David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 1205 (2024-04-09)

Notes (S1204)

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Notes (S1206)

	Session Aims & Highlights
	- Observing Result  - Night Summary Plot  - Session Event Log
	Operational Issues
	- Critical Issues (0),  Major Issues (0),  Minor Issues (0),  Small Defects (1),  Continuous Improvement (0)
	Images from 2024-04-09 >>

Session Aims & Highlights (2024-04-09)

Main aims

1. Targets.  Acquire images of a selection of variable stars, nearby stars, comets & deep sky targets as allowed by sky conditions.
    ( 12P/Pons-Brooks is now an early evening object only and its was not a feasiblea im for the session due to expected early cloud)
2. AstroMain. Test new 3.68.1 version  of AstroMain. Verify there are no significant side-effects or issues with the new version.
3. CCDCamera. Continue to test recently re-factored & extended CCDCamera object.

 Equipment & Software

• 12" LX200 and ST-10XME
• 80mm APO and ZWO ASI 178MC
• TheSky6, CCDSoft5, DeviceHub 6.6.1.1,  MeadeGeneric 1.3.9, 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 3.68.1,  AstroPlan 1.40,  AstroShCap 1.3.15, AstroGuard 1.10.4   (any new items or versions in bold)
  AstroVOE 1.13.2,  AstroSN 1.10.3,  AstroProtect 1.7,  AstroMove 1.12.12
  AstroWeather 1.24.1, AstroAllSky 3.20.4,  AstroObsCam 1.11.4 (not 1.11.5), AstroLaunch 1.11.3

Highlights

• Targets. 14/14 planned targets observations were completed.
• AstroMain. New version of AstroMain (3.68.1) worked successfully without and issues.
• CCDCamera. There were no problems with the recently re-factored and extended CCDCamera object.  It particular there were no incidents in which CCDCamera, CCDSoft &  SBIG Camera froze and needed to be restarted.
•  Dome Parking.  Dome parked at correct position at the end of the session.

