David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 1334 (2025-06-13)

Notes (S1333)

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Notes (S1334)

	Session Aims & Highlights
	- Observing Result  - Night Summary Plot  - Session Event Log
	Operational Issues
	- Critical Issues (0),  Major Issues (1),  Minor Issues (1),  Small Defects (0),  Continuous Improvement (0)
	- Figures (5)
	Images from 2025-06-13  >>
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Session Aims & Highlights (2025-06-13)

Main aims

1. Targets.  Acquire images of a selection of variable stars, nearby stars, comets & deep sky targets as allowed by sky conditions and the short summer night.

 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 3.75.3,  AstroPlan 1.43.12, AstroShCap 1.3.15, AstroGuard 1.11   (any new items or versions in bold)
  AstroMag 1.5.2, 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.  5/5 planned target observations were completed.
• CCD Camera. There were no issues with the CCDSoft / CCDCamera during the 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 23:49:21   CCDSoft Restarting CCDSoft being restarted (to set AutoSave No.) 23:49:48   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera connected (Set point -10°C) 23:49:51 Session Created Session Created (Live, 2025-06-13 S01334, ImageSaveNum: 1334001) 23:49:56   Scope Switched On Telescope Power has been switched on via UPB Switch 23:51:44   Services Started Observatory Services started 23:53:20 Observatory (Manual) Observatory placed in Manual Mode 23:59:00 User Intervention User Intervention to reconnect TheSky Telescope and reintiate AutoStart 23:59:47   Telescope Connected Telescope connected (TheSky6) 00:00:18 Session Monitoring AutoStart monitoring for Live Session opportunity between 00:00 & 01:17 00:00:20 Observatory (AutoStart) Observatory placed in Auto-Start Mode 00:00:21 Session AutoStarting Session autostarting (00:00) 00:00:33   Services Started Observatory Services started 00:00:38 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 00:00:42 Session Pending Session pending (2025-06-13) 00:00:44 Session Initiating Session initiating (2025-06-13) 00:00:53   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera connected (Set point -10°C) 00:01:00   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.43.12) 00:03:04   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (Plan ID: 1119) 00:03:47   Telescope Connected Telescope connected (TheSky6) 00:04:11 Session Equilibration Session ready to Open Dome 00:04:57   Dome Opened Dome opened (Opening time 45s, Zigbee 40s) 00:04:58   Equilibration Started Dome Equilibration started 00:09:02   Equilibration Ended Dome Equilibration ended (4.1 mins total) 00:09:04 Session Running Session running 00:09:05   Queue Started Observing Queue started (5 targets selected) 00:09:07     Target Started (NrZen) Target started (Focus Field 16, HIP 78946) 00:09:21       Dome Unparked Dome unparked 00:13:12       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:16:16       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1, wide) 00:18:39       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1) 00:18:41       Focusing Started-Foc2 Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 00:20:55       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2, wide) 00:22:46       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2) 00:23:05     Target Completed (NrZen) Target completed (Focus Field 16, HIP 78946) 00:23:09     Target Started (1/5) Target started (1/5, GCVS R CrB) 00:27:33       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:29:48       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 3) 00:33:17     Target Completed Target completed (1/5, GCVS R CrB) 00:33:21     Target Started (2/5) Target started (2/5, UGC 10058 w/SN2025gvs) 00:37:13       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:40:02       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 4) 00:57:04     Target Completed Target completed (2/5, UGC 10058 w/SN2025gvs) 00:57:08     Target Started (3/5) Target started (3/5, T CrB) 01:00:30       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:03:08       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 5) 01:08:03     Target Completed Target completed (3/5, T CrB) 01:08:08     Target Started (4/5) Target started (4/5, 2MFGC 13744 w/SN2024afyu) 01:12:03       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:15:08       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 6) 01:32:19     Target Completed Target completed (4/5, 2MFGC 13744 w/SN2024afyu) 01:32:23     Target Started (5/5) Target started (5/5, NGC 6685 w/SN2023ndu) 01:52:00     Target Completed Target completed (5/5, NGC 6685 w/SN2023ndu) 01:52:02   Queue Completed Job Queue completed 01:52:05 Session Closing Session closing 01:52:58   Dome Closed Dome closed (Closing time 50s, Zigbee 43s) 01:53:39   Dome Parked Dome parked (parking time 34s), Az: 90.0 deg 01:54:25   Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 41s total) 01:54:49   Telescope State Handbox reads 'Scope parked Turn scope off.' 01:55:11   Telescope Switched Off Telescope Power has been switched off via UPB Switch. 01:56:35   Services Stopped Night Services stopped 01:56:38 Session Finishing Session Finishing started (Create Fits Summary, Transfer Files) 01:56:45     Dome (Find Park) Find Park started (Search Az 88.0 to 92.0°, Step 0.2°, Narrow) 01:57:29     Dome Find Park found (Best Park Az 90.0°) 01:59:43   Dome Charging Dome is parked and re-charging Ok (16mA) 01:59:45 Session Finished Session Finished

