David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 1420 (2026-04-12)

Notes (S1419)

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Notes (S1421)

	Session Aims & Highlights
	- Observing Result  - Night Summary Plot  - Session Event Log
	Operational Issues
	- Critical Issues (0),  Major Issues (0),  Minor Issues (0),  Small Defects (0),  Continuous Improvement (0)
	- Figures (0)
	Images from 2026-04-12  >>

Session Aims & Highlights (2026-04-12)

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 6.0.0.65, CCDSoft 5.00.201 (Reinstall), DeviceHub 7.1.0.4707, MeadeGeneric 1.3.12.522, UPB 3,  Pulsar Dome Firmware 1.51 & Driver 6.3.10
• Pegasus-UI 2.10, Peg-Focuser 2.10, Peg-Switch 2.10, TCF-LSI 3.3.5
• SharpCap 3.2, PHD2  2.6.13, Siril 1.4.1, deCONZ 1.18.2, ASCOM 7.1.0.4707
   
• AstroMain 3.81.8  AstroPlan 1.46.2, AstroShCap 1.3.23, AstroGuard 1.13.2  (any new items or versions in bold)
  AstroMag 1.5.12, AstroVOE 1.16,  AstroSN 1.16,  AstroProtect 1.10.6,  AstroMove 1.18.1
  AstroAllSky 3.27.10, AstroWeather 1.30.3   AstroObsCam 1.13.1, AstroNorthCam 1.8.2, AstroLaunch 1.14.9

Highlights

• Targets. 23/24 planned targets were completed with 1 target partially completed. One target (Jupiter) was injected into the job queue as a ToO target.
•  Dome. No issues open/closing shutter. Dome was successfully parked at the end of the session.

