David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 1143 (2023-09-12)

Notes (S1142)

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Notes (S1144)

	Session Aims & Highlights
	- Observing Result  - Night Summary Plot  - Session Event Log
	Operational Issues
	- Critical Issues (0),  Major Issues (2),  Minor Issues (1),  Small Defects (1),  Continuous Improvement (0)
	Images from 2023-09-12 >>

Session Aims & Highlights (2023-09-12)

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 AstroMain version (3.62.12) for recent fixes/improvements and for absence of any introduced issues.
3. Older Supernova. Acquire 'post-SN' images of selected galaxies that were hosts to older 2022 & 2023 Supernovae in order to demonstrate that SN have faded and are no longer visible.

 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 3.62.12, AstroPlan 1.38.2,   AstroShCap 1.3.15, AstroGuard 1.10.2
  AstroVOE 1.13  AstroSN 1.10,  AstroProtect 1.7,  AstroMove 1.12.4
  (AstroWeather 1.21.2, AstroAllSky 3.19.1,  AstroObsCam 1.11.4, AstroLaunch 1.10.9 (1.11.1 on Dev Computer)

Highlights

• Targets. 23/25 planned target were completed, with 1 other target partially completed.
• Older Supernova. Images acquired of a number of galaxies that contained earlier supernova that have since faded (NGC 5894 w/SN2022pgf, NGC 5631 w/SN2022aaiq, UGC 4132 w/SN2023fqv )
• AstroMain. No issues introduced by the new AstroMain version (3.62.12)
•  Dome Slews. 11 dome slews were affected by significant hold-up with delays up of 202s (Hold Up Stats: 11/26 slews affected, 42%, 14.3 minutes total hold-up time). 

Notes:

• Aurora recorded from the Observatory on night 2023-09-12 / 2023-09-13 over an x  hour period
   (see Aurora Images/Video from 2023-09-12)
  
  

