Images from 2023-08-06 >>

Session Aims & Highlights (2023-08-05)

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  2.6.11dev4, Siril 1.0.6, deCONZ 1.18.2, ASCOM 6.6 SP1
   
• AstroMain 3.62.6, AstroPlan 1.38.1,   AstroShCap 1.3.15, AstroGuard 1.10.2
  AstroVOE 1.13  AstroSN 1.10,  AstroProtect 1.7,  AstroMove 1.12.3
  (AstroWeather 1.21.1, AstroAllSky 3.19.1,  AstroObsCam 1.11.4, AstroLaunch 1.10.9 (1.11.1 on Dev Computer)

Highlights

• Targets. 0 /18 planned targets were completed due to cloud, firstly affecting target observations in western sky, and subsequently due to session suspension which lasted until dawn,
• Dome Slews. None of session's dome slews were affected by any significant hold-ups  (Hold Up Stats:0/4 slews affected, 0%, 0.3 minutes total hold-up time). 

Notes:

Summary Plots & Logs

Observing Plan All targets were recorded as either completed , however images from first 7 targets were later rejected.as they were significantly out of foucs. Scope was automatically focused ahead of V Sge and the last 5 targets were accepted.

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 20:39:27 Session Monitoring AutoStart monitoring for Live Session opportunity between 22:16 & 03:02 20:39:31   AutoStart Waiting AutoStart waiting till earliest start time at 22:16 22:16:30   AutoStart Delayed Session delayed due to too few stars 22:45:47 Session AutoStarting Session autostarting (22:45) 22:46:16   CCDSoft Restarting CCDSoft being restarted (to set AutoSave No.) 22:46:29 Session Created Session Created (Live, 2023-08-06 S01126, ImageSaveNum: 1126001) 22:46:56   Scope Switched On Telescope Power has been switched on via UPB Powerbox. 22:48:36   Services Started Observatory Services started 22:48:42 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 22:48:44 Session Pending Session pending (2023-08-06) 22:48:46 Session Initiating Session initiating (2023-08-06) 22:48:49   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.38.1) 22:49:26   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (Plan ID: 899) 22:49:47   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera connected (set point -15°C) 22:50:24   Telescope Connected Telescope connected (TheSky6) 22:50:48 Session Equilibration Session ready to Open Dome 22:51:33   Dome Opened Dome opened (opening time 45s) 22:51:48 Session Running Session running 22:51:51   Queue Started Observing Queue started (17 targets selected) 22:51:54     Target Started (NrZen) Target started (Focus Field 19, HIP 93376) 22:52:08       Dome Unparked Dome unparked 22:56:26       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:58:40       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1, wide) 23:00:39       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1) 23:00:41       Focusing Started-Foc2 Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 23:02:32       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2, wide) 23:04:16       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2) 23:04:33     Target Completed (NrZen) Target completed (Focus Field 19, HIP 93376) 23:05:15     Target Started (1/17) Target started (1/17, NGC 5532 w/AT2023omo) 23:11:30       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - unable to find a star (TCF-S) 23:12:26   CCDSoft Issue CCDSoft has encountered an image save issue [0000] 23:12:28   CCDSoft Restarting CCDSoft being restarted (attempt to fix unsaved file issue) 23:12:33   SBIG Camera Reset SBIG Camera being power-cycled 23:13:15   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera connected (set point -15°C) 23:13:18     Target Aborted (1/17) Target aborted (1/17, NGC 5532 w/AT2023omo) due to Priority 1 ToO Target 23:13:23     Target Started (2/18) Target started (2/18, NGC 6891, ToO) 23:14:29 Foc1FieldsUpdater Frozen Foc1FieldsUpdater appears to be frozen at around 23:14 in section 'Update Foc1Fields' 23:15:42 TempMonitor Frozen TempMonitor appears to be frozen at around 23:15 in section 'Get CcdTemp Data' 23:18:40   CCDSoft Restarting CCDSoft being restarted (user action) 23:18:47   SBIG Camera Reset SBIG Camera being power-cycled 23:19:29   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera connected (set point -15°C) 23:43:04       SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend is called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars) 23:43:14   Critical Cloud Alert Critical Cloud Alert (Obs.Manager will close the Dome) 23:43:16   HardSuspend Called Hard Suspend is called due to Critical Conditions (cloud) 23:43:21     Target Aborted (2/18) Target aborted (2/18, NGC 6891, ToO) due to cloud 23:43:23   Queue Paused Queue paused for Session Suspension 23:43:26 Session Suspending Session suspending 23:44:14   Dome Closed Dome closed (closing time 50s) 23:44:16 Session Suspended Session suspended 23:52:44     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (3/19, SN 2023mpz, ToO) due to cloud 23:52:48     Target Missed (4/19) Target's time slot was missed (4/19, UGC 9350 w/SN2023nny) 00:02:43     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (5/19, C/2019 T4 (ATLAS)) due to cloud 00:12:03     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (6/19, HIP 87937) due to cloud 00:31:05     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (7/19, M101 w/SN2023ixf) due to cloud 00:53:05     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (8/19, NGC 5297 w/AT2023mlt) due to cloud 01:05:15     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (9/19, GCVS RX And) due to cloud 01:24:25     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (10/19, M33 w/AT2023nou) due to cloud 01:38:45     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (11/19, AT2021aecv (CV)) due to cloud 01:58:46     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (12/19, AT2023egx) due to cloud 02:09:00     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (13/19, 61 Cyg) due to cloud 02:26:32     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (14/19, GCVS SS Cyg) due to cloud 02:36:05     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (15/19, GCVS BL Lac) due to cloud 02:45:58     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (16/19, GCVS EV Lac) due to cloud 02:54:30     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (17/19, GCVS HH And) due to cloud 03:02:59     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (18/19, WDS GRB 34) due to cloud 03:31:53     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (19/19, C/2023 E1 (ATLAS)) due to cloud 03:31:58   Queue Completed Job Queue completed 03:32:05 Session Closing Session closing 03:32:10   Dome Closed Dome already closed (closed at 23:44, closing time 50s) 03:33:13   Dome Parked Dome parked (parking time 55s), Az: 90.0 deg 03:34:28   Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 71s) 03:34:43   Telescope State Handbox reads 'Scope parked Turn scope off.' 03:35:05   Telescope Switched Off Telescope Power has been switched off via UPB Switch. 03:36:27   Services Stopped Night Services stopped 03:36:30 Session Housekeeping Session Housekeeping started (Create Fits Summary, Transfer Files) 03:36:35 Session Finished Session Finished