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) 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 16:58:26 Session Monitoring AutoStart monitoring for Live Session opportunity between 20:56 & 04:18 16:58:28   AutoStart Waiting AutoStart waiting till earliest start time at 20:56 20:56:45   AutoStart Delayed Session delayed due to too few stars 21:17:02 Session AutoStarting Session autostarting (21:17) 21:17:09 Session Created Session Created (Live, 2026-04-12 S01420) 21:17:11   CCDSoft Restarting CCDSoft being restarted (to set AutoSave No.) 21:17:30   Scope Switched On Telescope Power has been switched on via UPB Switch 21:19:17   Services Started Observatory Services started 21:19:27 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 21:19:29   AutoStart Delayed Session delayed due to too few stars 21:19:31 Session Pending Session pending (2026-04-12) 21:19:33 Session Initiating Session initiating (2026-04-12) 21:19:53   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera connected (Set point -15°C) 21:20:00   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.46.2) 21:20:32   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (PlanID: 1220) 21:21:11   Telescope Connected Telescope connected (TheSky6) 21:21:36 Session Equilibration Session ready to Open Dome 21:22:22   Dome Opened Dome opened (Opening time 45s, Zigbee 40s) 21:22:23   Equilibration Started Dome Equilibration started 21:22:25   Equilibration Ended Dome Equilibration ended (0.0 mins total) 21:22:27 Session Running Session running 21:22:29   Queue Started Observing Queue started (24 targets selected) 21:22:33     Target Started (NrZen) Target started (Focus Field 12, HIP 58514) 21:22:44       Dome Unparked Dome unparked 21:26:14       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 21:28:38       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1, wide) 21:30:49       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1) 21:30:57       Focusing Started-Foc2 Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 21:33:02       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2, wide) 21:34:47       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2) 21:35:08     Target Completed (NrZen) Target completed (Focus Field 12, HIP 58514) 21:41:07     Target Started (1/24) Target started (1/24, PCG 1222+1139) 21:45:39       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is lost (TCF-LSI) 22:01:47     Target Completed Target completed (1/24, PCG 1222+1139) 22:03:27     Target Started (2/24) Target started (2/24, MCG +7-28-15 w/SN2025adje) 22:07:02       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:09:25       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 3) 22:26:12     Target Completed Target completed (2/24, MCG +7-28-15 w/SN2025adje) 22:26:16     Target Started (3/24) Target started (3/24, C/2024 E1 (Wierzchos)) 22:31:21       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-LSI) 22:40:12     Target Completed Target completed (3/24, C/2024 E1 (Wierzchos)) 22:40:16     Target Started (4/25) Target started (4/25, Jupiter, ToO) 22:50:39     Target Completed Target completed (4/25, Jupiter, ToO) 22:50:43     Target Started (5/25) Target started (5/25, 240P/NEAT) 23:02:05     Target Completed Target partially completed (5/25, 240P/NEAT) 23:02:09     Target Started (6/25) Target started (6/25, AT2026eva) 23:22:09     Target Completed Target completed (6/25, AT2026eva) 23:22:13     Target Started (7/25) Target started (7/25, PCG 0854+4919) 23:25:49       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 23:27:59       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 4) 23:43:59     Target Completed Target completed (7/25, PCG 0854+4919) 23:44:03     Target Started (8/25) Target started (8/25, NGC 2857) 23:47:25       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-LSI) 00:03:32     Target Completed Target completed (8/25, NGC 2857) 00:04:03     Target Started (9/25) Target started (9/25, PCG 0953+5710) 00:10:20       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:12:50       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 5) 00:28:50     Target Completed Target completed (9/25, PCG 0953+5710) 00:28:54     Target Started (10/25) Target started (10/25, GCVS AM Her) 00:33:11       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:35:25       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 6) 00:40:47     Target Completed Target completed (10/25, GCVS AM Her) 00:40:51     Target Started (11/25) Target started (11/25, AT2026iul (CV)) 00:44:54       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:47:06       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 7) 00:53:22     Target Completed Target completed (11/25, AT2026iul (CV)) 00:53:26     Target Started (12/25) Target started (12/25, GCVS SS Cyg) 00:57:02       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:59:20       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 8) 01:03:02     Target Completed Target completed (12/25, GCVS SS Cyg) 01:03:06     Target Started (13/25) Target started (13/25, GCVS CI Cyg) 01:06:54       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:09:15       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 9) 01:12:26     Target Completed Target completed (13/25, GCVS CI Cyg) 01:12:30     Target Started (14/25) Target started (14/25, GCVS BL Lac) 01:16:41       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:19:07       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 10) 01:23:11     Target Completed Target completed (14/25, GCVS BL Lac) 01:23:16     Target Started (15/25) Target started (15/25, AT2026gze (CV)) 01:28:01       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:30:36       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 11) 01:36:33     Target Completed Target completed (15/25, AT2026gze (CV)) 01:36:37     Target Started (16/25) Target started (16/25, GCVS RZ LMi) 01:40:06       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:42:21       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 12) 01:47:35     Target Completed Target completed (16/25, GCVS RZ LMi) 01:47:39     Target Started (17/25) Target started (17/25, AT2026hur) 01:52:12       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:54:43       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 13) 02:10:58     Target Completed Target completed (17/25, AT2026hur) 02:11:02     Target Started (18/25) Target started (18/25, HIP 87937) 02:14:00       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:15:50       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 14) 02:18:57     Target Completed Target completed (18/25, HIP 87937) 02:19:01     Target Started (19/25) Target started (19/25, M12) 02:23:00       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:25:20       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 15) 02:35:49     Target Completed Target completed (19/25, M12) 02:35:53     Target Started (20/25) Target started (20/25, 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann) 02:51:45     Target Completed Target completed (20/25, 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann) 02:51:49     Target Started (21/25) Target started (21/25, NGC 3861 w/SN2026ihi) 02:55:43       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:57:48       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 16) 03:13:46     Target Completed Target completed (21/25, NGC 3861 w/SN2026ihi) 03:13:51     Target Started (22/25) Target started (22/25, IC 4556 w/SN2026fuz) 03:17:34       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:19:47       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 17) 03:35:46     Target Completed Target completed (22/25, IC 4556 w/SN2026fuz) 03:35:50     Target Started (23/25) Target started (23/25, T CrB) 03:39:02       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:41:21       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 18) 03:45:29     Target Completed Target completed (23/25, T CrB) 03:45:51     Target Started (24/25) Target started (24/25, NGC 7292 w/SN2026fov) 03:50:26       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:53:06       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 19) 04:09:38     Target Completed Target completed (24/25, NGC 7292 w/SN2026fov) 04:09:42     Target Started (25/25) Target started (25/25, AT2026jcv (CV)) 04:13:33       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 04:16:03       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 20) 04:22:03     Target Completed Target completed (25/25, AT2026jcv (CV)) 04:22:05   Queue Completed Job Queue completed 04:22:06 Session Closing Session closing 04:22:56   Dome Closed Dome closed (Closing time 49s, Zigbee 44s) 04:23:39   Dome Parked Dome parked (parking time 36s), Az: 90.0 deg 04:24:17   Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 34s total) 04:24:47   Telescope State Handbox reads 'Scope parked Turn scope off.' 04:25:09   Telescope Switched Off Telescope Power has been switched off via UPB Switch. 04:26:33   Services Stopped Night Services stopped 04:26:36 Session Finishing Session Finishing started (Create Fits Summary, Transfer Files) 04:27:38     Dome (Find Park) Find Park started (Search Az 88.0 to 92.0°, Step 0.2°, Narrow) 04:28:22     Dome Find Park found (Best Park Az 90.8°) 04:28:27     Dome Dome has been synced at park position (Az 90.0°, Adjustment: -0.8°) 04:28:29   Dome Parked Dome parked 04:31:31   Dome Charging Dome is parked and well charged (96%, 15.0v) 04:31:33 Session Finished Session Finished

Session Alerts & Alarms

Time     Type       Name Detail 04:31:31 Yellow Alert Dome Charging Dome is parked and well charged (96%, 15.0v)

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Operational Issues (2026-04-12 S1420)

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

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Critical Issues

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Major Issues

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Minor Issues

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Small Defects

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Continuous Improvement

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