David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 1448 (2026-09-06)

Notes (S1447)

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Notes (S1449)

	Session Aims & Highlights
	- Observing Result  - Night Summary Plot  - Session Event Log
	Operational Issues
	- Critical Issues (0),  Major Issues (0),  Minor Issues (1),  Small Defects (1),  Continuous Improvement (3)
	- Figures (0)
	Images from 2026-09-06  >>

Session Aims & Highlights (2026-09-06)

Main aims

1. Targets.  Acquire images of a selection of variable stars, nearby stars, comets & deep sky targets as allowed by sky conditions.
2. AstroMain. Check new AstroMain xx.xx  version for any issues or problems following introduction of a number of changes.

 Equipment & Software

• 12" LX200 and ST-10XME
• 80mm APO and ZWO ASI 178MC
• TheSky6 6.0.0.65, CCDSoft5 5.0.201, DeviceHub 7.1.0.4707, MeadeGeneric 1.3.12.522, UPB 3, PulsarDome 6.4.0.0
• Peg-Unity 2.12, Peg-Focuser 2.12, Peg-Switch 2.12, TCF-LSI 3.3.5
• SharpCap 3.2.6482, PHD2 2.6.14, Siril 1.4.2, deCONZ 2.18.2, ASCOM 7.1.0.4707
   
• AstroMain 3.83.10, AstroPlan 1.47.1, AstroShCap 1.3.23, AstroGuard 1.13.2
  AstroMag 1.5.12, AstroVOE 2.0.1, AstroSN 1.16.1, AstroProtect 1.7, AstroMove 1.18.3
  AstroAllSky 3.28.4, AstroWeather 1.30.4, AstroObsCam 1.14, AstroNorthCam 1.12.15, AstroLaunch 1.14.9

