David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 996 (2022-03-26)

Notes (S995)

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Notes (S997)

	Session Aims & Highlights
	- Observing Result  - Night Summary Plot  - Session Event Log
	Operational Issues
	- Critical Issues (0),  Major Issues (1),  Minor Issues (2),  Small Defects (0),  Continuous Improvement (1)
	Images from 2022-03-26 >>         [ Local Files >> ]

Session Aims & Highlights (2022-03-26)

Main aims

1. Targets.  Acquire images of a selection of variable stars, nearby stars, comets & deep sky targets as allowed by time & conditions.
2. NGC 3115 w/AT2022eyx.  Reshoot NGC 3115 w/AT2022eyx using correct J2000 coordinates instead of the seemingly incorrect J2000 coordinates used in the previous S995 session (coordinates in 2022eyx TNS discovery report seem to be current coordinates rather than J2000 coordinates).

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 3.50.8,  AstroPlan 1.29.13,   AstroShCap 1.3.12, AstroGuard 1.7
  AstroVOE 1.9.2  AstroSN 1.7.3,  AstroProtect 1.6,  AstroMove 1.8.6
  (AstroWeather 1.16.5, AstroAllSky 3.15.3,  AstroObsCam 1.8, AstroLaunch 1.8.3)

Highlights

•  Targets.  Targets succcessfully acquired

Notes:

• DST Change. Spring daylight saving time (DST) change during session exposed deficiencies in code for plotting / displaying realtime Observing Plan & Observing Results.
  

  Summary Plots & Logs

Observing Plan

Observing Result

Dome & Scope Slewing Performance

Slew/Centering Performance

Guiding Performance Note:

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 20:58:41 Session Monitoring AutoStart monitoring for Live Session opportunity between 20:58 & 03:44 20:58:42 Session AutoStarting Session autostarting (20:58) 20:59:10 Session Created Live Session Created (2022-03-26 S00996, ImageSaveNum: 996001) 20:59:12   Scope Switched On Telescope Power has been switched on via UPB Powerbox. 21:00:56   Services Started Observatory Services started 21:01:03 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 21:01:07 Session Pending Session pending (2022-03-26) 21:01:09 Session Initiating Session initiating (2022-03-26) 21:01:11   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.29.13) 21:01:38   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (Plan ID: 754) 21:02:02   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -20°C) 21:02:09   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 21:02:33 Session Equilibration Session ready for dome & camera equilibration 21:03:18   Dome Opened Dome opened (opening time 45s) 21:04:13 Session Running Session running 21:04:16   Queue Started Observing Queue started (23 targets selected) 21:04:18     Target Started (NrZen) Target started (Focus Field 9, HIP 44139) 21:05:57       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 21:09:40       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1, wide) 21:11:51       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1) 21:11:53       Focusing Started-Foc2 Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 21:14:05       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2, wide) 21:15:50       Focusing Failed Foc2 focusing failed (failed QC check - Range) 21:15:54     Target Completed Target completed (Focus Field 9, HIP 44139) 21:16:15     Target Started (1/23) Target started (1/23, NGC 3115 w/AT2022eyx) 21:19:39       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-S) 21:37:02     Target Completed Target completed (1/23, NGC 3115 w/AT2022eyx) 21:38:15     Target Started (2/23) Target started (2/23, C/2019 L3 (ATLAS)) 21:41:13       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 21:43:37       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 3) 21:52:02     Target Completed Target completed (2/23, C/2019 L3 (ATLAS)) 21:52:06     Target Started (3/24) Target started (3/24, NGC 3115 w/AT2022eyx, ToO) 21:55:42       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 21:58:02       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 4) 22:14:11     Target Completed Target completed (3/24, NGC 3115 w/AT2022eyx, ToO) 22:14:14     Target Missed (4/24) Target's time slot was missed (4/24, 19P/Borrelly) 22:14:16     Target Started (5/24) Target started (5/24, SN 2022bnf) 22:16:17   SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend is called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars) 22:19:38 Critical Cloud Alert Critical Cloud Alert (Obs.Manager will close the Dome) 22:19:40   HardSuspend Called Hard Suspend is called due to Critical Conditions (cloud) 22:19:42     Target Aborted (5/24) Target aborted (5/24, SN 2022bnf) due to cloud 22:19:44   Queue Paused Queue paused for Session Suspension 22:19:46 Session Suspended Session suspended 22:20:33   Dome Closed Dome closed (closing time 50s) 22:24:57     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (5/24, SN 2022bnf) due to too few stars 22:25:08 Session Resuming Session resuming 22:25:53   Dome Opened Dome opened (opening time 45s) 22:25:55 Session Running Session running 22:25:57   Queue Resumed Observing Queue resumed 22:25:59     Target Started (NrZen) Target started (Focus Field 11, HIP 53798) 22:26:59       Focusing Started-Foc2 Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 22:29:10       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 5, wide) 22:30:57       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 5) 22:31:15     Target Completed Target completed (Focus Field 11, HIP 53798) 22:31:20     Target Started (6/24) Target started (6/24, UGC 5560 w/SN2022ewv) 22:34:16       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:36:29       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 6) 22:48:21   SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend is called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars) 22:52:39     Target Completed Target completed (6/24, UGC 5560 w/SN2022ewv) 22:52:41   Queue Paused Queue paused for Session Suspension 22:52:44 Session Suspended Session suspended 22:53:31   Dome Closed Dome closed (closing time 49s) 23:08:57     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (7/24, NGC 5732 w/SN2021agpf) due to cloud 23:11:34 Session Resuming Session resuming 23:12:19   Dome Opened Dome opened (opening time 45s) 23:12:21 Session Running Session running 23:12:23   Queue Resumed Observing Queue resumed 23:12:25     Target Started (8/24) Target started (8/24, 110P/Hartley) 23:14:56       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 23:17:22       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 7) 23:23:08     Target Completed Target completed (8/24, 110P/Hartley) 23:23:41     Target Aborted (9/24) Target aborted (9/24, UGC 4219 w/AT2022eya) due to Priority 1 ToO Target 23:23:45     Target Started (10/25) Target started (10/25, NGC 3115 w/AT2022eyx, ToO) 23:26:56       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 23:29:15       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 8) 23:45:24     Target Completed Target completed (10/25, NGC 3115 w/AT2022eyx, ToO) 23:46:01     Target Started (11/25) Target started (11/25, NGC 2922 w/SN2022bdu) 23:48:13   SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend is called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars) 23:49:11       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is lost (TCF-S) 23:55:09 Critical Cloud Alert Critical Cloud Alert (Obs.Manager will close the Dome) 23:55:11   HardSuspend Called Hard Suspend is called due to Critical Conditions (cloud) 23:55:14     Target Aborted (11/25) Target aborted (11/25, NGC 2922 w/SN2022bdu) due to cloud 23:55:16   Queue Paused Queue paused for Session Suspension 23:55:18 Session Suspended Session suspended 23:56:04   Dome Closed Dome closed (closing time 50s) 00:04:57     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (11/25, NGC 2922 w/SN2022bdu) due to cloud 00:26:57     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (12/25, NGC 3367 w/SN2022ewj) due to cloud 00:48:57     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (13/25, IC 3862) due to cloud 00:59:58 Obs.Monitor Frozen Obs.Monitor appears to be frozen at around 00:59 in section Sleep for Remaining Cycle 02:00:00     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (14/25, AT2022cml) due to rain 02:00:04     Target Missed (15/25) Target's time slot was missed (15/25, UGC 6312 w/SN2022eyj) 02:00:06     Target Missed (16/25) Target's time slot was missed (16/25, NGC 5718) 02:16:57     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (17/25, NGC 5746) due to cloud 02:30:57     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (18/25, AT2021agpw (CV)) due to cloud 02:41:03     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (19/25, GCVS BL Lac) due to cloud 02:58:04     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (20/25, GCVS SS Cyg) due to cloud 03:17:19     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (21/25, NGC 5427) due to cloud 03:39:19     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (22/25, NGC 5117 w/SN2022abq) due to cloud 03:53:19     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (23/25, AT2022evu (CV)) due to cloud 04:05:19     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (24/25, AT2022evv (CV)) due to cloud 04:25:31     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (25/25, GCVS SS Her) due to cloud 04:25:36   Queue Completed Job Queue completed 04:25:38 Session Closing Session closing 04:25:43   Dome Closed Dome already closed (closed at 23:56, closing time 50s) 04:25:44   Dome Parked Dome already parked (parking time is unknown) 04:26:11   Telescope Switched Off Telescope Power has been switched off via UPB Switch. 04:27:05   Services Stopped Night Services stopped 04:27:07 Session Housekeeping Housekeeping Started (Cleanup FITS, Create Fits Summary, Transfer Files) 04:27:13 Session Finished Session Finished

