David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 961 (2022-01-28)

Notes (S960)

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Notes (S962)

	Session Aims & Highlights
	- Observing Result  - Night Summary Plot  - Session Event Log
	Operational Issues
	- Critical Issues (0),  Major Issues (0),  Minor Issues (2),  Small Defects (4),  Continuous Improvement (7)
	Images from 2022-01-28 >>         [ Local Files >> ]

Session Aims & Highlights (2022-01-28)

Main aims

1. Targets.  Acquire images of a selection of variable stars, nearby stars, comets & deep sky targets as allowed by time & conditions.

Equipment & Software

• 12" LX200 and ST-10XME
• 80mm APO and ZWO ASI 178MC
• CCDApp2, TheSky6, CCDSoft5, DeviceHub 6.5.1.9,  MeadeGeneric 1.3.3.373, UPB 1.5, ASCOM 6.5 SP1
• Pegasus UPB & Motor Focus, TCF-S
• SharpCap 3.2, PHD2  2.6.10
   
• AstroMain 3.48.26,  AstroPlan 1.29.5,   AstroShCap 1.3.12, AstroGuard 1.6.3
  AstroVOE 1.9.2  AstroSN 1.7.3,  AstroProtect 1.6
  (AstroWeather 1.15.3, AstroAllSky 3.14.5,  AstroObsCam 1.8, AstroLaunch 1.8.2)

Highlights

•  Targets.  x targets acquired.
•   Guiding Data Stream.   A PHD2-AstroMain communications issue during first part of session caused some guide data to be lost & not plotted on Guiding Charts. On the postive side actual guiding of the telescope doesn't seem to have been effected, and the issue was resolved by restarting AstroMain & PHD2.
•   Wind.   Although targets were scheduled at positions to avoid the effects from the forecast wind (increasing through the night), the wind direction was more variable that forecast and telescope received more buffeting that anticipated during certain targets.
  Wind was forecast to be from SW. but
•   Seeing. Seeing was poor (FWHM  only 5-6" ).

Notes:

• Storm Malik. Session ended early by the user due to risk from increasing wind strength as Storm Malik approached the region. (Winds reaching 40 mph with 70 mph guests by the late morning).   Weather data from Dyce airport confirms gusts of 70 mph at 09:00 and 11:00. with average speeds reaching 55 mph at times.
• Power Cut.  A power-cut caused by the storm began at 10:51 and lasted for some 8.5 hours.   Observatory computers not restarted until 10:00 the following day (2022-01-30), missing a bright meteor that was understood to have been seen from Newtonhill, just south of Aberdeen, at 18:48:27 UT (2022-01-29).
  
  

  Summary Plots & Logs

Observing Plan

Observing Result

Dome & Scope Slewing Performance

Slew/Centering Performance

Guiding Performance Reasons for poor Dec guiding : Failed (20)   - Target aborted by user at end of session. Black Point (6)   - Cloud Red Point (9)   - Non-effective Dec Guiding (South) in each of 5 frames (Az 105, Alt 43) Red Point (12, 13, 19) - Very jagged Dec guiding,  wind or seeing effect (worse on Dec than RA)  Bad spike causing guide star to be sent to wrong side of zero line. Yellow Point (8)   -

