David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 1358 (2025-09-05)

Notes (S1357)

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Notes (S1359)

	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 (1)
	- Figures (0)
	Images from 2025-09-05  >>

Session Aims & Highlights (2025-09-05)

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 relatively short 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 3.77.11,  AstroPlan 1.43.12, AstroShCap 1.3.16, AstroGuard 1.11  (any new items or versions in bold)
  AstroMag 1.5.8, AstroVOE 1.15.1,  AstroSN 1.14,  AstroProtect 1.10.6,  AstroMove 1.16.2
  AstroWeather 1.27.10, AstroAllSky 3.24.6,  AstroObsCam 1.11.4 (not 1.11.5), AstroNorthCam 1.6.1, AstroLaunch 1.13.6

Highlights

• Targets. 24/24 planned targets were successfully completed. Images from last 2 targets were later rejected due to poor sky transparency/cloud.
• CCD Camera.  No issues with CCD Camera during session.
•  Dome. There was no issues opening/closing the shutter during the session. Dome closed and parked at end of session ok.

Notes

• Night Keogram Plot
  
  
  

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) 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 21:20:55 Session Monitoring AutoStart monitoring for Live Session opportunity between 21:20 & 04:28 21:20:59   AutoStart Delayed Session delayed due to too few stars 21:21:09 Session AutoStarting Session autostarting (21:21) 21:21:21   CCDSoft Restarting CCDSoft being restarted (to set AutoSave No.) 21:21:36 Session Created Session Created (Live, 2025-09-05 S01358, ImageSaveNum: 1358001) 21:21:43   Scope Switched On Telescope Power has been switched on via UPB Switch 21:23:32   Services Started Observatory Services started 21:24:15 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 21:24:17   AutoStart Delayed Session delayed due to too few stars 21:24:19 Session Pending Session pending (2025-09-05) 21:24:21 Session Initiating Session initiating (2025-09-05) 21:24:40   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera connected (Set point -10°C) 21:24:43   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.43.14) 21:25:25   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (Plan ID: 1144) 21:26:05   Telescope Connected Telescope connected (TheSky6) 21:26:29 Session Equilibration Session ready to Open Dome 21:27:15   Dome Opened Dome opened (Opening time 45s, Zigbee 40s) 21:27:45 Session Running Session running 21:27:48   Queue Started Observing Queue started (24 targets selected) 21:27:51     Target Started (NrZen) Target started (Focus Field 19, HIP 93376) 21:28:05       Dome Unparked Dome unparked 21:30:35       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 21:32:55       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1, wide) 21:35:03       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1) 21:35:05     Target Completed (NrZen) Target completed (Focus Field 19, HIP 93376) 21:36:17 User Intervention User Intervention to abort job queue & switch back to Manual Mode 21:36:19   Queue Aborted Job Queue aborted 21:36:21 Observatory (Manual) Observatory placed in Manual Mode 21:38:08   Services Started Observatory Services started 21:38:25 Session Monitoring AutoStart monitoring for Live Session opportunity between 21:38 & 04:28 21:38:27 Observatory (AutoStart) Observatory placed in Auto-Start Mode 21:38:29 Session AutoStarting Session autostarting (21:38) 21:38:38   Services Started Observatory Services started 21:38:45 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 21:38:46 Session Pending Session pending (2025-09-05) 21:38:48 Session Initiating Session initiating (2025-09-05) 21:38:58   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera connected (Set point -10°C) 21:39:06   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (Plan ID: 1144) 21:39:16   Telescope Connected Telescope connected (TheSky6) 21:39:42 Session Running Session running 21:39:45   Queue Started Observing Queue started (24 targets selected) 21:39:47     Target Started (NrZen) Target started (Focus Field 19, HIP 93376) 21:41:29       Focusing Started-Foc2 Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 21:43:13       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2, wide) 21:44:51       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2) 21:45:11     Target Completed (NrZen) Target completed (Focus Field 19, HIP 93376) 21:45:15     Target Started (1/24) Target started (1/24, AT2024wys (CV)) 21:53:22     Target Completed Target completed (1/24, AT2024wys (CV)) 21:53:26     Target Started (2/24) Target started (2/24, AT2023vzm) 21:56:37       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 21:58:39       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 3) 22:14:54     Target Completed Target completed (2/24, AT2023vzm) 22:14:58     Target Started (3/24) Target started (3/24, AT2024aaxv) 22:18:34       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:20:56       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 4) 22:37:11     Target Completed Target completed (3/24, AT2024aaxv) 22:37:15     Target Started (4/24) Target started (4/24, T CrB) 22:40:46       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:43:00       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 5) 22:47:05     Target Completed Target completed (4/24, T CrB) 22:47:09     Target Started (5/24) Target started (5/24, UGC 10809 w/SN2025vaw) 22:49:55       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:52:03       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 6) 23:08:00     Target Completed Target completed (5/24, UGC 10809 w/SN2025vaw) 23:08:35     Target Started (6/24) Target started (6/24, HIP 87937) 23:10:28       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 