David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 1333 (2025-06-11)

Notes (S1332)

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Notes (S1334)

	Session Aims & Highlights
	- Observing Result  - Night Summary Plot  - Session Event Log
	Operational Issues
	- Critical Issues (0),  Major Issues (0),  Minor Issues (3),  Small Defects (3),  Continuous Improvement (2)
	- Figures (3)
	Images from 2025-06-11  >>

Session Aims & Highlights (2025-06-11)

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 1.3.12.522 , 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 3.75.2,  AstroPlan 1.43.12, AstroShCap 1.3.15, AstroGuard 1.11   (any new items or versions in bold)
  AstroMag 1.5.1, AstroVOE 1.15.1,  AstroSN 1.14,  AstroProtect 1.10.6,  AstroMove 1.16
  AstroWeather 1.27.9, AstroAllSky 3.24.4,  AstroObsCam 1.11.4 (not 1.11.5), AstroNorthCam 1.5.2, AstroLaunch 1.13.1

Highlights

• Targets.  5/6 planned target observations were completed with remainimg 1 target partially completed.
• CCD Camera. There was an issue with the CCDSoft / CCDCamera during Near Zenith Focusing but was successfully resolved by the job executor and there were no further issues in remainder of session.
•  Dome. There was no issues opening/closing the shutter during the session. Dome closed and parked at end of session ok.

Notes

Summary Plots & Logs

Observing Plan Plan not created for this session

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) Note:  The NorthCam Star Count line is unreliable and should be ignored (The AstroNorthCam 'Find' Star method is producing many false positives from clouds)

Actual Weather vs Pre-Session Weather Forecast

Session Event Log

Time     Event Detail 23:16:15 Session Monitoring AutoStart monitoring for Live Session opportunity between 23:53 & 01:21 23:16:20   AutoStart Waiting AutoStart waiting till earliest start time at 23:53 23:53:39   AutoStart Delayed Session delayed due to cloud 00:05:35 Session AutoStarting Session autostarting (00:05) 00:05:56   CCDSoft Restarting CCDSoft being restarted (to set AutoSave No.) 00:06:23   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera connected (Set point -15°C) 00:06:26 Session Created Session Created (Live, 2025-06-11 S01333, ImageSaveNum: 1333001) 00:06:31   Scope Switched On Telescope Power has been switched on via UPB Switch 00:08:19   Services Started Observatory Services started 00:08:26 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 00:08:28   AutoStart Delayed Session delayed due to cloud 00:08:31 Session Pending Session pending (2025-06-11) 00:08:33 Session Initiating Session initiating (2025-06-11) 00:08:42   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera connected (Set point -10°C) 00:08:49   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.43.12) 00:10:53   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (Plan ID: 1118) 00:11:36   Telescope Connected Telescope connected (TheSky6) 00:12:01 Session Equilibration Session ready to Open Dome 00:12:47   Dome Opened Dome opened (Opening time 46s, Zigbee 40s) 00:12:50 Session Running Session running 00:12:52   Queue Started Observing Queue started (6 targets selected) 00:12:56     Target Started (NrZen) Target started (Focus Field 16, HIP 78946) 00:13:11       Dome Unparked Dome unparked 00:16:52       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:17:56         SBIG Camera Take Image failed (Command timed-out) 00:18:00         CCDSoft Restarting CCDSoft being restarted (attempt to fix Camera Exception) 00:18:07   SBIG Camera Reset SBIG Camera being power-cycled 00:18:58         Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera connected (Set point -10°C) 00:19:06         SBIG Camera Take Image successfully completed (earlier flags are reset) 00:19:14         CCDSoft Restarting CCDSoft being restarted (attempt to fix Camera Exception) 00:19:21   SBIG Camera Reset SBIG Camera being power-cycled 00:20:44         CCDSoft Restarting CCDSoft being restarted (attempt to fix unspecified problem) 00:20:51   SBIG Camera Reset SBIG Camera being power-cycled 00:22:16         CCDSoft Restarting CCDSoft being restarted (attempt to fix unspecified problem) 00:22:23   SBIG Camera Reset SBIG Camera being power-cycled 00:23:14         Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera connected (Set point -10°C) 00:25:23       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1, wide) 00:27:47       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1) 00:27:50       Focusing Started-Foc2 Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 00:30:03       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2, wide) 00:31:55       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2) 00:32:15     Target Completed (NrZen) Target completed (Focus Field 16, HIP 78946) 00:32:19     Target Started (1/6) Target started (1/6, NGC 5957 w/SN2025fvw) 00:36:14       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:38:47       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 3) 00:52:05     Target Completed Target partially completed (1/6, NGC 5957 w/SN2025fvw) 00:52:09     Target Started (2/6) Target started (2/6, T CrB) 01:00:31     Target Completed Target completed (2/6, T CrB) 01:00:35     Target Started (3/6) Target started (3/6, AT2025kej (CV)) 01:05:09       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:07:51       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 4) 01:16:23     Target Completed Target completed (3/6, AT2025kej (CV)) 01:16:27     Target Started (4/6) Target started (4/6, GCVS CY Lyr) 01:20:31       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:22:39       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 5) 01:26:38     Target Completed Target completed (4/6, GCVS CY Lyr) 01:26:42     Target Started (5/6) Target started (5/6, AT2025md (CV)) 01:29:53       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:32:42       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 6) 01:38:43     Target Completed Target completed (5/6, AT2025md (CV)) 01:38:48     Target Started (6/6) Target started (6/6, GCVS AM Her) 01:41:51       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:44:32       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 7) 01:50:03     Target Completed Target completed (6/6, GCVS AM Her) 01:50:05   Queue Completed Job Queue completed 01:50:09 Session Closing Session closing 01:50:59   Dome Closed Dome closed (Closing time 45s, Zigbee 43s) 01:51:44   Dome Parked Dome parked (parking time 36s), Az: 90.0 deg 01:52:34   Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 43s total) 01:53:04   Telescope State Handbox reads 'Scope parked Turn scope off.' 01:53:26   Telescope Switched Off Telescope Power has been switched off via UPB Switch. 01:54:51   Services Stopped Night Services stopped 01:54:54 Session Finishing Session Finishing started (Create Fits Summary, Transfer Files) 01:55:06     Dome (Find Park) Find Park started (Search Az 88.0 to 92.0°, Step 0.2°, Narrow) 01:55:51     Dome Find Park found (Best Park Az 90.2°) 01:55:57     Dome Dome has been synced at park position (Az 90.0°, Adjustment: -0.2°) 01:55:59   Dome Parked Dome parked 01:57:49   Dome Charging Dome is parked and re-charging Ok (15mA) 01:57:52 Session Finished Session Finished