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 21:59:10 Session Monitoring AutoStart monitoring for Live Session opportunity between 21:59 & 06:03 21:59:12 Session AutoStarting Session autostarting (21:59) 21:59:49 Session Created Live Session Created (2022-01-28 S00961, ImageSaveNum: 961001) 21:59:51   Scope Switched On Telescope Power has been switched on via UPB Powerbox. 22:01:31   Services Started Observatory Services started 22:01:38 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 22:01:42 Session Pending Session pending (2022-01-28) 22:01:44 Session Initiating Session initiating (2022-01-28) 22:01:46   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.29.6) 22:02:22   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (, Plan ID: 717) 22:02:42   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -15°C) 22:02:49   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 22:03:16 Session Equilibration Session ready for dome & camera equilibration 22:04:01   Dome Opened Dome opened (opening time 45s) 22:04:46 Session Running Session running 22:04:48   Queue Started Observing Queue started (25 targets selected) 22:04:51     Target Started (NrZen) Target started (Focus Field 6, HIP 28634) 22:06:31       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:09:53       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1, wide) 22:12:09       Focusing Failed Foc2 focusing check failed 22:12:11       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1) 22:12:39       Focusing Started-Foc2 Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 22:14:49       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2, wide) 22:16:37       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2) 22:16:55     Target Completed Target completed (Focus Field 6, HIP 28634) 22:16:59     Target Started (1/25) Target started (1/25, AT2022hy (CV)) 22:20:54       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-S) 22:26:44     Target Completed Target completed (1/25, AT2022hy (CV)) 22:28:50     Target Started (2/25) Target started (2/25, NGC 2402 w/SN2022ds) 22:32:26       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:34:44       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 3) 22:51:02     Target Completed Target completed (2/25, NGC 2402 w/SN2022ds) 22:51:06     Target Started (3/25) Target started (3/25, UGC 4671 w/SN2021afsj) 22:55:06       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is lost (TCF-S) 23:10:59     Target Completed Target completed (3/25, UGC 4671 w/SN2021afsj) 23:12:50     Target Started (4/25) Target started (4/25, 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko) 23:34:39     Target Completed Target completed (4/25, 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko) 23:34:43     Target Started (5/25) Target started (5/25, UGC 5025) 23:38:25       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-S) 23:54:22     Target Completed Target completed (5/25, UGC 5025) 23:54:24   Queue Aborted Job Queue aborted 23:54:49   Services Stopped Observatory Services stopped 23:55:24 Program Closed Program closed by User 23:59:48 Session Resumed Live Session Resumed (2022-01-28 S00961, ImageSaveNum: 961047) 23:59:57   Obs.Manager Started Obs.Manager started 23:59:59   Obs.Overseer Started Obs.Overseer started 00:00:02   Services Started Observatory Services started 00:01:24   Services Started Observatory Services started 00:01:40   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 00:02:18   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -15°C) 00:02:33 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 00:02:37 Session Pending Session pending (2022-01-28) 00:02:39 Session Initiating Session initiating (2022-01-28) 00:02:44   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (, Plan ID: 717) 00:02:58   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -15°C) 00:03:04   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 00:03:23 Session Equilibration Session ready for dome & camera equilibration 00:03:25 Session Running Session running 00:03:27   Queue Started Observing Queue started (20 targets selected) 00:03:31     Target Started (6/25) Target started (6/25, PGC 27825) 00:19:37     Target Completed Target partially completed (6/25, PGC 27825) 00:19:41     Target Started (7/25) Target started (7/25, NGC 3115) 00:38:50     Target Completed Target completed (7/25, NGC 3115) 00:38:54     Target Started (8/25) Target started (8/25, UGC 5528 w/SN2022B) 00:41:42       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is lost (TCF-S) 00:58:35     Target Completed Target completed (8/25, UGC 5528 w/SN2022B) 00:59:25     Target Started (9/25) Target started (9/25, IC 4040 w/SN2022jo) 01:02:29       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is lost (TCF-S) 01:20:16     Target Completed Target completed (9/25, IC 4040 w/SN2022jo) 01:21:25     Target Started (10/25) Target started (10/25, NGC 3389 w/AT2021hkw) 01:24:14       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is lost (TCF-S) 01:40:14     Target Completed Target completed (10/25, NGC 3389 w/AT2021hkw) 01:43:25     Target Started (11/25) Target started (11/25, NGC 3861) 01:45:46       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is lost (TCF-S) 02:02:47     Target Completed Target completed (11/25, NGC 3861) 02:05:26     Target Started (12/25) Target started (12/25, UGCA 258 w/SN2022mm) 02:08:46       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is lost (TCF-S) 02:26:28     Target Completed Target completed (12/25, UGCA 258 w/SN2022mm) 02:27:25     Target Started (13/25) Target started (13/25, NGC 4348 w/SN2022fw) 02:30:28       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-S) 02:46:45     Target Completed Target completed (13/25, NGC 4348 w/SN2022fw) 02:49:25     Target Started (14/25) Target started (14/25, GCVS GK Per) 02:53:07       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:55:48       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 6) 02:59:46     Target Completed Target completed (14/25, GCVS GK Per) 02:59:50     Target Started (15/25) Target started (15/25, UGC 8012 w/AT2022aod) 03:04:01       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is lost (TCF-S) 03:20:13     Target Completed Target completed (15/25, UGC 8012 w/AT2022aod) 03:20:42     Target Started (16/25) Target started (16/25, NGC 5117 w/SN2022abq) 03:23:35       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is lost (TCF-S) 03:40:47     Target Completed Target completed (16/25, NGC 5117 w/SN2022abq) 03:42:43     Target Started (17/25) Target started (17/25, UGC 8975 w/SN2021adpe) 03:45:25       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-S) 04:01:42     Target Completed Target completed (17/25, UGC 8975 w/SN2021adpe) 04:04:42     Target Started (18/25) Target started (18/25, LEDA 1634284 w/SN2021bkw) 04:06:56       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-S) 04:23:36     Target Completed Target completed (18/25, LEDA 1634284 w/SN2021bkw) 04:26:42     Target Started (19/25) Target started (19/25, LEDA 1614458 w/AT2022ed) 04:29:56       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - unable to find a star (TCF-S) 04:46:27     Target Completed Target completed (19/25, LEDA 1614458 w/AT2022ed) 04:48:42     Target Started (20/25) Target started (20/25, AT2021agpw (CV)) 04:50:11 User Intervention User request to close and finish session 04:50:37     Target Failed Target failed due to aborted (20/25, AT2021agpw (CV)) 04:50:39   Queue Aborted Job Queue aborted 04:50:41 Session Closing Session closing 04:51:31   Dome Closed Dome closed (closing time 45s) 04:51:59   Dome Parked Dome parked (parking time 21s), Az: 90.0 deg 04:53:09   Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 66s) 04:53:24   Telescope State Scope parked Turn scope off. (Handbox) 04:53:46   Telescope Switched Off Telescope Power has been switched off via UPB Switch. 04:54:38   Services Stopped Night Services stopped 04:54:40 Session Housekeeping Housekeeping Started (Cleanup FITS, Create Fits Summary, Transfer Files) 04:54:57 Session Finished Session Finished