23:12:40       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 7) 23:15:43     Target Completed Target completed (6/24, HIP 87937) 23:16:58     Target Started (7/24) Target started (7/24, AT2023sze (CV)) 23:20:06       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 23:22:15       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 8) 23:38:11     Target Completed Target completed (7/24, AT2023sze (CV)) 23:38:58     Target Started (8/24) Target started (8/24, Nova Ser 2025) 23:43:51       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 23:46:24       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 9) 23:52:20     Target Completed Target completed (8/24, Nova Ser 2025) 23:52:24     Target Started (9/24) Target started (9/24, GCVS S Cyg) 23:55:46       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 23:57:50       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 10) 00:07:09     Target Completed Target completed (9/24, GCVS S Cyg) 00:07:47     Target Started (10/24) Target started (10/24, GCVS BL Lac) 00:11:15       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:13:21       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 11) 00:17:10     Target Completed Target completed (10/24, GCVS BL Lac) 00:18:05     Target Started (11/24) Target started (11/24, AT2025usz) 00:20:44       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:23:20       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 12) 00:39:34     Target Completed Target completed (11/24, AT2025usz) 00:40:25     Target Started (12/24) Target started (12/24, AT2025kml) 00:43:12       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:45:45       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 13) 01:01:58     Target Completed Target completed (12/24, AT2025kml) 01:02:25     Target Started (13/24) Target started (13/24, AT2022rhq) 01:06:08       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:08:57       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 14) 01:24:54     Target Completed Target completed (13/24, AT2022rhq) 01:24:58     Target Started (14/24) Target started (14/24, GCVS EV Lac) 01:28:15       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:30:39       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 15) 01:33:12     Target Completed Target completed (14/24, GCVS EV Lac) 01:33:47     Target Started (15/24) Target started (15/24, GCVS U And) 01:37:09       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:39:23       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 16) 01:48:16     Target Completed Target completed (15/24, GCVS U And) 01:50:13     Target Started (16/24) Target started (16/24, UGC 1206 w/SN2025pao) 01:54:00       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-LSI) 02:10:38     Target Completed Target completed (16/24, UGC 1206 w/SN2025pao) 02:12:13     Target Started (17/24) Target started (17/24, NGC 797 w/SN2025pel) 02:19:12       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:21:40       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 17) 02:38:41     Target Completed Target completed (17/24, NGC 797 w/SN2025pel) 02:38:45     Target Started (18/24) Target started (18/24, GCVS TT Ari) 02:48:04     Target Completed Target completed (18/24, GCVS TT Ari) 02:48:08     Target Started (19/24) Target started (19/24, UGC 1325 w/SN2024aedt) 02:53:02       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is lost (TCF-LSI) 03:09:12     Target Completed Target completed (19/24, UGC 1325 w/SN2024aedt) 03:09:29     Target Started (20/24) Target started (20/24, UGC 1814 w/SN2025oas) 03:14:07       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - unable to find a star (TCF-LSI) 03:30:47     Target Completed Target completed (20/24, UGC 1814 w/SN2025oas) 03:31:49     Target Started (21/24) Target started (21/24, M33 w/Nova M33 AT2025ofe) 03:35:19       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - unable to find a star (TCF-LSI) 03:51:38     Target Completed Target completed (21/24, M33 w/Nova M33 AT2025ofe) 03:53:49     Target Started (22/24) Target started (22/24, AT2025vel) 03:58:47       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-LSI) 04:15:22     Target Completed Target completed (22/24, AT2025vel) 04:15:49     Target Started (23/24) Target started (23/24, C/2025 A6 (Lemmon)) 04:20:29       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - unable to find a star (TCF-LSI) 04:39:03     Target Completed Target completed (23/24, C/2025 A6 (Lemmon)) 04:39:07     Target Started (24/24) Target started (24/24, GCVS GK Per) 04:39:25       Dome Unparked Dome unparked 04:44:02       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - unable to find a star (TCF-LSI) 04:47:11     Target Completed Target completed (24/24, GCVS GK Per) 04:47:13   Queue Completed Job Queue completed 04:47:15 Session Closing Session closing 04:48:05   Dome Closed Dome closed (Closing time 45s, Zigbee 43s) 04:48:40   Dome Parked Dome parked (parking time 28s), Az: 90.0 deg 04:49:24   Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 36s total) 04:49:47   Telescope State Handbox reads 'Scope parked Turn scope off.' 04:50:09   Telescope Switched Off Telescope Power has been switched off via UPB Switch. 04:51:33   Services Stopped Night Services stopped 04:51:35 Session Finishing Session Finishing started (Create Fits Summary, Transfer Files) 04:52:03     Dome (Find Park) Find Park started (Search Az 88.0 to 92.0°, Step 0.2°, Narrow) 04:52:46     Dome Find Park found (Best Park Az 90.2°) 04:52:52     Dome Dome has been synced at park position (Az 90.0°, Adjustment: -0.2°) 04:52:54   Dome Parked Dome parked 04:53:06   Dome Charging Dome is parked and re-charging Ok (52mA) 04:53:08 Session Finished Session Finished