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 20:57:33 Session Monitoring AutoStart monitoring for Live Session opportunity between 20:57 & 04:26 20:57:34 Session AutoStarting Session autostarting (20:57) 20:57:54   CCDSoft Restarting CCDSoft being restarted (to set AutoSave No.) 20:58:07 Session Created Session Created (Live, 2023-09-12 S01143, ImageSaveNum: 1143001) 20:58:34   Scope Switched On Telescope Power has been switched on via UPB Powerbox. 21:00:19   Services Started Observatory Services started 21:00:26 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 21:00:29 Session Pending Session pending (2023-09-12) 21:00:31 Session Initiating Session initiating (2023-09-12) 21:00:33   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.38.2) 21:01:30   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (Plan ID: 917) 21:01:54   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera connected (set point -15°C) 21:01:59 Foc1FieldsUpdater Frozen Foc1FieldsUpdater appears to be frozen at around 21:01 in section 'Update Foc1Fields' 21:02:29 TempMonitor Frozen TempMonitor appears to be frozen at around 21:02 in section 'Get CcdTemp Data' 21:02:31   Telescope Connected Telescope connected (TheSky6) 21:02:55 Session Equilibration Session ready to Open Dome 21:03:40 Obs.Manager Obs.Manager is frozen in 'Equilibrating' (last cycle was at 21:03:40) 21:03:40   Dome Opened Dome opened (opening time 45s) 21:03:42 Session Running Session running 21:05:40   Make Observatory Safe Obs.Overseer intervened to Make Observatory Safe 21:19:52   CCDSoft Restarting CCDSoft being restarted (user action) 21:19:55   Dome Closed Dome closed (closing time 852s) 21:19:57 Obs.Manager Obs.Manager has resumed again after 16.3 min 21:19:59   SBIG Camera Reset SBIG Camera being power-cycled 21:20:41   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera connected (set point -15°C) 21:21:12 Observatory (Manual) Observatory placed in Manual Mode 21:21:59 Session Monitoring AutoStart monitoring for Live Session opportunity between 21:21 & 04:26 21:22:01 Observatory (AutoStart) Observatory placed in Auto-Start Mode 21:22:03 Session AutoStarting Session autostarting (21:22) 21:22:25   Services Started Observatory Services started 21:22:29 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 21:22:33 Session Pending Session pending (2023-09-12) 21:22:35 Session Initiating Session initiating (2023-09-12) 21:22:41   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (Plan ID: 917) 21:22:54   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera connected (set point -15°C) 21:23:30   Telescope Connected Telescope connected (TheSky6) 21:23:54 Session Equilibration Session ready to Open Dome 21:24:39   Dome Opened Dome opened (opening time 45s) 21:24:41 Session Running Session running 21:24:44   Queue Started Observing Queue started (25 targets selected) 21:24:45     Target Started (NrZen) Target started (Focus Field 20, HIP 98535) 21:24:59       Dome Unparked Dome unparked 21:28:03       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 21:30:41       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1, wide) 21:33:05       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1) 21:33:08       Focusing Started-Foc2 Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 21:35:18       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2, wide) 21:37:00       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2) 21:37:17     Target Completed (NrZen) Target completed (Focus Field 20, HIP 98535) 21:37:20     Target Missed (1/25) Target's time slot was missed (1/25, C/2019 T4 (ATLAS)) 21:37:22     Target Started (2/25) Target started (2/25, HIP 87937) 21:40:34       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 21:42:31       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 3) 21:44:58     Target Completed Target completed (2/25, HIP 87937) 21:45:02     Target Started (3/25) Target started (3/25, AT2022vly (CV)) 21:54:39     Target Completed Target completed (3/25, AT2022vly (CV)) 21:54:43     Target Started (4/25) Target started (4/25, AT2023rfq) 21:57:36       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 21:59:52       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 4) 22:15:57     Target Completed Target completed (4/25, AT2023rfq) 22:16:01     Target Started (5/25) Target started (5/25, AT2023rgi) 22:16:52       Dome Unparked Dome unparked 22:17:30     Dome Slew Dome slew held up at Az. 88.4° (Delay 32s) 22:19:31 Foc1FieldsUpdater Frozen Foc1FieldsUpdater appears to be frozen at around 22:19 in section 'Update Foc1Fields' 22:23:52   CCDSoft Restarting CCDSoft being restarted (user action) 22:23:59   SBIG Camera Reset SBIG Camera being power-cycled 22:24:41   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera connected (set point -20°C) 22:40:09     Target Completed Target partially completed (5/25, AT2023rgi) 22:40:13     Target Started (6/25) Target started (6/25, NGC 5894 w/SN2022pgf) 22:42:49     Dome Slew Dome slew held up at Az. 60.4, 59.8, 52.2° (Total delay 58s) 23:01:44     Target Completed Target completed (6/25, NGC 5894 w/SN2022pgf) 23:01:49     Target Started (7/25) Target started (7/25, AT2023rud) 23:03:22       Dome Unparked Dome unparked 23:05:45       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 23:07:55       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 5) 23:23:58     Target Completed Target completed (7/25, AT2023rud) 23:24:02     Target Started (8/25) Target started (8/25, C/2023 E1 (ATLAS)) 23:25:57     Dome Slew Dome slew held up at Az. 153.9, 154.2, 156.4° (Total delay 54s) 23:43:12     Target Completed Target completed (8/25, C/2023 E1 (ATLAS)) 23:43:16     Target Started (9/25) Target started (9/25, AT2023rao) 23:44:19     Dome Slew Dome slew held up at Az. 156.8° (Delay 42s) 23:46:27       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 