Session Alerts

Time     Alert Detail -- No Alerts                --

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Operational Issues (2022-01-28, S961)

• Critical Issues (0)
• Major Issues (0)
• Minor Issues (2)
• Small Defects (4)
• Continuous Improvement (7)

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Critical Issues

• None

Major Issues

• None

Minor Issues

• Guiding chart History Graphs show a variably compressed time axies due to lost guide step event data. A PHD2-AstroMain communications issue of some kind in first part of session caused some guide data to be lost / not plotted on Guiding Charts. (Guide Runs 1 to 5).  Certain header data (RA Algorithum, Pixel Scale, Dec Algorithum ) was also variably missing . Telescope Guiding itself didn't seem to have been affected however. Issue was resolved by restarting AstroMain & PHD2 at 23:5 and  Guide Runs 6 to 20 were unaffected by the problem.   Note just restarting PHD2 didn't fix the issue (see Guide Run 5)). The session's (PHD2) log show multiple incomplete messages (possibily due to slow down in PHD2 - AstroMian connection ?).  769 instances of INCOMPLETE during first part of session, compared to none during the previous S960 session. PHD2 & AstroMain software was both left running between the sessios.   There were no INCOMPLETE message instances after restarting the software.  When AstroMain was closed and the PHD2 client closed the following Alert messages were reported by the PHD2 Listener :     'PHD2 ListeningLoop has unexpectedly stopped'  and 'Unable to read data from the transport connection: A blocking operation was interrupted by a call to WSACancelBlockingCall'. This is the first time that this alert has been noticed, and it is probably caused in someway by the same issue.    It would seem that issue resides with AstroMain program, since PHD2 comms with telescope driver weren't affected and a PHD2 restart alone didn't fix the problem.  A separate continuous improvement ticket item has been raised to investigate way to automatically correct or mitigate issue with INCOMPLETE reads. A separate continuous improvement ticket item has been raised to generate a session alert if the number of INCOMPLETE message climbs over 20.
  Resolved in-sesssion 2022-01-28 (Session)   
  
