David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 1286 (2024-12-20)

Notes (S1285)

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Notes (S1287)

	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 (6)
	Images from 2024-12-20 >>

Session Aims & Highlights (2024-12-20)

Main aims

1. 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
• TheSky6, CCDSoft5, DeviceHub 7.0.3 RC3.4694, MeadeGeneric 1.3.11.514 , UPB 1.5,  Pulsar Dome Firmware 1.51 & Driver 6.3.10
• Pegasus UPB & Motor Focus, TCF-S 6.0.6
• SharpCap 3.2, PHD2  2.6.13, Siril 1.0.6, deCONZ 1.18.2, ASCOM 7.0.3 RC3
• [ DomeLink 1.0 / 1.1 - not used ]
   
• AstroMain 3.73.9,  AstroPlan 1.42.5  AstroShCap 1.3.15, AstroGuard 1.10.6   (any new items or versions in bold)
  AstroVOE 1.15.1,  AstroSN 1.14,  AstroProtect 1.10.6,  AstroMove 1.14   
  AstroWeather 1.27.2, AstroAllSky 3.22,  AstroObsCam 1.11.4 (not 1.11.5), AstroColorCam 1.1.7, AstroLaunch 1.11.12

Highlights

• Targets. 13/41 planned targets observations were completed.  Remaining targets failed due to cloud or were cancelled due to early ending of the session due to developing cloud & forecast bad weather.
•   Dome. There was no issues opening/closing the shutter during session. Dome closed and parked at end of session Ok

