David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 1002 (2022-04-21)

Notes (S1001)

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Notes (S1003)

	Session Aims & Highlights
	- Observing Result  - Night Summary Plot  - Session Event Log
	Operational Issues
	- Critical Issues (0),  Major Issues (0),  Minor Issues (1),  Small Defects (3),  Continuous Improvement (2)
	Images from 2022-04-21 >>         [ Local Files >> ]

Session Aims & Highlights (2022-04-21)

Main aims

1. Targets.  Acquire images of a selection of variable stars, nearby stars, comets & deep sky targets as allowed by time & conditions.
2. ARP Galaxies in UMa. Acquire images of previously un-imaged ARP Galaxies in constellation of Ursa Major (UMa)
3. AstroMain.  Check out new AstroMain version 3.50.11

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 3.50.11,  AstroPlan 1.29.14,   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.  17 targets successfully acquired.
•  ARP Galaxies in UMa.  9 ARP targets successfully acquired of which 7 hadn't been previously imaged.
•  AstroMain.  AstroMain version 3.50.11 ran ok without introducing any new issues.

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 19:28:42 Session Monitoring AutoStart monitoring for Live Session opportunity between 21:43 & 03:18 19:28:43   AutoStart Waiting AutoStart waiting till earliest start time at 21:43 21:43:09   AutoStart Delayed Session delayed due to too few stars 21:55:56 Session AutoStarting Session autostarting (21:55) 21:56:24 Session Created Live Session Created (2022-04-21 S01002, ImageSaveNum: 1002001) 21:56:26   Scope Switched On Telescope Power has been switched on via UPB Powerbox. 21:58:08   Services Started Observatory Services started 21:58:14 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 21:58:16 Session Pending Session pending (2022-04-21) 21:58:18 Session Initiating Session initiating (2022-04-21) 21:58:20   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.29.14) 21:59:00   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (Plan ID: 760) 21:59:21   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera Connected (set point -15°C) 21:59:28   Telescope Connected Telescope Connected (TheSky6) 21:59:52 Session Equilibration Session ready for dome & camera equilibration 22:00:37   Dome Opened Dome opened (opening time 45s) 22:01:22 Session Running Session running 22:01:24   Queue Started Observing Queue started (17 targets selected) 22:01:27     Target Started (NrZen) Target started (Focus Field 11, HIP 53798) 22:03:11       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:06:30       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1, wide) 22:08:30       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1) 22:08:32       Focusing Started-Foc2 Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 22:10:43       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2, wide) 22:12:29       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2) 22:12:47     Target Completed Target completed (Focus Field 11, HIP 53798) 22:13:24     Target Started (1/17) Target started (1/17, NGC 3712) 22:16:59       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-S) 22:33:01     Target Completed Target completed (1/17, NGC 3712) 22:35:24     Target Started (2/17) Target started (2/17, NGC 3738) 22:39:02       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:41:18       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 3) 22:57:36     Target Completed Target completed (2/17, NGC 3738) 22:57:40     Target Started (3/17) Target started (3/17, UGC 6945) 23:02:08       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is lost (TCF-S) 23:18:02     Target Completed Target completed (3/17, UGC 6945) 23:19:24     Target Started (4/17) Target started (4/17, NGC 4395 w/AT2022fmn) 23:22:48       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - unable to find a star (TCF-S) 23:39:03     Target Completed Target completed (4/17, NGC 4395 w/AT2022fmn) 23:41:24     Target Started (5/17) Target started (5/17, UGC 8335) 23:45:16       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 23:47:43       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 4) 00:04:43     Target Completed Target completed (5/17, UGC 8335) 00:04:47     Target Started (6/17) Target started (6/17, NGC 3759A w/SN2022hnt) 00:08:41       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:11:08       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 5) 00:28:28     Target Completed Target completed (6/17, NGC 3759A w/SN2022hnt) 00:28:32     Target Started (7/17) Target started (7/17, NGC 4647 w/SN2022hrs) 00:32:02       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is lost (TCF-S) 00:48:19     Target Completed Target completed (7/17, NGC 4647 w/SN2022hrs) 00:48:23     Target Started (8/17) Target started (8/17, NGC 5117 w/SN2022abq) 00:51:44       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is lost (TCF-S) 01:08:06     Target Completed Target completed (8/17, NGC 5117 w/SN2022abq) 01:09:24     Target Started (9/17) Target started (9/17, NGC 5279) 01:12:25       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:14:36       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 6) 01:30:38     Target Completed Target completed (9/17, NGC 5279) 01:31:24     Target Started (10/17) Target started (10/17, NGC 4194) 01:34:23       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is lost (TCF-S) 01:50:15     Target Completed Target completed (10/17, NGC 4194) 01:53:24     Target Started (11/17) Target started (11/17, NGC 4545 w/SN2022fuc) 01:56:27       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:58:38       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 7) 02:15:10     Target Completed Target completed (11/17, NGC 4545 w/SN2022fuc) 02:15:24     Target Started (12/17) Target started (12/17, NGC 3631) 02:21:07       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is lost (TCF-S) 02:37:34     Target Completed Target completed (12/17, NGC 3631) 02:37:38     Target Started (13/17) Target started (13/17, ARP 151) 02:40:23       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:42:44       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 8) 02:58:42     Target Completed Target completed (13/17, ARP 151) 02:59:24     Target Started (14/17) Target started (14/17, ARP 148) 03:02:07       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - unable to find a star (TCF-S) 03:18:31     Target Completed Target completed (14/17, ARP 148) 03:21:24     Target Started (15/17) Target started (15/17, GCVS BL Lac) 03:24:46       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:27:02       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 9) 03:31:08     Target Completed Target completed (15/17, GCVS BL Lac) 03:31:30     Target Started (16/17) Target started (16/17, GCVS SS Cyg) 03:34:14       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:36:30       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 10) 03:40:56     Target Completed Target completed (16/17, GCVS SS Cyg) 03:47:47     Target Started (17/17) Target started (17/17, NGC 7217 w/AT2022gyc) 03:50:49       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:53:16       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 11) 04:09:33     Target Completed Target completed (17/17, NGC 7217 w/AT2022gyc) 04:09:36   Queue Completed Job Queue completed 04:09:38 Session Closing Session closing 04:10:33   Dome Closed Dome closed (closing time 50s) 04:10:49   Dome Parked Dome parked (parking time 9s), Az: 90.0 deg 04:12:07   Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 73s) 04:12:23   Telescope State Scope parked Turn scope off. (Handbox) 04:12:45   Telescope Switched Off Telescope Power has been switched off via UPB Switch. 04:13:40   Services Stopped Night Services stopped 04:13:42 Session Housekeeping Housekeeping Started (Cleanup FITS, Create Fits Summary, Transfer Files) 04:13:54 Session Finished Session Finished

