David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 1128 (2023-08-13)

Notes (S1127)

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Notes (S1129)

	Session Aims & Highlights
	- Observing Result  - Night Summary Plot  - Session Event Log
	Operational Issues
	- Critical Issues (0),  Major Issues (0),  Minor Issues (1),  Small Defects (0),  Continuous Improvement (1)
	Images from 2023-08-13 >>

Session Aims & Highlights (2023-08-13)

Main aims

1. AstroMain, CCDSoft.  Check AstroMain, CCDSoft, SBIG Camera following issues in recent sessions (S1126, 2023-08-06 & S1127A, 2023-08-07)
2. Targets.  Acquire images of a selection of variable stars, nearby stars, comets & deep sky targets as allowed by sky conditions

 Equipment & Software

• 12" LX200 and ST-10XME
• 80mm APO and ZWO ASI 178MC
• CCDApp2, TheSky6, CCDSoft5, DeviceHub 6.6.1.1,  MeadeGeneric 1.3.5.414, UPB 1.5, ASCOM 6.6
• Pegasus UPB & Motor Focus, TCF-S
• SharpCap 3.2, PHD2  2.6.11dev4, Siril 1.0.6, deCONZ 1.18.2, ASCOM 6.6 SP1
   
• AstroMain 3.62.7, AstroPlan 1.38.1,   AstroShCap 1.3.15, AstroGuard 1.10.2
  AstroVOE 1.13  AstroSN 1.10,  AstroProtect 1.7,  AstroMove 1.12.4
  (AstroWeather 1.21.1, AstroAllSky 3.19.1,  AstroObsCam 1.11.4, AstroLaunch 1.10.9 (1.11.1 on Dev Computer)

Highlights

• Targets. 6 /16 planned targets were completed, with 1 further target partially completed. Other targets failed due to cloud/session suspension.
• Dome Slews. Two dome slews affected by significant hold-ups of 32 & 59s (Hold Up Stats: 2/9 slews affected, 22%, 1.5 minutes total hold-up time). 

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 23:04:45 Session Monitoring AutoStart monitoring for Live Session opportunity between 23:04 & 03:24 23:04:47 Session AutoStarting Session autostarting (23:04) 23:05:07   CCDSoft Restarting CCDSoft being restarted (to set AutoSave No.) 23:05:21 Session Created Session Created (Live, 2023-08-13 S01128, ImageSaveNum: 1128001) 23:05:48   Scope Switched On Telescope Power has been switched on via UPB Powerbox. 23:07:34   Services Started Observatory Services started 23:07:41 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 23:07:42 Session Pending Session pending (2023-08-13) 23:07:44 Session Initiating Session initiating (2023-08-13) 23:07:46   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.38.1) 23:08:31   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (Plan ID: 902) 23:09:07   CCDSoft Restarting CCDSoft being restarted (user action) 23:09:14   SBIG Camera Reset SBIG Camera being power-cycled 23:09:44   Telescope Connected Telescope connected (TheSky6) 23:10:08 Session Equilibration Session ready to Open Dome 23:10:30   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera connected (set point -10°C) 23:10:53   Dome Opened Dome opened (opening time 45s) 23:10:56 Session Running Session running 23:10:58   Queue Started Observing Queue started (16 targets selected) 23:10:59     Target Started (NrZen) Target started (Focus Field 19, HIP 93376) 23:11:12       Dome Unparked Dome unparked 23:16:45       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 23:19:06       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1, wide) 23:21:04       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1) 23:21:06       Focusing Started-Foc2 Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 23:22:48       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2, wide) 23:24:30       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2) 23:24:47     Target Completed (NrZen) Target completed (Focus Field 19, HIP 93376) 23:24:52     Target Started (1/16) Target started (1/16, NGC 5297 w/AT2023mlt) 23:28:50       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 23:31:02       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 3) 23:47:36     Target Completed Target completed (1/16, NGC 5297 w/AT2023mlt) 23:47:40     Target Started (2/16) Target started (2/16, M101 w/SN2023ixf) 23:51:25       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-S) 00:07:29     Target Completed Target completed (2/16, M101 w/SN2023ixf) 00:08:14     Target Started (3/16) Target started (3/16, UGC 9350 w/SN2023nny) 00:11:38       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:13:29       SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend is called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars) 00:14:05       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 4) 00:14:09       SoftSuspend Cancelled Soft Suspend is cancelled due to improved conditions 00:17:10       SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend is called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars) 00:20:45       SoftSuspend Cancelled Soft Suspend is cancelled due to improved conditions 00:23:15       SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend is called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars) 00:30:06       SoftSuspend Cancelled Soft Suspend is cancelled due to improved conditions 00:30:27     Target Completed Target completed (3/16, UGC 9350 w/SN2023nny) 00:30:31     Target Started (4/16) Target started (4/16, GCVS CY Lyr) 00:31:55     Dome Slew Dome slew held up at Az. 267.6, 247.1° (Total delay 32s) 00:32:36       SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend is called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars) 00:34:51       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:36:48       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 5) 00:40:40     Target Completed Target completed (4/16, GCVS CY Lyr) 00:40:42   Queue Paused Queue paused for Session Suspension 00:40:44 Session Suspending Session suspending 00:41:32   Dome Closed Dome closed (closing time 50s) 00:41:35 Session Suspended Session suspended 00:48:18 Session Resuming Session resuming 00:49:03   Dome Opened Dome opened (opening time 45s) 00:49:05 Session Running Session running 00:49:07   Queue Resumed Observing Queue resumed 00:49:10     Target Started (5/16) Target started (5/16, C/2023 E1 (ATLAS)) 01:05:06     Target Completed Target partially completed (5/16, C/2023 E1 (ATLAS)) 01:05:10     Target Started (6/16) Target started (6/16, C/2019 T4 (ATLAS)) 01:18:10     Target Completed Target completed (6/16, C/2019 T4 (ATLAS)) 01:18:14     Target Started (7/16) Target started (7/16, HIP 87937) 01:18:40       SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend is called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars) 01:25:11     Target Completed Target completed (7/16, HIP 87937) 01:25:13   Queue Paused Queue paused for Session Suspension 01:25:15 Session Suspending Session suspending 01:25:56   Dome Closed Dome closed (closing time 45s) 01:25:59 Session Suspended Session suspended 01:33:58     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (8/16, AT2023csw (CV)) due to cloud 01:53:58     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (9/16, M31 w/Nova M31 AT2023mxi) due to cloud 02:15:58     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (10/16, M33 w/AT2023nou) due to cloud 02:37:58     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (11/16, IC 1797 w/SN2023nnz) due to cloud 02:59:58     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (12/16, NGC 513 w/AT2023jpp) due to cloud 03:21:58     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (13/16, UGC 2690 w/AT2023nfg) due to cloud 03:33:20     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (14/16, GCVS HH And) due to cloud 03:41:48     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (15/16, WDS GRB 34) due to cloud 04:02:55     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (16/16, GSC 1224:29) due to cloud 04:03:00   Queue Completed Job Queue completed 04:03:06 Session Closing Session closing 04:03:11   Dome Closed Dome already closed (closed at 01:25, closing time 45s) 04:05:57     Dome Slew Dome slew held up at Az. 223.3, 222.7, 177.6° (Total delay 59s) 04:05:59   Dome Parked Dome parked (parking time 160s), Az: 90.0 deg 04:07:10   Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 67s) 04:07:25   Telescope State Handbox reads 'Scope parked Turn scope off.' 04:07:47   Telescope Switched Off Telescope Power has been switched off via UPB Switch. 04:09:14   Services Stopped Night Services stopped 04:09:17 Session Housekeeping Session Housekeeping started (Create Fits Summary, Transfer Files) 04:09:27 Session Finished Session Finished