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 18:16:29 Session Monitoring AutoStart monitoring for Live Session opportunity between 18:16 & 06:25 18:16:30 Session AutoStarting Session autostarting (18:16) 18:16:51   CCDSoft Restarting CCDSoft being restarted (to set AutoSave No.) 18:17:18   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera connected (Set point -25°C) 18:17:20 Session Created Session Created (Live, 2024-12-20 S01286, ImageSaveNum: 1286001) 18:17:25   Scope Switched On Telescope Power has been switched on via UPB Powerbox. 18:19:20   Services Started Observatory Services started 18:19:28 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 18:19:31 Session Pending Session pending (2024-12-20) 18:19:33 Session Initiating Session initiating (2024-12-20) 18:19:42   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera connected (Set point -20°C) 18:19:49   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.42.5) 18:20:36   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (Plan ID: 1069) 18:21:16   Telescope Connected Telescope connected (TheSky6) 18:21:41 Session Equilibration Session ready to Open Dome 18:22:26   Dome Opened Dome opened (Opening time 45s, Zigbee 40s) 18:22:51 Session Running Session running 18:22:54   Queue Started Observing Queue started (41 targets selected) 18:22:56     Target Started (NrZen) Target started (Focus Field 1, HIP 4911) 18:23:13       Dome Unparked Dome unparked 18:26:20       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 18:29:10       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1, wide) 18:31:28       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1) 18:31:30       Focusing Started-Foc2 Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 18:33:26       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2, wide) 18:35:17       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2) 18:35:35     Target Completed (NrZen) Target completed (Focus Field 1, HIP 4911) 18:36:18     Target Started (1/41) Target started (1/41, C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS)) 18:40:58       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 18:43:31       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 3) 18:50:48     Target Completed Target completed (1/41, C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS)) 18:50:52     Target Started (2/41) Target started (2/41, AT2022ymv) 18:54:03       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 18:56:35       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 4) 19:12:35     Target Completed Target completed (2/41, AT2022ymv) 19:12:40     Target Started (3/41) Target started (3/41, GCVS SS Cyg) 19:15:57       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 19:18:28       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 5) 19:22:58     Target Completed Target completed (3/41, GCVS SS Cyg) 19:23:02     Target Started (4/41) Target started (4/41, UGCA 15) 19:27:10       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is lost (TCF-S) 19:43:46     Target Completed Target completed (4/41, UGCA 15) 19:44:10     Target Started (5/41) Target started (5/41, AT2024zys (CV)) 19:47:44       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 19:50:36       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 6) 19:54:52     Target Completed Target completed (5/41, AT2024zys (CV)) 19:54:56     Target Started (6/41) Target started (6/41, GCVS BL Lac) 19:58:46       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 20:01:21       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 7) 20:05:20     Target Completed Target completed (6/41, GCVS BL Lac) 20:05:25     Target Started (7/41) Target started (7/41, IC 1953) 20:29:09     Target Completed Target completed (7/41, IC 1953) 20:29:13     Target Started (8/41) Target started (8/41, UGCA 22) 20:33:18       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-S) 20:50:11     Target Completed Target completed (8/41, UGCA 22) 20:50:15     Target Started (9/41) Target started (9/41, MRK 0628 w/SN2024aakr) 20:54:35       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is lost (TCF-S) 21:11:00     Target Completed Target completed (9/41, MRK 0628 w/SN2024aakr) 21:11:36     Target Started (10/41) Target started (10/41, AT2024accj) 21:15:11       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 21:17:59       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 8) 21:32:25       SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars) 21:32:35       SoftSuspend Cancelled Soft Suspend is cancelled due to improved conditions 21:34:40     Target Completed Target completed (10/41, AT2024accj) 21:34:45     Target Started (11/41) Target started (11/41, AT2024vid) 21:39:00       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-S) 21:50:51     Target Completed Target completed (11/41, AT2024vid) 21:51:07       SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars) 21:51:09   Queue Paused Observing Queue pausing for Session Suspension 21:51:12 Session Suspending Session suspending 21:52:02   Dome Closed Dome closed (Closing time 50s, Zigbee 43s) 21:52:04 Session Suspended Session suspended 21:59:55     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (12/41, GCVS TV Cas) due to cloud 22:02:13 Session Resuming Session resuming 22:02:58   Dome Opened Dome opened (Opening time 45s, Zigbee 40s) 22:03:01 Session Running Session running 22:03:03   Queue Resumed Observing Queue resumed 22:03:05     Target Started (13/41) Target started (13/41, M31 w/AT2023ufk) 22:06:24       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:09:14       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 9) 22:25:00       SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars) 22:25:35       SoftSuspend Cancelled Soft Suspend is cancelled due to improved conditions 22:25:49     Target Completed Target completed (13/41, M31 w/AT2023ufk) 22:25:53     Target Started (14/41) Target started (14/41, UGCA 90) 22:35:01       SoftSuspend Called Soft Suspend called due to Deteriorating Conditions (too few stars) 22:48:12     Target Completed Target completed (14/41, UGCA 90) 22:48:14   Queue Paused Queue paused for Session Suspension 22:48:16 Session Suspending Session suspending 22:49:03   Dome Closed Dome closed (Closing time 50s, Zigbee 43s) 22:49:05 Session Suspended Session suspended 23:03:39     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (15/41, IC 438) due to cloud 23:17:41     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (16/41, GCVS DX Cnc) due to cloud 23:24:59     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (17/41, GCVS SY Cnc) due to cloud 23:36:44     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (18/41, AT2023cwc (CV)) due to cloud 23:43:13 User Intervention User request to close and finish session 23:43:16   Queue Aborted Job Queue aborted 23:43:18 Session Closing Session closing 23:43:23   Dome Closed Dome already closed (closed at 22:49, closing time 50s, zigbee 43s) 23:44:17   Dome Parked Dome parked (parking time 46s), Az: 90.1 deg 23:44:51   Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 30s total) 23:45:15   Telescope State Handbox reads 'Scope parked Turn scope off.' 23:45:37   Telescope Switched Off Telescope Power has been switched off via UPB Switch. 23:47:00   Services Stopped Night Services stopped 23:47:03 Session Finishing Session Finishing started (Create Fits Summary, Transfer Files) 23:47:20     Dome (Find Park) Find Park started (Search Az 88.0 to 92.0°, Step 0.2°, Narrow) 23:48:04     Dome Find Park found (Best Park Az 90.6°) 23:48:09     Dome Dome has been synced at park position (Az 90.0°, Adjustment: -0.7°) 23:48:11   Dome Parked Dome parked 23:49:58   Dome Charging Dome is parked and re-charging Ok (20mA) 23:50:00 Session Finished Session Finished