Session Alerts & Alarms

Time     Type       Name Detail 00:08:31 Yellow Alert Disk Space Free Space on C:\ Drive (49.37 GB) is less than 50 GB 00:17:56 Red Alert SBIG Camera Alert Take Image failed (Command timed-out) 00:19:06 Green Clear SBIG Camera Take Image successfully completed (earlier flags are reset) 01:57:49 Green Clear Dome Charging Dome is parked and re-charging Ok (15mA)

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Operational Issues (2025-06-11, S1333)

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

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Critical Issues

• None

Major Issues

• None

Minor Issues

• SAM III readings (Y Axis) showed anomalous increase in value followed by spiking (2025-06-11, pre-session) . There was a major anomaly in Y magnetometer readings that started at 02:21 and culminated in large spike (with a total offset of 750nT) at 03:00. The anomaly continued and there was further spiking at around 09:00  (See Fig 1). The problem occurred some 16 days after the last major anomalies with Y axis readings. The SAM III box and magnetometer were reset at 09:47 with a power off time of around 30s, as this has previously fixed the issue.  However just 73 minutes later at 11:00 there was a further large spike in Y readings.   The SAM III box and magnetometers were turned off at around 12:00 and then restarted at 12:15 (ie a power-off time of around 14 mins) This appears to have resolved the issue (for the time being).  
   Closed, but continue to monitor 2025-06-11 (SAM III)
   
• Focus Frames failed during Near Zenith Foc1 Wide Focusing (00:18). Whilst taking Focus Frame 3/23 image failed with message "Image failed (timed-out)" ad a red 'SBIG Camera Alert' was raised at 00:17:56 with the message  "Take Image failed (Command timed-out)"  Log file shows CCDCamera is Pending in GetCamearaProperties IsExposureComplete.  Job Executor made 4 RestartCCDSoft() calls and eventually issue was resolved at 00:23 taking Focus Frame 5/23*.  Attempts to Connect Camera after the first 3 attempts to RestartCCDSoft failed due to exceptions "SBIG driver : Operating System Error : Error code=1032" and "SBIG driver: Device not found".  After the final successful RestartCCDsoft operation there were no further Camera issues during the remainder of this session.  Closed after review.
   Closed after review 2025-06-12 (CCDCamera/CCDSoft)
   
