David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 973 (2022-02-20)

Notes (S972)

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Notes (S974)

	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 (8)
	Images from 2022-02-20 >>         [ Local Files >> ]

Session Aims & Highlights (2022-02-20)

Main aims

1. Targets.  Acquire images of a selection of variable stars, nearby stars, comets & deep sky targets as allowed by time & conditions.
2. AstroMain. Check bug fixes, enhancements and refactoring associated with AstroMain 3.50, and check for any issue related to refactoring of program to use the extend Env object in 3.50.1

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 3.50.1,  AstroPlan 1.29.10,   AstroShCap 1.3.12, AstroGuard 1.7
  AstroVOE 1.9.2  AstroSN 1.7.3,  AstroProtect 1.6,  AstroMove 1.8.6
  (AstroWeather 1.16.2, AstroAllSky 3.15,  AstroObsCam 1.8, AstroLaunch 1.8.3)

Highlights

•  Targets.  x targets acquired before sky clouded over.
•  AstroMain.  No issues encountered using AstroMain 3.50.1 (new features & refactoring have been successfully implemented)

Notes:

• User Intervention .  User Intervention made at 00:49 to end the session after sky had begun clouding over and the session had suspended itself. This was done as the weather forecast indicated it would be cloudy for the remainder of the night and rain radar maps + forecast indicated that rain front would pass through later in the night.   The rain (quite heavy) eventually came through at 03:00 to 04:00.
  
  

  Summary Plots & Logs

Observing Plan

Observing Result

Dome & Scope Slewing Performance

Slew/Centering Performance

Guiding Performance Reasons for poor Dec guiding : Black points (11, 15, 16) - Cloud Purple Points (21) - Cloud Red points (None) -   Orange point (6, 9, 18) - Non/Poorly effective Dec guiding (South)

