David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 1193 (2024-02-26)

Notes (S1192)

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Notes (S1194)

	Session Aims & Highlights
	- Observing Result  - Night Summary Plot  - Session Event Log
	Operational Issues
	- Critical Issues (0),  Major Issues (1),  Minor Issues (1),  Small Defects (0),  Continuous Improvement (4)
	Images from 2024-02-26 >>
	Investigation - Targets from Planned Target 4/36 onwards failing due to Slew Error

Session Aims & Highlights (2024-02-26)

Main aims

1. Targets.  Acquire images of a selection of variable stars, nearby stars, comets & deep sky targets as allowed by sky conditions.
2. 12P/Pons-Brooks. Acquire images of Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks which has been undergoing regular outbursts.
3. AstroMain. Continue to test fixes to CCDSoft Camera/SBIG Camera operations to prevent stalled execution during starting, fix issues due to occasional repeated failures during Cam1 focusing and occassional unexpected CCD Temperature regulation.

 Equipment & Software

• 12" LX200 and ST-10XME
• 80mm APO and ZWO ASI 178MC
• TheSky6, CCDSoft5, DeviceHub 6.6.1.1,  MeadeGeneric 1.3.5.414, UPB 1.5, ASCOM 6.6,   Pulsar Dome Firmware 1.51 & Driver 6.3.10
• Pegasus UPB & Motor Focus, TCF-S
• SharpCap 3.2, PHD2  2.6.13, Siril 1.0.6, deCONZ 1.18.2, ASCOM 6.6 SP1
• [ DomeLink 1.0 / 1.1 - not used ]
   
• AstroMain 3.65.20,  AstroPlan 1.39.7,  AstroShCap 1.3.15, AstroGuard 1.10.2   (any new items or versions in bold)
  AstroVOE 1.13,  AstroSN 1.10.2,  AstroProtect 1.7,  AstroMove 1.12.11
  (AstroWeather 1.23.10, AstroAllSky 3.19.11,  AstroObsCam 1.11.4, AstroLaunch 1.11.1

Highlights

• Targets. Only 3/36  planned targets observations were completed, with 4 other targets failing due to 'slew' errors. Other targets failed due to cloud / session suspension or cancelled due to forecast cloud & possible rain, but would lprobably have failed anyway due to a continuation of the earlier 'slew' issue.
• 12P/Pons-Brooks. Images of Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks were successfully acquired though images were slightly out of focus.
• AstroMain. No issues with CCDSoft Camera/SBIG Camera.
•  Dome Parking.  Dome parked ok at the correct position at end of the session.

Notes:

• Observatory visit made from 19:49 to 19:52  check & test the LX200's Autostar II hand controller.
• User Intervention made at 23:54 to finish the session early due to continuing cloud and forecast rain later in the night.