Session Alerts & Alarms

Time     Type       Name Detail 04:53:06 Green Clear Dome Charging Dome is parked and re-charging Ok (52mA)

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Operational Issues (2025-09-05 S1358)

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

Critical Issues

• None

Major Issues

• None

Minor Issues

• AstroMain unable to start SharpCap Service (21:23).  When starting Night Services as part of autostart operation  the SharpCap/AstroShCap service couldn't be connected. An attempt to automatically restart the service  was made but gave the error message "SharpCap Client:  Fail Cannot connect (TCP/IP Port 4002, LocalHost). Issue is due to a beta copy of AstroShCap v 1.3.16 was accidentally uploaded to the Observatory, with a bug that prevented AstroShCap script from executing in SharpCap's IronPython Console. User Interventation made to install the final (working) version of AstroShCap 1.3.16. and restart the SHarpCap/AstroShCap service.
  Resolved In-Session 2025-09-05 (Session, SharpCap / AstroShCap, AstroMain, User Awareness)

Small Defects

• No target circles were drawn on realtime JPG pictures for AT2025usz and AT 2025kml (23:26 UT & 24:49 UT). The expected blue circle showing the respective target position was missing for Target 11/24 (AT2025usz, id=3623, #1358086 et al) and Target 12/24 (AT 2025kml, id=3548 , #1358092 et al). Target circle & ellipses were also missing for Target 5/24 (UGC 10809 w/SN 2025vaw , id=3614,  #01358033 et al). Use playback to understand the issue in each case. The problem couldn't be replicated when replaying the targets on the Development Computing and substiuting the recorded raw images.  The replay didn't involve the taking of focus frames or Cam2 reference frames, but might nevertheless help narrrow down the cause.   Reviewing Target 5/24 (UGC 10809) the locate frames & Cam2 Reference frames show the target circle, but the Focus Frames & Main Frames don't.  The same situation applies also to the other two targets. The common factor appears to be that these targets required just a single Locate Frame to centre the target, whilst all the other targets which didn't suffer this issue required 2 or 3 Locate frames to centre the target.  Looking back at the previous S1357 session the same correlation is seen where Target C/2024 E1 (Wierzchos) and AT2023ct  required just 1 Locate Frame and both suffered the same problem (though unnoticed at the time).  There have been a number of previous tickets recorded where Main Target Pictures weren't annotated during realtime but couldn''t be replicated during later playback.  Examining the Target 5/24 (UGC 10809 w/SN) in more detail, 8 brightest stars were recorded during Locate 1 analysis.
    BrightestStars      Info    | nBright: 8
  BrightestStars      (trace) | 1  , X:   17.4, Y:   60.1, RawMag:  -14.55
  BrightestStars      (trace) | 2  , X:  234.9, Y:  124.1, RawMag:  -12.54   
  BrightestStars      (trace) | 3  , X:  203.5, Y:   82.6, RawMag:  -12.21   
  BrightestStars      (trace) | 4  , X:  191.8, Y:   83.0, RawMag:  -12.21   
  BrightestStars      (trace) | 5  , X:  111.6, Y:   29.4, RawMag:  -12.18    
  BrightestStars      (trace) | 6  , X:  142.5, Y:  108.3, RawMag:  -11.85   
  BrightestStars      (trace) | 7  , X:  146.6, Y:   94.0, RawMag:  -11.83   