  Examining the heavily compressed interval between 22:24:00 and 22:24:30 (Guide Run 1, Frame 3) only 3 guidestep events were processed and plotted by AstroMain program during this 30s period, whilst looking at MeadeGeneric log shows that there were 11 pulseguide commands received by the telescope driver from PHD2. This confirms that Guiding should have still be effective despite the apparent problems experienced by AstroMain.
   
• Alert message Unable to read data from the transport connection after closing PHD2 Client (23:54). When AstroMain was closed PHD2 service following a slow down in PHD2 Comms the following Alert messages were reported by the PHD2 Listener:     'PHD2 ListeningLoop has unexpectedly stopped'  and 'Unable to read data from the transport connection: A blocking operation was interrupted by a call to WSACancelBlockingCall'.  This is the first time that this alert has been noticed. It would seem that this was a exception message generated because there was an attempt at read network stream from PHD2 after the underlying stream was closed.   It is assumed that the problem relates in someway to the PHD2 Data stream issue (above). It is hypothesized that message was generated because of  get_ccd_temperature request at the moment of stopping the PHD2 service or shortly after stopping the service.  Fixes applied in 3.48.27 (repositioning of Connected=False when stopping PHD2 client, check for bListening=True before calling Phd2.GetCcdTemperature )
  Fix attempted, but continue to monitor 2022-01-31 (AstroMain 3.48.27)

Small Defects

• Start Image Line plotted in wrong position on Guiding Chart's history graph when there is a Lock Position Change between frames (post-session tests). Whilst guiding and taking a VR, VR, VR image sequence, a vertical line was plotted after 'starting' the 2nd VR image set and cross-hatched back to end of last R image (it is presumed that this was performed by a call to the GuidingChart.DrawPostSettleHistoryLine()  (can't be GuidingChart.DrawImageStartLine() routine as this is not referenced anywhere).   A lock position change was made which would/should have delayed the actual start of the next image by 10s.  The positioning  of 'V' text and 'Set 2' text shows that ImageStartX SubImageStartX were set at the correct time, but no vertical line was drawn.  This implies that GuidingChart.DrawPostSettleHistoryLine(), but LastImageEndX was vcNull causing DrawLine to be skipped.  This would have been set to vcNull by the earlier call to DrawPostSettleHistoryLine().    DrawPostSettleHistoryLine() modified so that Vertical Line is always drawn (cross-hatched is still skipped if LastImageEndX = vcNull ).  Guider.RunPHD2GuidingMonitor() modified so that the call to DrawPostSettleHistoryLine() is delayed if bResettling = True. 
  First vertical line (not required) is still getting drawn and the cross-hatching back from the actual Image start (line now drawn) is still not still not being drawn. Eventually determined that the StartGuidingStatsImageSet code section doesn't check for a requirement to Adjust Lock Position or any Dec Mode change) allowing Imaging to progress without resettling and causing the PostSettleHistoryLine to be drawn.  Code changed to call  CheckDecModeAtNewImage() from both StartGuidingStatsImageSet and StartGuidingStatsImage code sections.   FirstImageEndX.
  Fixed 2022-01-30 (AstroMain 3.48.27)
   
• Guiding Chart's history graph shows occasional partial-sections between images where cross-hatching isn't being applied (post-session tests).  Tracing the program flow shows that a CloseOutImage can draw a vertical 'closeout' line and reset the LastImageEndX variable to a new value that can be c. 5 pixels greater than the vertical line and LastImageEndX that is set by the preceeding and associated CloseOutSubImage that is processed some 2.5s beforehand.    When the next image is started cross-hatching is applied back to the 'reset' LastImageEndX and not back to the 'actual' LastImageEndX.
  Fixed (AstroMain 3.48.27)
   