Session Alerts & Alarms

Time     Type       Name Detail 23:53:20 Red Alarm Telescope Alert TheSky's scope is reporting a RA=0/Dec=0 position or is not connected. 23:53:22 Red Alert Observatory Mode Obs.Manager has put Observatory back to manual mode (problem with TheSky telescope 01:59:43 Green Clear Dome Charging Dome is parked and re-charging Ok (16mA)

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Operational Issues (2025-06-13, S1334)

• Critical Issues (0)
• Major Issues (1)
• Minor Issues (1)
• Small Defects (0)
• Continuous Improvement (0)
• Figures (5)
  

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Critical Issues

• None

Major Issues

• A red 'Telescope Alert' was raised with message "TheSky's scope is reporting a RA=0/Dec=0 position.." and Observatory was put back to manual mode (23:53).  After initiating AutoStart (23:49:19) , starting Telescope Power (23:49:56), connecting ASCOM Telesope (23:51:09), and checking  a red "Telescope Alert' was raised at 23:53:20 with the message at "TheSky's scope is reporting a RA=0/Dec=0 position or is not connected", and as per design the Obs.Manager put the Observatory back to manual mode.  User monitoring spotted that the failure in AutoStart operation and intervened to assess the situation,  to disconnect/reconnect the telescope connection in TheSky6 and re-initiate AutoStart.  Whilst AstroMain appeared to operate as per design, the issue is ranked Major since the issue would have prevented the session from making any target observations, if user hadn't intervened.  The timing of the error message "TheSky's scope is reporting a RA=0/Dec=0 position..." is anomalous, as TheSky.Telescope wouldn't normally be connected at this point in the AutoStart process (TheSky6 telescope is normally connected to during the Starting Stage later on). Logs show that at the point where red alert was raised the ScopeMonitor had been pending for 90s. (having been pending since 23:41:47 (around 3s after Scope was deemed Connected).  The scope monitor was logged as resuming at 23:53:20.00 which was 10ms before the "TheSky's scope is reporting a RA=0/Dec=0 position or is not connected" message was logged.  The alert & code to place the Session back into Manual Mode is made in the 'AutoStartSession()' routine when 'TheSkyScopeHasCoords() = False'.  Whilst TheSky.Telescope isn't  reported to be Connected until the Starting Stage,  AutoStartSession does in fact make a call to ConnectTelescopeQuiet  to check that TheSky6.Telescope is functioning before overly committing to the Session Start. It would seem that issue arose as one of the periodic 90s 'outages' in TheSky6 coincidentally occurred at this time.  Tracing added to ConnectTelescopeQuiet() to show when this routine is accessed.  Normally around 12s pass between the post-connect Handbox check and finishing AutoStartSession and moving to 'Fully Automated Mode / Pending Stage'. However in S1334 at least 90s were taken up indicating the AutoSessionStart was held up waiting for TheSky6.  Fix attempted in AstroMain 3.75.4.  Extra code added to AutoStartSession()  to try to prevent this issue by spotting that a delay to ConnectTelescopeQuiet() has occurred and to make a repeat call to ConnectTelescopeQuiet() after 90-95s.
   Fix attempted  2025-06-14 (Session, TheSky6, AstroMain 3.75.4)

Minor Issues

• SAM III readings showing anomalous trends (2025-06-14).  Beginning at around 2025-06-14 13:00 UT  X and Y magnetometer readings began anomalous increase in values that wasn't observed in comparison stations (see Fig 1). During same period the Z readings showed an anomalous decrease in reading.  The increase in X & Y readings was 290 nT and 190nT respectively, whilst the Z decrease was 80 nT.  The timing of the main change in reading varied between sensors.  Readings from the X (shallowest) magnetometer changed the most and happened first (Fig 2).  The anomalous 290 nT increase in X readings (190 nT increase in Y readings) would typically be explained by a cooling in temperature at the magnetometer sensors, however the co-located temperature sensor doesn't see any cooling over the period 13:00-22:00 UT and in fact sees a 0.1°C increase in temperature ! (see Fig 3).   The  increase in X/Y reading is still not fully explained at the time of review (2025-06-15 pm), however a correlation to rain data is noticeable (see Fig 4).  The interval with the highest rain rate (~ 9mm/hr) occurs at 13:15 to 13:30 UT which closely corresponds to the approximate start of the magnetometer anomalies (~13:00 UT). At the time of the highest rain rate (c 13:15 UT) the outdoor air temperature (green line) was around 13°C (Fig 5). This was around 0.5°C than the subsurface temperature (12.4°C) and the temperature of rain water could easily have been colder than this.  But how is that hypothesized cold rain water was able to cool the region around the X and Y magnetometers without causing any temperature decrease in the co-located temperature sensor ?   Are the magnetometer readings being changed because of a temperature change or due to the presence of increased water in the soil surrounding the buried magnetometer assembly  ?  Similar observations where made on 2025-05-25 (see graphs).  With no indication that magnetometers reading reduced back to former levels the magnetometer offsets were modified to bring readings back into alignment with comparison stations.
   Resolved 2025-06-15 (SAM III, AstroMag)

Small Defects

• None

Continuous Improvement

• None

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