• Focus Frames being started whilst Reconnect Camera is still checking/changing Camera Filter (00:23).   Following an issue whilst taking Focus Frame 3/23 four RestartCCDSoft() operations were called which eventually resolved the Camera problem but there were two incidences of an issue whereby the next Focus Frame is started whilst Reconnect Camera is still checking the Filter setting and changing it from Ha to C. This causes interlacing of report messages and might potentially lead to focus frames being taken through Ha filter instead of the C Filter.  The issue is ranked as a bug, as this is clearly not the intended behaviour The bRunningConnectCamera flag should be checked before continuing . The gCameraConnected flag can't be used  as this is set True when Camera is successfully connected, but this doesn't mean that it is necessarily ready to be used.   The call to RunTakeQuickFocusShot() from MeasureFocusProfile_Foc1()  should be held until RestartCCDSoft operation is fully completed. Issue to being investigated.  At  log file shows  MeasureFocusProfile_Foc1()  going into a wait loop at 00:22:14 with message "Holding FocusProfile whilst CCDSoft/SBIG Camera are restarted"  but exiting upon a 60s timeout at 00:23:14 which is before the RestartCCDSoft operation was completed. Fixed  in AstroMain 3.75.3,  the timeout has been increased to 90s.
   Fixed 2025-06-12 (AstroMain 3.75.3)

Small Defects

• 'SBIG Camera Reset' events are not using the new 'auto' level facility (00:18 - 00:23). A new facility was recent added to AstroMain (S1327, 2025-05-30) to make SBIG Camera related events to be appropriately intented in the Session Events table using a special level code gEventLevel.  Whilst this working appropriately for 'SBIG Camera' and 'CCDSoft Restarting', 'Camera Connected' it isn't working for 'SBIG Camera Reset' event which is continuing to using Event Level 2 rather than Level 4.  Issue fixed in AstroMain 3.75.3.
   Fixed 2025-06-12 (AstroMain 3.75.3)
   
• Certain calls to CCDCamera are unexpectedly being made whilst CCDSoft/Camera is being restarted (00:18).  Whilst CCDSoft/Camera were being restarted at 00:18 there was an unexpectely call/exception from CcdCamaera.SetProperty Asynochronous at 00:18:01.53.  Prior to this log records "Set Asynchronous(0) timed out after 2s" at 00:17:58.44.  Given that the call to RestartCCDSoft was made at 00:18:00.45 it is likely that the exception at 00:18:01.53 was due to CCDCamera being released by the 'Kill CCDSoft' operation and the exception message was not totally unexpected or avoidable (and therefore the call wasn't made whilst CCDSoft was being restarted as the issue title implies). The only calls to CCDCamera.Asynchronous (eg. CCDCamera.Asynchronous = 1, CCDCamera.Asynchronous = 0) are made from the TakeImageAsync() routine.   A fix/mitigation made in AstroMain 3.75.3, a condition is added to TakeImageAsync) routine so that CCDCamera.Asynchronous = 0 isn't called if bSbigDriverException flag has been raised by an Image TimeOut.
   Fixed  2025-06-13 (AstroMain 3.75.3)
   
• 'Live' Stackplot Charts produced by AstroMag on Observatory Computer are missing around 10 minutes of data at the end of each UT day.  This is likely a sideeffect of new handling in AstroMag to not make repeated calls to download data from Comparison Site (sol, kar, bfe, roe) for previous days.  Whilst AstroMag has code that tries to stop this happening around the switch from one date to the next using a 1 hour 'buffer' ,  this would appear not be sufficient, and the 'buffer' should be increased to 1.5 hours.   Issue fixed in AstroMag  1.5.2.
   Fixed 2025-06-13 (AstroMag 1.5.2)

Continuous Improvement

• Query : An anomalous Subsurface Temperature reduction is recorded at precisely the same time as a major geomagnetic event (2025-06-13 00:00) Subsurface Temperatures measured using the DS18B20 Temperature Sensor Probe that is co-located with the Magnetometer Sensors show an anomalous 0.2°C reduction in temperature for a period of 1 hour on 2025-06-13 between 00:00 to 01:00 UT (see Fig 3) . This appears to be precisly coincident with the peak of a major geomagnetic event (see Fig 2).  Rather than a real reduction in temperature it is hypothesized that this an effect of cross-talk / interference with the electric signals passing in the wires from Magnetometer Sensors that run parallel to the Temperature Sensor cable for 10m back to the Observatory or within buried Sensor Assembly itself.  Reviewed and answered as best as possible.
   Closed 2025-06-13 (SAM III, DS18B20 Temperature Sensor)
   
• Shorten the ImageTimeOut point for Focus Subframes. TakeImageSync() routine sets a timepoint point to continue looking for IsExposureComplete before it gives up and tries to instigate remedial action such as calling RestartCCDSoft..  This timeout point uses the maximum time based on 1x1 frame and includes a 10s tolerance.  The time is overly long when attempting a Focus Subrame where Image Failures often occur.   When Exp < 1 and bSubFrame is true the timepoint is based on '3 + Exp + 4'  (ie around 7-8s) .
   Fixed  2025-06-13 (AstroMain 3.75.3)

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