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 18:32:04 Session Monitoring AutoStart monitoring for Live Session opportunity between 18:32 & 05:04 18:32:07   AutoStart Delayed Session delayed due to too few stars 18:36:18 Session AutoStarting Session autostarting (18:36) 18:36:28   CCDSoft Restarting CCDSoft being restarted (to set AutoSave No.) 18:36:53   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera connected (Set point -20°C) 18:36:56 Session Created Session Created (Live, 2024-02-26 S01193, ImageSaveNum: 1193001) 18:37:00   Scope Switched On Telescope Power has been switched on via UPB Powerbox. 18:38:46   Services Started Observatory Services started 18:38:53 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 18:38:55 Session Pending Session pending (2024-02-26) 18:38:57 Session Initiating Session initiating (2024-02-26) 18:38:59   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.39.7) 18:40:25   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (Plan ID: 967) 18:40:40   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera connected (Set point -25°C) 18:41:15   Telescope Connected Telescope connected (TheSky6) 18:41:39 Session Equilibration Session ready to Open Dome 18:42:24   Dome Opened Dome opened (Opening time 45s, Zigbee 41s) 18:42:27 Session Running Session running 18:42:29   Queue Started Observing Queue started (36 targets selected) 18:42:31     Target Started (NrZen) Target started (Focus Field 5, HIP 23569) 18:42:45       Dome Unparked Dome unparked 18:47:11       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is lost (TCF-S) 18:47:13       Focusing Started-Foc2 Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 18:49:17       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1, wide) 18:51:03       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1) 18:51:20     Target Completed (NrZen) Target completed (Focus Field 5, HIP 23569) 18:55:25     Target Started (1/36) Target started (1/36, NGC 1051) 19:01:37       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-S) 19:17:49     Target Completed Target completed (1/36, NGC 1051) 19:17:53     Target Started (2/36) Target started (2/36, 12P/Pons-Brooks) 19:21:41       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-S) 19:33:24     Target Completed Target completed (2/36, 12P/Pons-Brooks) 19:35:47     Target Started (3/36) Target started (3/36, UGC 831 w/AT2023wdd) 19:38:48       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is lost (TCF-S) 19:49:26   Observatory Door Observatory Door has opened 19:49:29   Observatory Door Observatory Door has closed (open time 3s) 19:51:53   Observatory Door Observatory Door has opened 19:52:04   Observatory Door Observatory Door has closed (open time 11s) 19:54:47     Target Completed Target completed (3/36, UGC 831 w/AT2023wdd) 19:58:07     Target Started (4/36) Target started (4/36, 13P/Olbers) 19:58:43     Target Failed (4/36) Target failed due to slew error (4/36, 13P/Olbers) 20:15:57     Target Started (5/36) Target started (5/36, UGC 3174 w/SN2023mut) 20:16:30     Target Failed (5/36) Target failed due to slew error (5/36, UGC 3174 w/SN2023mut) 20:37:57     Target Started (6/36) Target started (6/36, 103P/Hartley) 20:38:35     Target Failed (6/36) Target failed due to slew error (6/36, 103P/Hartley) 20:54:41     Target Started (7/36) Target started (7/36, CGCG 119-104 w/SN2024cdi) 20:55:14     Target Failed (7/36) Target failed due to slew error (7/36, CGCG 119-104 w/SN2024cdi) 21:17:01     Target Started (8/36) Target started (8/36, NGC 3206 w/SN2024bch) 21:17:47     Target Failed (8/36) Target failed due to slew error (8/36, NGC 3206 w/SN2024bch) 21:27:04       SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend is called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars) 21:27:07   Queue Paused Observing Queue pausing for Session Suspension 21:27:10 Session Suspending Session suspending 21:28:00   Dome Closed Dome closed (Closing time 50s, Zigbee 43s) 21:28:02 Session Suspended Session suspended 21:59:40     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (9/36, Nova Cas 2021 (Nova)) due to cloud 22:15:41     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (10/36, AT2023srv (CV)) due to cloud 22:28:00     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (11/36, AT2022zkn (CV)) due to cloud 22:48:20     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (12/36, NGC 3690 w/SN2023wrk) due to cloud 23:02:20     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (13/36, AT2023srw (CV)) due to cloud 23:19:52     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (14/36, 62P/Tsuchinshan) due to cloud 23:24:58 User Intervention User request to close and finish session 23:25:01   Queue Aborted Job Queue aborted 23:25:03 Session Closing Session closing 23:25:08   Dome Closed Dome already closed (closed at 21:28, closing time 50s, zigbee 43s) 23:25:26   Dome Parked Dome parked (parking time 10s), Az: 90.0 deg 23:26:49   Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 79s) 23:27:05   Telescope State Handbox reads 'Scope parked Turn scope off.' 23:27:27   Telescope Switched Off Telescope Power has been switched off via UPB Switch. 23:28:49   Dome Charging Dome is parked and re-charging Ok (13mA) 23:28:51   Services Stopped Night Services stopped 23:28:54 Session Finishing Session Finishing started (Create Fits Summary, Transfer Files) 23:29:01     Dome (Find Park) Find Park started (Search Az 87.0 to 93.0°, Step 0.2°, Narrow) 23:30:34     Dome Find Park found (Best Park Az 90.2°) 23:30:41     Dome Dome has been synced at park position (Az 90.0°, Adjustment: -0.2°) 23:30:44   Dome Parked Dome parked 23:31:49   Dome Charging Dome is parked and re-charging Ok (15mA) 23:31:51 Session Finished Session Finished

Session Alerts & Alarms

Time     Type       Name Detail 23:31:49 Green Clear Dome Charging Dome is parked and re-charging Ok (15mA)

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Operational Issues (2024-02-26 S1193)

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

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Critical Issues

• None

Major Issues

• Targets from Planned Target 4/36 onwards failing due to Slew Error (19:58).  Targets beginning with Target 4/36 (13P/Olbers)  at 19:58, and continuing with the next 4 targets (5/36 to 8/36) until session suspension due to cloud at 21:27, all with the reported error 'Slew Error' and messages like "Scope isn't pointing to the target (Ang Sep. = 42.5 arc degs)"  & "Possible 'Timed out waiting for received data' problem"  . Issue investigated (See Investigation - Targets from Planned Target 4/36 onwards failing due to Slew Error). and found that a probably conflict between Virtual Handbox Controller and norrmal messages to/from telescope likely led to an exception when getting that Declination which caused TheSky6 to would up an information/error dialog that couldn't be dismissed by AstroMain program causing calls to TheSky6 Telescope to retrurn a seemingly frozen Telescope Coords which made the Job Executors Post-Slew Check believe that telescope hadn't been slewed or was otherwise a long way from the target position and to fail/abort the target as having failed due to Slew Error.   Issue is understood and is closed after review and minor actions. Two separate continuous improvement tickets has been raised to i) Extend AstroMain's TheSky6 monitoring to look for 'frozen' telescope coords from TheSky6 and ii) Update AstroMain's Job Executor so that a slew check failure doesn't necessarily result in the target being aborted.   Fix implemented in AstroMain 3.66.3 (2024-03-11).,
  Closed after review  2024-02-27  (TheSky6, User Awareness)