Session Alerts

Time     Alert Detail 02:00:00 Dome Alert DomeRecords have stopped updating 02:00:02 Obs.Monitor Obs.Monitor appears to be frozen in section Sleep for Remaining Cycle (last cycle at 00:59:58) 02:00:05 Obs.Monitor Obs.Monitor has resumed again after 60.0 mins 02:00:20 Dome Shutter Pulsar Shutter is deemed to be asleep (last fresh data was at 00:59:34) 02:00:22 Dome Alert DomeRecords have resumed updating 02:02:00 Dome Shutter Pulsar Shutter has woken up (fresh data started at 02:01:59, outage 0.0 mins)

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Operational Issues (2022-03-26, S996)

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

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Critical Issues

• None

Major Issues

• PHD2 failed with error 'Caught unhandled unknown excepton; terminating' (c. 23:00).  Problems noticed with RA guiding for NGC 3115,  and later on, (23:20) a PHD2 exception message and absent guiding for target 110/P (Hartley) were noticed.  PHD2 stopped/restarted and PHD2 client connection restarted.  Unclear what caused the error, the exception message provides little clue.   Thankfully failures/crashes of the PHD2 application are relatively rare and fortunately the issue was picked up by late evening remote monitoring of the session and then resolved before the remaining part of the night.
  Resolved In-Session  (Session, PHD2)

Minor Issues

• Bright uneven background to images of NGC 3115 (21:23).  Light was due to neighbours security light shining directly towards telescope (target at xxx ).  Target was re-imaged later in session as a Target of Opportunity (ToO).
  Closed In-Session  (Session)
   
• Observing Plan and Observing Results charts not being displayed on Current Session page (DST Related Issue).  This is a known issue associated with DST change (GMT to BST,  and vice versa). Item fixed along with other DST Issues in Sept 2022. Closed 2022-12-03
  Fixed / Closed 2022-12-03 (AstroMain/Website) 

Small Defects

• None

• Query: Issue trying to create new ASCOM Client Program (post-session).  As part of creating a new VB.Net program in VS Studio 2019 for a shell for a standalone VirtualHandbox for LX200, there were 2 show stopping issues. It was not possible to copy components from an existing project to the new project, but even more critically an MethodNotFound exception was produced when trying to access ASCOM device chooser.  Target Framework was noted to be .Net 5.0 instead of .Net Framework  4.6 ot 4.7 expected. It was not possible to select .Net Framework as the only options available from the project's properties where Net 5.0 or .Net 2.1.  In the event shell program was made by copying an existing .Net Framework 4.6.1 project (AstroGuard) for the basis of new program (VirtualHandbox2) removing components and code that wasn't necessary before adding new form/new code.   Problem was caused by selecting Windows Form App (Visual Basic) from 'Recent Project Templates' which seemed at the time to be most obvious template (the Create New Project dialog seems to have changed in VS since last used).  It was shown later that the project should be created using  "Empty Project (.Net Framework)" (Visual Basic) or "Windows Form App (.NetFramework) (Visual Basic) template.
  Resolved 2022-03-29 (MS Visual Studio)

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