23:48:52       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 6) 00:04:39     Target Completed Target completed (9/25, AT2023rao) 00:04:43     Target Started (10/25) Target started (10/25, UGC 12639 w/SN2023jri) 00:07:36       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:10:03       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 7) 00:26:08     Target Completed Target completed (10/25, UGC 12639 w/SN2023jri) 00:26:12     Target Started (11/25) Target started (11/25, GCVS SS Cyg) 00:30:08       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:32:06       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 8) 00:36:15     Target Completed Target completed (11/25, GCVS SS Cyg) 00:42:36     Target Started (12/25) Target started (12/25, C/2022 A2 (PANSTARRS)) 00:46:43     Dome Slew Dome slew held up at Az. 222.2, 221.7, 178.2, 177.6, 176.6° (Total delay 207s) 00:49:23       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-S) 00:55:14     Target Completed Target completed (12/25, C/2022 A2 (PANSTARRS)) 00:55:18     Target Started (13/25) Target started (13/25, NGC 5631 w/SN2022aaiq) 00:59:49       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-S) 01:16:33     Target Completed Target completed (13/25, NGC 5631 w/SN2022aaiq) 01:17:16     Target Started (14/25) Target started (14/25, GCVS RX And) 01:21:50       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:23:47       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 9) 01:26:48     Target Completed Target completed (14/25, GCVS RX And) 01:26:53     Target Started (15/25) Target started (15/25, AT2023rsr (CV)) 01:28:30     Dome Slew Dome slew held up at Az. 132.1, 131.8, 129.1° (Total delay 41s) 01:30:49       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:32:46       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 10) 01:38:45     Target Completed Target completed (15/25, AT2023rsr (CV)) 01:38:49     Target Started (16/25) Target started (16/25, GCVS BL Lac) 01:41:56     Dome Slew Dome slew held up at Az. 154.4, 156.5° (Total delay 65s) 01:43:53       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:46:02       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 11) 01:49:56     Target Completed Target completed (16/25, GCVS BL Lac) 01:50:00     Target Started (17/25) Target started (17/25, UGC 11858 w/SN2023rjj) 01:52:38       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:54:50       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 12) 02:10:38     Target Completed Target completed (17/25, UGC 11858 w/SN2023rjj) 02:11:14     Target Started (18/25) Target started (18/25, IC 458 w/SN2023rgp) 02:15:27       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:17:39       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 13) 02:33:44     Target Completed Target completed (18/25, IC 458 w/SN2023rgp) 02:33:48     Target Started (19/25) Target started (19/25, NGC 1086 w/SN2023rix) 02:37:02       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:39:30       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 14) 02:55:45     Target Completed Target completed (19/25, NGC 1086 w/SN2023rix) 02:55:49     Target Started (20/25) Target started (20/25, LEDA 1488100 w/SN2023olz) 02:58:49       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:01:06       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 15) 03:17:11     Target Completed Target completed (20/25, LEDA 1488100 w/SN2023olz) 03:18:15     Target Started (21/25) Target started (21/25, C/2020 V2 (ZTF)) 03:19:55     Dome Slew Dome slew held up at Az. 154.6, 156.7° (Total delay 70s) 03:23:24       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-S) 03:41:23     Target Completed Target completed (21/25, C/2020 V2 (ZTF)) 03:41:34     Target Started (22/25) Target started (22/25, NGC 2326 w/AT2023pgb) 03:44:57     Dome Slew Dome slew held up at Az. 157.4, 150.5, 143.5, 132.3, 131.6° (Total delay 105s) 03:47:37       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:49:56       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 16) 04:06:15     Target Completed Target completed (22/25, NGC 2326 w/AT2023pgb) 04:06:19     Target Started (23/25) Target started (23/25, UGC 4132 w/SN2023fqv) 04:09:15       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 04:11:42       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 17) 04:27:46     Target Completed Target completed (23/25, UGC 4132 w/SN2023fqv) 04:27:50     Target Started (24/25) Target started (24/25, UGC 5276 w/SN2023cxk) 04:30:59       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 04:33:22       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 18) 04:49:25     Target Completed Target completed (24/25, UGC 5276 w/SN2023cxk) 04:49:29     Target Started (25/25) Target started (25/25, NGC 1461 w/AT2023och) 04:52:21     Dome Slew Dome slew held up at Az. 154.6, 156.4, 157.0° (Total delay 95s) 04:55:14       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 04:57:24       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 19) 05:13:22     Target Completed Target completed (25/25, NGC 1461 w/AT2023och) 05:13:25   Queue Completed Job Queue completed 05:13:27 Session Closing Session closing 05:14:22   Dome Closed Dome closed (closing time 50s) 05:16:55     Dome Slew Dome slew held up at Az. 157.4, 151.1, 143.4° (Total delay 69s) 05:16:57   Dome Parked Dome parked (parking time 148s), Az: 90.0 deg 05:17:59   Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 60s) 05:18:14   Telescope State Handbox reads 'Scope parked Turn scope off.' 05:18:36   Telescope Switched Off Telescope Power has been switched off via UPB Switch. 05:20:00   Services Stopped Night Services stopped 05:20:03 Session Housekeeping Session Housekeeping started (Create Fits Summary, Transfer Files) 05:20:28 Session Finished Session Finished