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 18:44:27 Session Monitoring AutoStart monitoring for Live Session opportunity between 18:44 & 05:18 18:44:29 Session AutoStarting Session autostarting (18:44) 18:45:10   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -25°C) 18:45:12 Session Created Live Session Created (2022-02-20 S00973, ImageSaveNum: 973001) 18:45:14   Scope Switched On Telescope Power has been switched on via UPB Powerbox. 18:46:53   Services Started Observatory Services started 18:46:59 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 18:47:01 Session Pending Session pending (2022-02-20) 18:47:03 Session Initiating Session initiating (2022-02-20) 18:47:06   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.29.10) 18:47:53   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (Plan ID: 731) 18:48:06   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -20°C) 18:48:11   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 18:48:35 Session Equilibration Session ready for dome & camera equilibration 18:49:20   Dome Opened Dome opened (opening time 45s) 18:50:06 Session Running Session running 18:50:08   Queue Started Observing Queue started (40 targets selected) 18:50:11     Target Started (NrZen) Target started (Focus Field 5, HIP 23569) 18:51:49       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 18:55:01       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1, wide) 18:56:58       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1) 18:57:01       Focusing Started-Foc2 Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 18:59:12       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2, wide) 19:01:00       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2) 19:01:19     Target Completed Target completed (Focus Field 5, HIP 23569) 19:02:09     Target Started (1/40) Target started (1/40, AT2021kkh) 19:05:35       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 19:08:07       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 3) 19:24:27     Target Completed Target completed (1/40, AT2021kkh) 19:24:31     Target Started (2/40) Target started (2/40, UGC 3457 w/SN2022blm) 19:27:23       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 19:29:20       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 4) 19:45:18     Target Completed Target completed (2/40, UGC 3457 w/SN2022blm) 19:46:08     Target Started (3/40) Target started (3/40, C/2019 L3 (ATLAS)) 19:48:58       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 19:51:09       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 5) 19:59:21     Target Completed Target completed (3/40, C/2019 L3 (ATLAS)) 20:00:01     Target Started (4/40) Target started (4/40, 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko) 20:02:42       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 20:05:02       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 6) 20:19:52     Target Completed Target completed (4/40, 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko) 20:19:56     Target Started (5/40) Target started (5/40, AT2022bqs (CV)) 20:23:11       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 20:25:37       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 7) 20:31:39     Target Completed Target completed (5/40, AT2022bqs (CV)) 20:31:43     Target Started (6/40) Target started (6/40, GCVS ER UMa) 20:35:00       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-S) 20:39:08     Target Completed Target completed (6/40, GCVS ER UMa) 20:40:42     Target Started (7/40) Target started (7/40, GCVS BL Lac) 20:44:27       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 20:46:51       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 8) 20:50:41     Target Completed Target completed (7/40, GCVS BL Lac) 20:50:46     Target Started (8/40) Target started (8/40, Nova Cas 2021) 20:54:23       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 20:56:34       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 9) 21:04:43     Target Completed Target completed (8/40, Nova Cas 2021) 21:04:47     Target Started (9/40) Target started (9/40, 100P/Hartley) 21:08:23       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-S) 21:14:29     Target Completed Target completed (9/40, 100P/Hartley) 21:16:33     Target Started (10/40) Target started (10/40, NGC 5117 w/SN2022abq) 21:19:38       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is lost (TCF-S) 21:35:28     Target Completed Target completed (10/40, NGC 5117 w/SN2022abq) 21:38:33     Target Started (11/40) Target started (11/40, M31 w/Nova2022cpe) 21:43:44       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-S) 21:59:46     Target Completed Target completed (11/40, M31 w/Nova2022cpe) 22:00:33     Target Started (12/40) Target started (12/40, GCVS HH And) 22:03:27       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:05:47       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 10) 22:08:31     Target Completed Target completed (12/40, GCVS HH And) 22:08:36     Target Started (13/40) Target started (13/40, WDS GRB 34) 22:11:43       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:13:54       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 11) 22:16:08     Target Completed Target completed (13/40, WDS GRB 34) 22:16:40     Target Started (14/40) Target started (14/40, UGC 8012 w/SN2022aod) 22:20:11       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-S) 22:31:06     Target Aborted (14/40) Target aborted (14/40, UGC 8012 w/SN2022aod) due to User Intervention 22:31:10     Target Started (15/41) Target started (15/41, M31 w/Nova2022cpe, ToO) 22:34:45       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:37:11       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 12) 22:53:38     Target Completed Target completed (15/41, M31 w/Nova2022cpe, ToO) 22:53:42     Target Started (16/41) Target started (16/41, AT2021bfp) 23:04:50     Target Completed Target partially completed (16/41, AT2021bfp) 23:04:54     Target Started (17/41) Target started (17/41, NGC 5273 w/AT2022csj) 23:07:35       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is lost (TCF-S) 23:24:13     Target Completed Target completed (17/41, NGC 5273 w/AT2022csj) 23:24:17     Target Started (18/41) Target started (18/41, NGC 5732 w/SN2021agpf) 23:27:53       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-S) 23:44:15     Target Completed Target completed (18/41, NGC 5732 w/SN2021agpf) 23:44:39     Target Started (19/41) Target started (19/41, AT2022cml) 23:48:33       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 23:50:59       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 13) 00:07:32     Target Completed Target completed (19/41, AT2022cml) 00:07:37     Target Started (20/41) Target started (20/41, UGC 522 w/SN2022bqt) 00:12:30       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-S) 00:28:42     Target Completed Target completed (20/41, UGC 522 w/SN2022bqt) 00:28:47     Target Started (21/41) Target started (21/41, AT2021rl) 00:32:04       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-S) 00:33:27   SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend is called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars) 00:48:18     Target Completed Target completed (21/41, AT2021rl) 00:48:20   Queue Paused Queue paused for Session Suspension 00:48:22 Session Suspended Session suspended 00:49:09   Dome Closed Dome closed (closing time 50s) 00:49:39 User Intervention User request to close and finish session 00:49:41   Queue Aborted Job Queue aborted 00:49:44 Session Closing Session closing 00:49:49   Dome Closed Dome already closed (closed at 00:49, closing time 50s) 00:50:56   Dome Parked Dome parked (parking time 59s), Az: 90.0 deg 00:52:15   Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 74s) 00:52:30   Telescope State Scope parked Turn scope off. (Handbox) 00:52:52   Telescope Switched Off Telescope Power has been switched off via UPB Switch. 00:53:46   Services Stopped Night Services stopped 00:53:48 Session Housekeeping Housekeeping Started (Cleanup FITS, Create Fits Summary, Transfer Files) 00:54:10 Session Finished Session Finished

Session Alerts

Time     Alert Detail -- No Alerts                --

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Operational Issues (2022-02-20, S973)