Minor Issues

• Focus Quality noticed to be somewhat poor ?.  CCD Images taken through the Foc1 System (LX200  + TCF-S focuser) seemed to be somewhat poor. Investigating the Foc1 Focusing on Near Zenith Focus Point at beginning of session failed with message "Proposed star has been lost. Aborting re-focus" . It's unclear why the star was lost as the intended focus star (HIP 23569, mag 7.1) is perfectly centered in the Locate 3 Frame at the end of the Centering procedure (Locate 3), see Fig 2.  AllSky images don't indicate any cloud that would have obscured the focus star at this time. Normally the initial 1.5s Focus frame (1x1, 100x100 px) would have a max pixel value of up to 55000 for a Near Zenith Focus Star but in this case the value is report as 0.   This is presumed to be a glicth or due to the initial out-of-focus star shape.  In the following session the scope was focussed ok on a Near Zenith Focus Field and the focus was adjusted through the session.  Focus offset from Near Zenith Focusing (3.5°C) appears to have jumped by +874 focuser steps since the last focusing at the end of the S1192 session (4.3°C). Compared to Near Zenith focusing at start of the S1192 session (2.1°C) the jump in focus offset is less,  but is still +410 focuser steps. (see Fig 3).   It would seem that this jump in focus must have largely happened between the end of the S1192 session (focused images) and the start of S1193 session (out of focus images).  This is second time recently that there was been a focus jump between sessions - so is it caused by mirror shift or is it an atmospheric change ? . Closed after review.
  Closed after review  2024-02-28 (Session, AstroMain Foc1 Focusing)

Small Defects

• None

Continuous Improvement

• Change ordering of 'Build Local JPG Page' on AstroMain's Reduction Workflow Tab.  Moving the Create Loal JPG page step to before the 'Copy Reduced Folder' & 'Analyse Reduced Folder' steps is more logical. 
  Done 2024-02-27 (AstroMain 3.65.21)
   
• Extend AstroMain's TheSky6 monitoring to look for 'frozen' telescope coords from TheSky6.  TheSky's TelescopeRaDec tracking stopped working during the S1193 session after it encountered an exception tying to get ASCOM.Telescope.Declination and put an information/error dialog that could not be dismissed during automated operations by AstroMain. This resulted in the slew (or rather slew checking) failures and the consequential non-aquistion of images for mutiple targets.  AstroMain' TheSky6 monitor should look out for 'frozen' telescope coords from the TheSky and very large discrepencies between the coordinates reported by TheSky6 and ASCOM directly, and if an issue is identifed to restart TheSky6 program and its Telescope Connection.  AstroPlan & AstroVOE need to stop & reestablish their TheSky links by some means (either by self monitoring TheSky presence or via a flag sent from AstroMain).  AstroGuard & PHDS is likely to be touched by this procedure as they connect directly to ASCOM Telescope and not to TheSky6.  Implemented n AstroMain 3.66.3, new routine CheckTheSkyTelescopeCoords() is called from before making the slew and If there is a discrepency between Ascom and TheSky6 coordinates TheSky6 is restarted and scope reconnected.   SlewToTargetRaDec() routine also modified to check apparent slew angle following slew and if there is a discrepency TheSky6 is also restarted and scope reconnected.
  Done 2024-03-11 (AstroMain 3.66.3)
   
• When AstroMain restarts TheSky6 check that AstroPlan & AstroVOE are alerted and take appropriate action to renew their TheSky6 objects. TIn situations where AstroMain needs to to restart TheSky6 program, AstroPlan & AstroVOE need to stop & reestablish their TheSky links by some means (either by self monitoring TheSky presence or via a flag sent from AstroMain).  Examining AstroMain code shows that RestartTheSky6() routine writes a RestartTheSkyFlag.dat to flag file to tell AstroPlan to refresh it's TheSky6 Objects.  AstroVOE just uses TheSky6.Utils.  New feature implemented in AstroVOE TWatcher added to AstroVOE 1.13.1, with support for WsFileWatcher2 object to look out for updates to  ' RestartTheSkyFlag.dat' and to call RefreshTheSkyObjects()  & CreateTheSkyObjects() if the flag file changes.
  Done 2024-03-20 (AstroMain 3.66.6, AstroPlan, AstroVOE 1.13.1)
   
• Update AstroMain's Job Executor so that a slew check failure doesn't necessarily result in the target being aborted.  TheSky's TelescopeRaDec tracking stopped working during the S1193 session after it encountered an exception tying to get ASCOM.Telescope.Declination and put an information/error dialog that could not be dismissed during automated operations by AstroMain. This resulted in the slew (or rather slew checking) failures and the consequential non-aquistion of images for mutiple targets. If slew checking had considered telescope coordinates from ASCOM telescope direct it could have concluded that the slew had been made and that the target could actually be continued (even if centering operation may not worked due to unavailablity of correct coordinate information.   Telescope was waiting up to 15-20 minutes until the start of next plan target so it might have at least tried to image the target.   CheckTheSkyTelescopeCoords()  (see above) could be used to progress this.   Deemed to be resolved with the implementation of checks and automated restart of TheSky6.  Ticket closed 2024-03-25.
  Closed 2024-03-25 (AstroMain)

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Investigation - Targets from Planned Target 4/36 onwards failing due to Slew Error

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