Session Alerts & Alarms

Time     Type       Name Detail 21:00:29 Yellow Alert Disk Space Free Space on C:\ Drive (46.87 GB) is less than 50 GB 21:03:40 Red Alert Foc1Fields Updater Foc1FieldsUpdater appears to be frozen (last cycle at 21:01:59) in section 'Update Foc1Fields' 21:05:00 Red Alert TempMonitor TempMonitor appears to be frozen (last cycle at 21:02:29) in section 'Get CcdTemp Data' 21:05:40 Red Alert Obs.Manager Obs.Manager is frozen in 'Equilibrating' (last cycle at 21:03:40) 21:19:53 Red Alarm Dome Closing Dome closure hasn't finished after 90s (ShutterState=Closed) 21:19:57 Green Clear Obs.Manager Obs.Manager has resumed again after 16.3 min 21:19:59 Green Clear Foc1Fields Updater Foc1FieldsUpdater has resumed again (21:19) after 18.0 mins 21:20:01 Green Clear TempMonitor TempMonitor has resumed again (21:19) after 17.4 mins 21:22:33 Yellow Alert Disk Space Free Space on C:\ Drive (47.47 GB) is less than 50 GB 22:17:30 Yellow Alert Dome Slew Dome slew held up at Az. 88.4° (Delay 32s) 22:21:14 Red Alert Foc1Fields Updater Foc1FieldsUpdater appears to be frozen (last cycle at 22:19:31) in section 'Update Foc1Fields' 22:23:55 Green Clear Foc1Fields Updater Foc1FieldsUpdater has resumed again (22:23) after 4.4 mins 22:42:49 Yellow Alert Dome Slew Dome slew held up at Az. 60.4, 59.8, 52.2° (Total delay 58s) 23:25:57 Yellow Alert Dome Slew Dome slew held up at Az. 153.9, 154.2, 156.4° (Total delay 54s) 23:44:19 Yellow Alert Dome Slew Dome slew held up at Az. 156.8° (Delay 42s) 00:46:43 Red Alert Dome Slew Dome slew held up at Az. 222.2, 221.7, 178.2, 177.6, 176.6° (Total delay 207s) 01:28:30 Yellow Alert Dome Slew Dome slew held up at Az. 132.1, 131.8, 129.1° (Total delay 41s) 01:41:56 Yellow Alert Dome Slew Dome slew held up at Az. 154.4, 156.5° (Total delay 65s) 03:19:55 Yellow Alert Dome Slew Dome slew held up at Az. 154.6, 156.7° (Total delay 70s) 03:44:57 Yellow Alert Dome Slew Dome slew held up at Az. 157.4, 150.5, 143.5, 132.3, 131.6° (Total delay 105s) 04:52:21 Yellow Alert Dome Slew Dome slew held up at Az. 154.6, 156.4, 157.0° (Total delay 95s) 05:16:55 Yellow Alert Dome Slew Dome slew held up at Az. 157.4, 151.1, 143.4° (Total delay 69s) 05:20:23 Yellow Alert Disk Space Free Space on C:\ Drive (45.34 GB) is less than 50 GB