Session Alerts

Time     Alert Detail 02:08:52 Dome Dome has been stationary for more than 15 mins 02:15:33 Dome Dome Movements have begun again (outage 21.9 mins)

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Operational Issues (2022-04-21, S1002)

• Critical Issues (0)
• Major Issues (0)
• Minor Issues (1)
• Small Defects (3)
• Continuous Improvement (2)

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Critical Issues

• None

Major Issues

• None

Minor Issues

• Images of Target 2/17 (NGC 3738) were unacceptably trailed due to failed guiding.  Target was positioned at Az 162°, Az 86.5° and guiding failed because the guidescope's view of the night sky was obscured by the observatory roof, even though the main scope could see the sky. Stars in 3x180  This is a common issue for targets which lie close to zenith for some/most of the image time.  To avoid this issue targets shouldn't be included in the observing plan at times where it's position lies close to zenith.  Fixed in AstroPlan 1.29.15, Altitude checked against GuidingMaxAltCutoff (84°) in GetAltScore() routine.
  Fixed 2022-04-24 (AstroPlan 1.29.15) 

Small Defects

• AstroMain and AstroPlan fails to recognise transients of TnsType 'SN' as being supernova  but insists it is a simple AT  transients. Problem has occurred for 2022hnt in NGC 3759A .  AstroSN reads the Rochester Supernova data file (snname.html) and passes the TnsType (in this case 'SN') onto the targets database. AstroMain & AstroPlan currently expects Supernova to have a TNS type starting with "I" (ie Ia, II etc)  and if it doesn't (including type SN) it is interpreteted to be a simple AT transient object, rather than a SN object.  If Targets Database is edited to write type 'II' instead of 'SN' the field is overwritten with 'SN' the next time that AstroSN program is run.  AstroPlan needs to be modified to identify 'SN' as being a supernova.  2022hnt is understood to be a type II supernova (according to TNS object page) but its TNS classification page gives it as type SN.
  AstroSN special case handling added so that if .ID = "2022hnt" and .TnsType = "SN" then  .TnsType = "II"
  Fixed 2022-04-25 (AstroMain 3.51.1,  AstroPlan 1.30.1 ) 
   
• AstroPlan fails to recognise transients with TnsType 'SN' as being supernova (SN)  and incorrectly loads them to 'Transients' project rather than to 'Supernovae' Project.   Problem has occurred for 2022hnt in NGC 3759A .  AstroSN reads the Rochester Supernova data file (snname.html) and if it is a new transient meets certain criteria it loads it to the Targets Database into the appropriate project. If TnsType starts with "I" (ie Ia, II etc) the transient is loaded to the 'Supernovae' project but if TnsType is ''SN' the transient is loaded instead to 'Transients' project.   AstroSN fixed to recognise 'SN' as a transient.
  Fixed 2022-04-25 (AstroSN 1.8.1 ) 
   
• AstroMain fails to recognise 2022hnt in NGC 3759A as a Type II supernova (SN 2022hnt) but insists it is a simple transient (AT 2022hnt). Whilst separate fixes have been made for AstroMain and AstroPlan for them to recognise TnsType 'SN' transients as being Supernovae, further handling is needed for Type II classification to be recognised. Instead of manual editing each time the object is imaged, special case code has been added to AstroSN 1.8.1 so  if .ID = "2022hnt" and .TnsType = "SN" then .TnsType = "II".
  Fixed 2022-04-25 (AstroSN 1.8.1 ) 

• Add button to AstroPlan Targets form that opens Target List Form with list of targets belonging to the Project that the current target belongs to.  Routine can be based on the code used by 'View Targets' button on Project Form
  Fixed 2022-04-25 (AstroPlan 1.30.1 ) 
   
• Increase initial uploading delay when AstroPlan is started. Increase delay coutdown from 15s to 20s, to give additional time for user to reach the form and opt to uncheck the 'Upload Complete FileSet At Start' checkbox.
  Fixed 2022-04-25 (AstroPlan 1.30.1 ) 

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