  BrightestStars      (trace) | 8  , X:  131.6, Y:   50.8, RawMag:  -11.56
  Cam2 Reference image was successfully plate solved, and target circle could be plotted without reference to Brightest Stars
  After taking 3s Focus Locate frame an attempt was made to match to the 8 brightest stars, but none of them could be matched  (-99 = vcNull)
    BrightestStar1      (trace) | ModelOffsetX: 40.7,  ModelOffsetY: 119.2, nMatches: 1, OffsetX: -99.0, OffsetY: -99.0
  BrightestStar2      (trace) | ModelOffsetX: 105.8, ModelOffsetY: -37.0, nMatches: 1, OffsetX: -99.0, OffsetY: -99.0
  BrightestStar3      (trace) | ModelOffsetX: 137.2, ModelOffsetY: 4.5,   nMatches: 1, OffsetX: -99.0, OffsetY: -99.0
  BrightestStar4      (trace) | ModelOffsetX: 148.9, ModelOffsetY: 4.1,   nMatches: 1, OffsetX: -99.0, OffsetY: -99.0
  BrightestStar5      (trace) | ModelOffsetX: -53.5, ModelOffsetY: 149.9, nMatches: 1, OffsetX: -99.0, OffsetY: -99.0
  BrightestStar6      (trace) | ModelOffsetX: -84.4, ModelOffsetY: 71.0,  nMatches: 1, OffsetX: -99.0, OffsetY: -99.0
  BrightestStar7      (trace) | ModelOffsetX: -88.5, ModelOffsetY: 85.3,  nMatches: 1, OffsetX: -99.0, OffsetY: -99.0
  BrightestStar8      (trace) | ModelOffsetX: -73.5, ModelOffsetY: 128.5, nMatches: 1, OffsetX: -99.0, OffsetY: -99.0
  ImageShift(WrtLoc)  Fail    | Not enough Matched stars (nStars 8, nMatches -99)
  Main frames showed similar tables with no matching stars found. Examining logs for cases where there were 2 or more locate frames, where target circles were plotted ok on main frames ok, didn't reveal any clues. A hypothesis is that the table of 8 stars only gets locked in / saved on the second / third Locate Frame attempt,  but that can't explain the successfully target circle replotting when replayed on Development Computer ? Failure isn't due to Locate.nBrightestStars being reset to 0. otherwise the stars in  Focus Frame / Main image wouldn't be tested for matches. Brightest stars x,y coordinates are set by the RecordBrightestStars_LocateInfo() routine, which is called from i) UpdateLocateInfo_OB() which is called from CentreTarget()  [ when T.LocateMethod <> cdBrightStarLocate],  LinkBrightestStar(), LocateImageLite() & RunLocateImageTests() routines, ii) CalculateImageShift() routine in the event of achieving a match to prior BrightestStars which raises the bRecordBrightestStars flag,  iii) UpdateLocateInfo_Test() routine - which is called from RunAnalysisOperations() routine,  and  iv) Original_CalculateImageShift() routine - which is not used.  The cases  iii) and iv) don't apply to the current situation. Unable to see what causes the issue. Extra tracing added to AstroMain 3.77.12 to dump coordinates in LocateInfo.BrightestStars() prior to making MatchStars attempt to see if/how the list has changed since it was set during Locate 1 operation. Further tracing added to AstroMain 3.77.14 to try to determine if this hypothesis is valid.  A new global variable 'nLocateFramesTaken' has been added that is set during Target Centering and used by CalculateImageShift with further conditional tracing when  'nLocateFramesTaken=1', and a potential fix has been added that can force Inventory to be shown or at least not hidden.
  In Progress  2025-09-13 (AstroMain 3.77.14)
   