Session Alerts & Alarms

Time     Type       Name Detail 23:12:26 Red Alert CCDSoft Image file [0000] hasn't been saved to disk, possible CCDSoft issue 23:16:10 Red Alert Foc1Fields Updater Foc1FieldsUpdater appears to be frozen (last cycle at 23:14:29) in section 'Update Foc1Fields' 23:18:15 Red Alert TempMonitor TempMonitor appears to be frozen (last cycle at 23:15:42) in section 'Get CcdTemp Data' 23:18:45 Green Clear Foc1Fields Updater Foc1FieldsUpdater has resumed again (23:18) after 4.3 mins 23:18:47 Green Clear TempMonitor TempMonitor has resumed again (23:18) after 3.0 mins 23:20:17 Green Clear CCDSoft Image file has been saved to disk following CCDSoft Restart

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Operational Issues (2023-08-06, S1126)

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

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Critical Issues

• None

Major Issues

• None

Minor Issues

• CCD Image not saved to disk (23:12). A red alert "Image file [0000] hasn't been saved to disk, possible CCDSoft issue)" was raised at 23:12:26 whilst taking a 180s exposure of Target 1/17 (NGC 5532 w/AT2023om). CCDSoft was automatically restarted by Job Executor by calling 'RestartCCDSoft' to in an attempt to fix unsaved file issue.  Issue might have been caused by submission of a 'Do Immediately' ToO target (NGC 6891)  which might have aborted the current CCD Image Exposure leading to unsaved image file condition. Review required to see if code needs to modified to allow for this situation.  Issue closed after review 2024-04-15 as it issue has become rarier in Q1 2024 and may have been fully resolved by refactoring & extension of the CCDCamera object and it's exclusive use in accessing the CCDSoft.Camera. Any future cases will be recorded as a new issue if & when they occur.
  Closed after review 2024-04-15 (AstroMain 3.62.7 / 3.68.3).
   
• Foc1FieldsUpdater appeared to freeze (23:16). After CCDSoft was automatically restarted at 23:12, and after the ToO Target (NGC 6891) commenced at 23:13,  centering operation was delayed to allow the CCD to stabilise at -15.0°C.  This seemed to take an anomalous long time and a report message & red alert "Foc1FieldsUpdater appears to be frozen (last cycle at 23:14:29) in section 'Update Foc1Fields'' was raised at 23:16:10. This was followed at 23:18:15 by a further red alert "TempMonitor appears to be frozen (last cycle at 23:15:42) in section 'Get CcdTemp Data"  and a there was a user observation that there were two CCDSoft Window Icons sitting on the Task Bar, both windows were 'Not responding'.  Seeing this a user intervention was made to Restart CCDSoft (even though it had been previously restarted at 23:12).  This restart CCDSoft operation released the Foc1FieldsUpdater and TempMonitor processes at 23:18:45 - 23:18:47. Whilst issue was believed to a one-off glicth that was resolved in-session (2023-08-06), a similar FieldsUpdater/TempMonitor freezing problem occured near the beginning of the next  session (S1127A, 2023-09-07, see details) suggesting there is still an underlying issue that presents itself near the beginning of the session.   Issue to be monitored further. Considered to be resolved by AstroMain 3.64 by changes to CCDMonitor, TempMonitor & Foc1FieldsUpdater and the introduction on new CCDCamera object & thread.
  Considered resolved 2023-11-05  (AstroMain 3.64, CCDSoft, SBIG Camera)

Small Defects

• None

Continuous Improvement

• None

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