Session Alerts & Alarms

Time     Type       Name Detail 23:49:58 Green Clear Dome Charging Dome is parked and re-charging Ok (20mA)

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Operational Issues (2024-12-20 S1286)

• Critical Issues (0)
• Major Issues (0)
• Minor Issues (0)
• Small Defects (1)
• Continuous Improvement (6)
  

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Critical Issues

• None

Major Issues

• None

Minor Issues

• None

Small Defects

• AstroWeather graphs give misleading impression that wind gusts are capping out at 40 mph (2024-12-22). During storm today (2024-12-22), the wind speed graphs show wind gust (red line) capping odd at 40 mph. This is the Y axis max value and the current code plots wind gust at the graph max Y-Axis value (40).  This gives a false / misleading view about the maximum wind speed encountered.  Fixed in AstroWeather 1.27.3, wind gust and indeed wind speed are allowed to plot outside the Y axis. Wind above 48 mph wouldn't show on the chart, but the graph line will indicate that the speed is higher than this and wouldn't flat line at 48 (like it was doing with the earlier artificial 40 mph cap)
  Fixed 2024-12-22 (AstroWeather 1.27.3)

Continuous Improvement

• Create a 24h NorthCam video at the end of each NightDate (Session) and upload to Website. Implemented in AstroColorCam 1.2 , by addition of new BuildSessionVideoByThread() & BuildSessionVideo() routines with modification to BuildMp4FromJPG() to make it more generalised. A bBuildingVideo flag indictes whether a video is currently being built or not and is designed to avoid more than one video being built at the same time.
  The new routines creates NorthCam.LatestSessionVideo.mp4 & NorthCam.LatestSessionPoster.jpg files in the /Server folder,  and also save the video in '/TapoCam/Videos' folder with name in format "NorthCam.yyyy-mm-dd.Live.mp4.   AstroAllSky 3.22.2 modified to support uploading of new 24h NorthCam video files from the server folder to Observatory website.
  Done 2024-12-21 (AstroColorCam 1.2)
   
• Add a Video Tab to AstroColorCam program with data fields, button and routines to create a custom NorthCam Video.  Implemented in AstroColorCam 1.2 , by addition of new tab (TabVideo), Session, Start Time, End Time & Suffix text boxes, a 'Create Video' button and a Status field to show the progress of the video creation.  Videos created via this new tab are stored in '/TapoCam/Videos' folder with name in format "NorthCam.yyyy-mm-dd.Suffix.mp4.  Future development will allow gamma correction to be made to the pictures.
  Done 2024-12-21 (AstroColorCam 1.2)
   
• Modify AstroColorCam to create a custom NorthCam Video using a specified gamma correction. A newly added Video Tab enables the creation of a custom Video between two specified times or for an entire session.  It is proposed to extend functionality to use a user specified gamma correction (taken from a new Text Box) to adjust each frame used in the video. Implemented in AstroColorCam 1.2.1.  Also added option to calculate & display a prototype Aurora Flag.
  Done 2024-12-22 (AstroColorCam 1.2.1)
   
• Modify AstroColorCam to user a user-specified gamma correction for NorthCam Night Keogram.  Implemented in AstroColorCam 1.2.1, using new text box (txtNightKeogramGamma).
  Done 2024-12-22 (AstroColorCam 1.2.1)
   
• Enable AstroLaunch's VNC Tab when running on AllSky/Weather Computer. Enabling VNC Tab on AllSky/Weather Computer might allow a connection to be made to the Observatory Computer in the event that a remote connection to the Observatory Computer can't be made directly from the Development/Analysis Computer for some reason.  Implemented in AstroLaunch 1.11.13.
  Done 2024-12-23 (AstroLaunch 1.11.13)
   
• Write SunAlt and Wind value to NorthCam Image metadata. Adding Sun Altitude to image file's metadata would allow Day/Night Images to be differentiated, and used for custom processing.   Proof of concept code has been built in AstroColorCam 1.2.1. Options are to embed the required data into Comments line. If putting data into a custom property id, it can't be seen by Windows File Properties, so would need some othe
  Done 2024-12-22 (AstroColorCam 1.2.1)

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