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 00:02:04 Session Monitoring AutoStart monitoring for Live Session opportunity between 00:02 & 03:58 00:02:17 Session AutoStarting Session autostarting (00:02) 00:02:39   CCDSoft Restarting CCDSoft being restarted (to set AutoSave No.) 00:03:06   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera connected (Set point -20°C) 00:03:08 Session Created Session Created (Live, 2024-04-09 S01205, ImageSaveNum: 1205001) 00:03:13   Scope Switched On Telescope Power has been switched on via UPB Powerbox. 00:04:58   Services Started Observatory Services started 00:05:05 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 00:05:08 Session Pending Session pending (2024-04-09) 00:05:10 Session Initiating Session initiating (2024-04-09) 00:05:19   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera connected (Set point -20°C) 00:05:26   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.40) 00:06:28   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (Plan ID: 980) 00:07:08   Telescope Connected Telescope connected (TheSky6) 00:07:32 Session Equilibration Session ready to Open Dome 00:08:17   Dome Opened Dome opened (Opening time 45s, Zigbee 41s) 00:08:27 Session Running Session running 00:08:29   Queue Started Observing Queue started (14 targets selected) 00:08:33     Target Started (NrZen) Target started (Focus Field 13, HIP 63666) 00:08:46       Dome Unparked Dome unparked 00:13:07       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:16:16       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1, wide) 00:18:43       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1) 00:18:46       Focusing Started-Foc2 Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 00:20:53       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2, wide) 00:22:36       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2) 00:22:53     Target Completed (NrZen) Target completed (Focus Field 13, HIP 63666) 00:22:57     Target Started (1/14) Target started (1/14, NGC 4192A w/SN2024exw) 00:26:18       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is lost (TCF-S) 00:42:34     Target Completed Target completed (1/14, NGC 4192A w/SN2024exw) 00:44:14     Target Started (2/14) Target started (2/14, NGC 4216 w/SN2024gy) 00:47:22       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-S) 01:03:28     Target Completed Target completed (2/14, NGC 4216 w/SN2024gy) 01:06:34     Target Started (3/14) Target started (3/14, NGC 5036 w/SN2024dop) 01:09:37       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:12:10       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 3) 01:28:02     Target Completed Target completed (3/14, NGC 5036 w/SN2024dop) 01:28:55     Target Started (4/14) Target started (4/14, AT2024crd) 01:31:47       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:34:28       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 4) 01:40:19     Target Completed Target completed (4/14, AT2024crd) 01:41:14     Target Started (5/14) Target started (5/14, MCG -1-33-30 w/SN2024byg) 01:44:07       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:46:41       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 5) 02:02:33     Target Completed Target completed (5/14, MCG -1-33-30 w/SN2024byg) 02:03:35     Target Started (6/14) Target started (6/14, UGC 8630 w/SN2024drv) 02:06:47       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:09:49       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 6) 02:25:56     Target Completed Target completed (6/14, UGC 8630 w/SN2024drv) 02:26:01     Target Started (7/14) Target started (7/14, NGC 5630 w/SN2023zdx) 02:28:54       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:31:44       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 7) 02:48:33     Target Completed Target completed (7/14, NGC 5630 w/SN2023zdx) 02:48:37     Target Started (8/14) Target started (8/14, GCVS BL Lac) 02:52:24       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:55:00       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 8) 02:59:26     Target Completed Target completed (8/14, GCVS BL Lac) 02:59:31     Target Started (9/14) Target started (9/14, NGC 6745 w/SN2023ucy) 02:59:54       Dome Unparked Dome unparked 03:02:32       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:04:58       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 9) 03:20:52     Target Completed Target completed (9/14, NGC 6745 w/SN2023ucy) 03:20:56     Target Started (10/14) Target started (10/14, NGC 6433 w/SN2024efn) 03:24:20       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:27:03       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 10) 03:43:08     Target Completed Target completed (10/14, NGC 6433 w/SN2024efn) 03:43:12     Target Started (11/14) Target started (11/14, NGC 6004 w/SN2024cld) 03:46:08       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-S) 04:02:26     Target Completed Target completed (11/14, NGC 6004 w/SN2024cld) 04:05:12     Target Started (12/14) Target started (12/14, GCVS U Her) 04:08:08       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 04:10:18       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 11) 04:18:57     Target Completed Target completed (12/14, GCVS U Her) 04:19:15     Target Started (13/14) Target started (13/14, (2) Pallas) 04:22:05       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 04:24:31       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 12) 04:27:03     Target Completed Target completed (13/14, (2) Pallas) 04:28:16     Target Started (14/14) Target started (14/14, HIP 87937) 04:31:04       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 04:33:31       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 13) 04:36:21     Target Completed Target completed (14/14, HIP 87937) 04:36:23   Queue Completed Job Queue completed 04:36:26 Session Closing Session closing 04:37:22   Dome Closed Dome closed (Closing time 50s, Zigbee 44s) 04:38:02   Dome Parked Dome parked (parking time 34s), Az: 90.0 deg 04:39:15   Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 66s total) 04:39:30   Telescope State Handbox reads 'Scope parked Turn scope off.' 04:39:52   Telescope Switched Off Telescope Power has been switched off via UPB Switch. 04:41:17   Dome Charging Dome is parked and re-charging Ok (47mA) 04:41:19   Services Stopped Night Services stopped 04:41:22 Session Finishing Session Finishing started (Create Fits Summary, Transfer Files) 04:41:44     Dome (Find Park) Find Park started (Search Az 87.0 to 93.0°, Step 0.2°, Narrow) 04:43:09     Dome Find Park found (Best Park Az 90.2°) 04:43:17     Dome Dome has been synced at park position (Az 90.0°, Adjustment: -0.2°) 04:43:19   Dome Parked Dome parked 04:44:07   Dome Charging Dome is parked and re-charging Ok (43mA) 04:44:09 Session Finished Session Finished

Session Alerts & Alarms

Time     Type       Name Detail 04:44:07 Green Clear Dome Charging Dome is parked and re-charging Ok (43mA)

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Operational Issues (2024-04-09 S1204)

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

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Critical Issues

• None

Major Issues

• None

Minor Issues

• None

Small Defects

• AstroPlan's Plan & Session Forms contained only a single target from the session, 13 targets were missing (Post-Session).  After downloading the Targets database to the Development Computer it was found that only the first target (NGC 4192A) from the target was listed in the Plan Form and Session Plan.  Using Restart Database' option from the Session List form didn't resolve the issue, however restarting AstroPlan did resolve the problem. It's unclear why there was this glitch.   Issue closed after review as it hasn't been seen before and was easily resolved by simply restarting the program. Future sessions should be monitored in case it does becomes a regular issue in future.
  Resolved  2024-04-10 (AstroPlan)

Continuous Improvement

• None

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