Session Alerts & Alarms

Time     Type       Name Detail 00:31:55 Yellow Alert Dome Slew Dome slew held up at Az. 267.6, 247.1° (Total delay 32s) 04:05:57 Yellow Alert Dome Slew Dome slew held up at Az. 223.3, 222.7, 177.6° (Total delay 59s)

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Operational Issues (2023-08-13, S1128)

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

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Critical Issues

• None

Major Issues

• None

Minor Issues

• Outdoor Temperature & Humidity data (and Wind Speed) not accessible (2023-08-12 to 2023-08-15).   Fresh data is not coming through to the Weather Station for the past few days and is not available to AstroMain program for controlling dew heaters on telescope and AllSky Camera during Session S1128 (& following S1129 Session).  Outdoor Temperature/Humidty data went offline on 2023-08-11 (~ 18:00) after an attempt had been made to reset the Weather Station' base station following installation of new batteries in Wind Speed detector designed to overcome issue that fresh wind speed reading has been intermittent for the past 10 days. Eventually resolved 2023-08-16 (ahead of the S1130 Session) by moving the base station to Observatory Computer cabinat from the AllSky/Weather Computer cabinat, and performing a 'base station reset' and and 'sensor search'.   It was discovered that after resetting the Weather Station USB Hub on the AllSky/Weather Computer and reconnecting to the Weather Station's base station that it was not actually  necessary to restart AstroWeather & Virtual Weather Station programs (previously these programs have been restarted as it was thought to be necessary, but it seems not.)
  Resolved 2023-08-16 (Weather Station).

Small Defects

• None

Continuous Improvement

• Modify AstroPlan's Targets form to trim Name field when performing a search using Name.  If target name is copied in from a source it may sometimes have trailing Tab or Trailing Spaces (eg  "NGC 7640     "). These trailing characters currently prevent the search (Refresh List) facility from retrieving the target. Field value should be automatically trimmed before using in SQL query in ListTargetRows() routine.  This ticket was previously recorded as Small Defect in Session S1123 (2023-07-22).  Implemented 2023-08-19.
  Done 2023-08-19 (AstroPlan 1.38.2).

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