• Critical Issues (0)
• Major Issues (0)
• Minor Issues (0)
• Small Defects (1)
• Continuous Improvement (7)

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Critical Issues

• None

Major Issues

• None

Minor Issues

• None

Small Defects

• Correct  'closed at' time format in the reporting of Dome/Shutter checks. Time shutter was closed at is currently formatted as HHmm (e.g 0049) and should be changed to HH:mm (ie 00:49).  Fixed in AstroMain 3.50.2. A similar formatting issue for Dome Parking was also fixed.
  Fixed  2022-02-21  (AstroMain 3.50.2)

• Add ‘Open Target in AstroPlan’ button  to AstroMain’s JobQueue Tab to quickly access the current or a specific Target in AstroPlan. There is already routines in place in AstroMain and AstroPlan to open a target on AstroPlan's Target Form given its TargetID.   For implementing this item the code for communicating the OpenTarget request to AstroPlan has been moved  from existing button routine to a common OpenTargetInAstroPlan(TargetID) routine, so that it can be called by new button routine.
  Done  2022-02-21  (AstroMain 3.50.2)
   
• Add ‘Open Plan in AstroPlan’ button  to AstroMain’s JobQueue Tab to quickly access the current plan in AstroPlan. New routines will be needed in AstroMain and AstroPlan to support the opening of a plan on AstroPlan's Plan Form given its PlanID including moving windows focus to the Plan Form.  The required process will be similar to those already built to 'Open Target in AstroPlan'.  New routines added to AstroPlan to support this process RunRemotePlanOpener(), RemotePlanOpener(), BringPlanFormToFront().
  Done  2022-02-21  (AstroMain 3.50.2, AstroPlan 1.29.11)
   
• Object Type column to be widened and Target/observation column to be reduced on AstroMain’s Job Queue Tab. Alternatively a column should be added for TnsID or TnsType.  Object Type column widened by 2 characters in AstroMain 3.50.2 and 'with' shortened to '/w' as interim solution.
  Part-Done  2022-02-21  (AstroMain 3.50.2)
   
• Add ‘Description’  button to ImageBuilder form. This will make it easier to send Image Description details to clipboard for pasting on session webpage without moving back to ObjConsole form. .
  Done  2022-02-21  (AstroMain 3.50.2)
   
• Add ‘Description 2’ button/ routine to ImageBuilder form. This will provide support to session webpage editing by sending an Image description string to clipboard with a format like ‘Annotated CCD Image (125% size, square root scale, cropped)’.
  Done  2022-02-21  (AstroMain 3.50.3)
   
• Add EProp enum to manage the safe programming of calls to new Env methods  (Env.DataIsValid, Env.TimeSinceLastUpdate, Env.TimeOfLastUpdate) . The current methods/calls depend on passing property name (or property group name). This could give rise to a potentially buggy behaviour as any typos in property name aren't checked when coding/compiling the programming. Using EProp enum provides immediate validation, and will allow easier renaming/refactoring.
  Done  2022-02-21  (AstroMain 3.50.3)
   
• Consider creating special realtime JPG 'detail' pictures of SN & (non-CV) AT targets that are a cropped images at 125% scale.  This is to allow quicker judgement on the presence or a new supernova/transient before images have been processed/stacked. Initial implementation added to AstroMain 3.63.1, by adding an extra picture (P=3) to the ConvertFitsToJPG() routine, that creates a  'xxxxxxxxxx.000x_detail.jpg' picture file (like '0031.oid008.1157037.NGC_2708_w_SN2023bee.0001_detail.jpg') in a new session folder called '_JPGS_detail'.   Best way to upload and display the first detailed picture from each target is still being assessed.   At present the detailed picture is centered on the centre of the original picture and use a x1.25 picture scale. Further enhancements might include centering on the Target Object (or Host Object) or selecting an picture centre and/or alternative picture depending on the offset between target object and the host object (where relevant).   This tickets is assessed to be completed following implementation of a initial working solution on 2023-10-19 (Examples of products from new routine are shown in Fig 1 below).  Any defects and further enhancements to this new feature will be added to 'Small Defects' & 'Continuous Improvements' sections of Notes pages from 2023-10-16 onwards (Session S1174+)  
  Done 2023-10-19  (AstroMain 3.63.1)

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