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Operational Issues (2023-09-12, S1143)

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

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Critical Issues

• None

Major Issues

• Foc1FieldsUpdater, ObsManager, TempMonitor became frozen immediately after the Session began running (21:03). Immediately after the Session State changed to Running, the ObsOverseer reported that "Foc1FieldsUpdater had frozen (21:03) in section 'Update Foc1Fields' " and warned that "Obs.Manager is pending in 'Equilibrating' (last cycle at 21:03:40" and that "TempMonitor is frozen (21:05) in section 'Get CcdTemp Data' ". ObsOverseer then raised a Red Alert that "Obs.Manager is frozen" and call routine to MakeObservatorySafe (Close Dome, Park Dome, TurnOff Telescope Tracking).  Issue ranked as a Major Issue, as it left the Observatory unable to conduct any observing the session that night unless there was a user intervention to resolve/restart things. To investigate and fix - a key design requirement of AstroMain is that the ObsManager thread should never become frozen.  In the event the issue was resolved by user intervention to RestartCCDSoft (as CCDSoft appeared to not be responding), switch back to Manual and then initiated Autostart again. This time the session proceeded normally.  Considered to be fixed by AstroMain 3.64 by changes to CCDMonitor, Foc1FieldsUpdate, TempMonitor  & ObsManager and the introduction on new CCDCamera object & thread.
  Fixed 2023-11-05  (Session, AstroMain 3.64)
   
• Dome Slews were badly affected by hold-ups during the session. 11 dome slews (42%) were affected by significant hold-up,  with individual delays up of 202s (Hold Up Stats: 11/26 slews affected, 42%, 14.3 minutes total hold-up time).  This wasted around 14 minutes of time. Fortunately it didn't lead to any lost targets.  Issue was previously improved by an adjustment to the Dome's Drive Wheel tension but still occurs occasionally but not usually as bad as it did in this session (S1143).  There was significant dew during the session (coldest night for several weeks, clear skies) and this may be a conrtibuting factor. Dome Wheels to be checked and dome flange cleaned / dried. Next few sessions to be monitored for any further problems.  Problem was evenually found to be due to a loose/worn drive wheel connector. A replacement Drive Wheel & Connector eventually arrived on 2023-11-17 and was successfully installed in the Observatory (See Pulsar Dome - Replacement Rotation Drive Wheel, 2023-11-17 ).
  Fixed 2023-11-17 (Observatory, Pulsar Dome)

Minor Issues

• Close Dome' operation reported as failed "timed out after 95s" even though Shutter appears to have successfully closed (21:19).  The Dome's Shutter was commanded to close at 21:05, and at 21:06:25 the Zigbee Shutter Sensor ( 'Open/Closed') reported that  shutter has closed. However there was no corresponding report message to report that Dome had closed. However finally, at 21:19 (around the time that a user intervention was made to restart CCDSoft (an operation that begins with stopping/killing CCDSoft) a message was finally produced to report "Dome is closed (Closing time 852s)" which was immediately followed by a message reporting "Dome closure failed (Time Out after 95s)". The issue seems to have arisen because ObsManager was frozen between 21:03 and 21:19 and wasn't able to monitor the dome closure and report its actual closure at 21:06.  Issue is understood and after review it is deemed 'closed '. A separate ticket will be raised to see if an improvement in reporting could be made so that it doesn't raise a 'Close Dome' alert when there isn't an actual physical issue.
  Issue understood/closed 2023-09-12 (Session, AstroMain).

Small Defects

• Typo in reporting 'Cooling capacity Is > 90%. Typo : should be 'is' instead of Is')
  Fixed 2023-10-01 (AstroMain 3.62.15).

Continuous Improvement

• None

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