• The slew to Target 17/24 (NGC 797 w/SN) was anomalous in several ways (02:12). The slew to  arget 17/24 (NGC 797 w/SN2025pel) was anomalous in several ways :
   - The slew was reported to have telescope slew time of 0s for a slew angle of 31.7 (producing an unknown/invalid telescope slew speed "--" )
   - The overall slew time was reported to be 246s
   - The pointing error after slew was 43.15'
  Fortunately centering operations successfully worked and gave a pointing error of 0.27' after a single jog operation   Investigating showed that the slew target (Az 122.3 , Alt 62.6 ) was normal, was made from a normal starting pointing (Az 147.3, Alt 41.0) which is not is consistent with the slew angle reporrted.  Logs show that Dome slew was completed after 11s, but telescope slew was aborted after 4 minutes after the operation timed out.   The slew table showed that the majority of slew (28.6 slew angle) had been in first 12s, and reached Ra: 2.0777, Dec: 38.07 (Az: 121.92, Alt:  62.67), after which the telescope continued with Slewing Flag = True, making very minor movements.  Final position reported in slew table was Ra: 2.1358, Dec: 37.87 .  The pre and post slew telescope coordinates were logged as follows
       PreSlew.ScopeRaDec  :   RA= 01 44 42.543   Dec= +12 06 01.37 | Epoch Current
     PostSlew.ScopeRaDec : | RA= 02 08 35.476   Dec= +38 16 44.41 | Epoch Current
  and a Slew Discrepency was noted by the slew monitor
     Slew.Discrepancy          43.32' (W: 43.32', N: -0.05')                                
   Slew.Discrepancy          SLEWING discrepancy of AT LEAST 5' 02:16:31.97 | NGC 797         
   Check   ScopePosition     AngSep from Target = 0.7 degs
  TheObsCam pictures, although fairly dark, don't show any issues with cables etc. This and the normality of the start &end slew positions suggest that a physical hold-up of the telescope was unlikely.to be responsible.   The case is put down to a glitch in the LX200 Telescope. Since the Job Executor responded according to design & the target was ultimately successfully acquired / imaged, and there were no other slew anomalies during the other 26 slew during the session the ticket is closed after review.
  There was a near repeat of the issue that affected Target 6/28 (GCVS CY Lyr) during the following S1359 session (see S1359 notes).
  Closed after review 2025-09-07 (Session, LX200, AstroMain)
   
• AstroObsCam's 'Aux Light' state field (Off/On) is not updated when the Aux Light is turned off from outside the application. The Aux Light was turned on from within the AstroObsCam facility in order to adjust the ObsCam's pointing direction to align with the Observatory Scope when parked.  The light was left on to test an earlier observation that the light is remotely turned off, but the Aux Light field remains with the value 'ON'. AstroMain has a safeguard protection in ObsManager's ManageAuxLight() routine that will turn off the Aux Light in the AllSky/Weather Computing Bay if it has been left on for 10 minutes or more. This action is performed  by SwitchOffAuxLight() routine which calls Zigbee.SwitchOffDevice(zbAuxLightID).  AstroMain should either send a trigger to make AstroObsCam updates the field (using the ShowAuxLightState() routine, or AstroObsCam should activity monitor the state of the Zigbee switch itself and update the field accordingly.  Fixed in AstroObsCam by checking Aux Light Device State every 20s. Ideally it should use a Zigbee Event Listener and react immediately, but that it not yet implemented.
  Fixed  2025-09-07 (AstroObsCam 1.11.7)