• Exception 'Arithmetic operation resulted in an overflow' caught and reported when taking S Filter Images (post-session tests).  Exception is only asssociated with S Filter images and only with test session. (live observatory sessions are unaffected). Logfile shows that exception occurs in ExtractSpectra() routine (probably ExtractSpectra_OB() ) .  Exception probably occurs because Spectra Image is taken with CCDSoft's Simulator camera and is blank and devoid of a brightests star for centering/referencing spectra. Debugging confirms this. Fixed 2022-01-31 (ExtractSpectra detail skipped if StarXY =vcNull)
  Fixed 2022-01-31 (AstroMain 3.48.27)
   
• Focus Imaging Scope shouldn't be skipped because of insufficient time when running an 'on-the-fly'  observation and AutoFocus option has been selected (post-session tests). Code changed to avoid this issue if T.ElementType = "Manual".
  Fixed 2022-01-30 (AstroMain 3.48.27)

Continuous Improvement

• Generate a session alert if the number of 'INCOMPLETE' PHD2 data stream reads climbs over 20. Yellow warning when count exceeds 5 and a red alert when in reaches 20.   Generate an Green Alert if  the INCOMPLETE read count stops rising . Output total number of incomplete reads to HouseKeeping file.
  To do 2022-01-29 (AstroMain 3.48.27)
   
• Remove Target Import section of AstroPlan as it is no longer needed.  Remove button/fields and routines associated with loading of old format flat files, as these are no longer used and have been superceeded along time ago by SQLlite targets database.
  Done 2022-02-03 (AstroPlan 1.29.8)
   
• Add button routine that will create an './Aligned/Aligned on Stars' subfolder and move existing aligned fits files to the new folder. This will be helpful option for analysis workflow for comets.  
  Done 2022-02-11 (AstroMain 3.49.4)  
   
• Build a custom image crop/annotation/naming tool to speed up creation of final images during Analysis stage.  Need a way to speed up analysis workflow, allowing images to be more easily resized, cropped, renamed, annotated, moved. Wokrflow is reasonably streamlined at present. The particularly slow parts are resizing/cropping an image about a given point to create a 382x256 sized image.  Adding a specific scale bar & text.   Adding cross-hairs, labelling, saving to final jpg.  Add save settings to file by target and allow setting to recovered as defaults the next time target is opened.  Main components have been developed and included in AstroMain 3.48.28 (2022-02-03) , but further development and improvements will continue for a while yet. Product finished and being used 2022-02-10 (AstroMain 3.49.3)  with further fixes on 2022-02-11 (AstroMain 3.49.4).
  Done 2022-02-10 (AstroMain 3.49.3)
   
• Change 'Open Image in Fits Viewer' dialog to a non-modal box . At present the box is opened a modal dialog but a non-modal will be in better keeping with other dialog boxes in Analysis Workflow..  
  Done 2022-02-14 (AstroMain 3.49.5)
   
• Complete backlog of image building and web page documentation of all 15 observing sessions from Jan 2022.  11 sessions still incomplete as of 2022-04-12.  Backlog of sessions from Jan 2022 eventually completed 2022-05-28.
  Done 2022-05-28  (Session, Website)
   
• Investigate ways to mitigate/correct INCOMPLETE Phd2 Data Stream reads.   Investigate ways to mitigate / correct the appearance of INCOMPLETE reads that causes problems to guide management and charting.  Fix attempted in AstroMain 3.53.1 (2022-07-30).  Still need to Investigate 3s delay and optimise ? .  See S1022.
  Fix attempted 2022-07-30 (AstroMain 3.53.1)   
   
• Redesign Guiding Chart & Guider objects as their current design makes it very difficult to iron-out final defects and maintain/extend the code. The current structure is a complex one and is a compromise between charting by image frame and charting by image set. Trying to fix one issue tends to break something else or introduce an unwelcome side effect that then has to be fixed. Improvement is on hold in order to take a break from Guiding Chart development (it has consumed way to much time through Jan 2022) and formulate a workable transition plan between old and new designs.
  To do at some future point 2022-03-01 (AstroMain 3.49+)

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