Highlights

• Targets. 12/24 planned targets were completed with 2 targets partially completely. Other targets failed due to cloud / session suspension
•  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 21:11:48 Session Monitoring AutoStart monitoring for Live Session opportunity between 21:11 & 04:49 21:11:52 Session AutoStarting Session autostarting (21:11) 21:11:59 Session Created Session Created (Live, 2026-09-06 S01448) 21:12:01   CCDSoft Restarting CCDSoft being restarted (to set AutoSave No.) 21:12:23   Scope Switched On Telescope Power has been switched on via UPB Switch 21:14:07   Services Started Observatory Services started 21:14:17 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 21:14:20 Session Pending Session pending (2026-09-06) 21:14:22 Session Initiating Session initiating (2026-09-06) 21:14:42   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera connected (Set point -10°C) 21:14:45   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.47.1) 21:15:48   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (PlanID: 1249) 21:16:32   Telescope Connected Telescope connected (TheSky6) 21:16:56 Session Equilibration Session ready to Open Dome 21:17:41   Dome Opened Dome opened (Opening time 45s, Zigbee 39s) 21:17:46 Session Running Session running 21:17:49   Queue Started Observing Queue started (24 targets selected) 21:17:56     Target Started (NrZen) Target started (Focus Field 21, HIP 103850) 21:18:07       Dome Unparked Dome unparked 21:18:34   Critical Cloud Alert Critical Cloud Alert (Obs.Manager will close the Dome) 21:18:36   HardSuspend Called Hard Suspend called due to Critical Conditions (cloud) 21:18:50   Queue Paused Observing Queue pausing for Session Suspension 21:18:55 Session Suspending Session suspending 21:19:40   Dome Closed Dome closed (Closing time 44s, Zigbee 42s) 21:19:45 Session Suspended Session suspended 21:21:45 Session Resuming Session resuming 21:22:30   Dome Opened Dome opened (Opening time 45s, Zigbee 39s) 21:22:35 Session Running Session running 21:22:37   Queue Resumed Observing Queue resumed 21:22:39     Target Started (1/24) Target started (1/24, NGC 3310 w/SN2026sqf) 21:26:18       Focusing Started-Foc2 Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 21:28:17       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1, wide) 21:30:03       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1) 21:31:51       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-LSI) 21:47:55     Target Completed Target completed (1/24, NGC 3310 w/SN2026sqf) 21:47:59     Target Started (2/25) Target started (2/25, T CrB, ToO) 21:57:49     Target Completed Target completed (2/25, T CrB, ToO) 21:57:53     Target Started (3/25) Target started (3/25, AT2026lxf (CV)) 22:08:13     Target Completed Target completed (3/25, AT2026lxf (CV)) 22:08:17     Target Started (4/25) Target started (4/25, UGC 242 w/SN2026yum) 22:29:44     Target Completed Target completed (4/25, UGC 242 w/SN2026yum) 22:29:48     Target Started (5/25) Target started (5/25, UGC 12613) 22:33:36       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-LSI) 22:50:32     Target Completed Target completed (5/25, UGC 12613) 22:50:36     Target Started (6/25) Target started (6/25, M31 w/M31N 2026-06a?) 22:54:41       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 22:57:54       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2, wide) 22:59:48       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2) 23:11:05   Critical Cloud Alert Critical Cloud Alert (Obs.Manager will close the Dome) 23:11:07   HardSuspend Called Hard Suspend called due to Critical Conditions (cloud) 23:11:10     Target Aborted (6/25) Target aborted (6/25, M31 w/M31N 2026-06a?) due to cloud 23:11:12   Queue Paused Queue paused for Session Suspension 23:11:14 Session Suspending Session suspending 23:11:56   Dome Closed Dome closed (Closing time 45s, Zigbee 42s) 23:12:01 Session Suspended Session suspended 23:21:53 Session Resuming Session resuming 23:22:37   Dome Opened Dome opened (Opening time 45s, Zigbee 40s) 23:22:42 Session Running Session running 23:22:44   Queue Resumed Observing Queue resumed 23:22:47     Target Started (7/25) Target started (7/25, NGC 7741) 23:45:32     Target Completed Target partially completed (7/25, NGC 7741) 23:45:36     Target Started (8/25) Target started (8/25, UGC 12856) 00:05:04     Target Completed Target completed (8/25, UGC 12856) 00:05:09     Target Started (9/25) Target started (9/25, GCVS AM Her) 00:09:06       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:11:19       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 3) 00:16:11     Target Completed Target completed (9/25, GCVS AM Her) 00:16:15     Target Started (10/25) Target started (10/25, T CrB) 00:17:38   Critical Cloud Alert Critical Cloud Alert (Obs.Manager will close the Dome) 00:17:40   HardSuspend Called Hard Suspend called due to Critical Conditions (cloud) 00:17:42     Target Aborted (10/25) Target aborted (10/25, T CrB) due to cloud 00:17:44   Queue Paused Queue paused for Session Suspension 00:17:46 Session Suspending Session suspending 00:18:28   Dome Closed Dome closed (Closing time 45s, Zigbee 42s) 00:18:33 Session Suspended Session suspended 00:20:44 Session Resuming Session resuming 00:21:29   Dome Opened Dome opened (Opening time 45s, Zigbee 40s) 00:21:31 Session Running Session running 00:21:33   Queue Resumed Observing Queue resumed 00:21:35     Target Started (10/25) Target started (10/25, T CrB) 00:28:39     Target Completed Target completed (10/25, T CrB) 00:28:44     Target Started (11/25) Target started (11/25, GCVS CY Lyr) 00:32:11       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:34:25       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 4) 00:38:13     Target Completed Target completed (11/25, GCVS CY Lyr) 00:38:17     Target Started (12/25) Target started (12/25, M72) 00:42:53       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 00:45:21       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 5) 00:55:51     Target Completed Target completed (12/25, M72) 00:55:55     Target Started (13/25) Target started (13/25, NGC 7331 w/SN2026aaiv) 00:59:08       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 01:01:36       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 6) 01:18:22     Target Completed Target completed (13/25, NGC 7331 w/SN2026aaiv) 01:18:26     Target Started (14/25) Target started (14/25, Nova Aql 2026 (Nova)) 01:38:37     Target Completed Target completed (14/25, Nova Aql 2026 (Nova)) 01:38:41     Target Started (15/25) Target started (15/25, AT2026juw (CV)) 01:50:16     Target Completed Target completed (15/25, AT2026juw (CV)) 01:50:20     Target Started (16/25) Target started (16/25, GCVS BL Lac) 01:50:32   Critical Cloud Alert Critical Cloud Alert (Obs.Manager will close the Dome) 01:50:34   HardSuspend Called Hard Suspend called due to Critical Conditions (cloud) 01:51:07     Target Failed (16/25) Target failed due to aborted (16/25, GCVS BL Lac) 01:51:09   Queue Paused Queue paused for Session Suspension 01:51:11 Session Suspending Session suspending 01:51:55   Dome Closed Dome closed (Closing time 45s, Zigbee 42s) 01:52:01 Session Suspended Session suspended 01:56:56     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (16/25, GCVS BL Lac) due to cloud 02:17:16     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (17/25, UGC 279 w/SN2026zyf) due to cloud 02:39:36     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (18/25, NGC 470) due to cloud 03:01:56     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (19/25, UGCA 9) due to cloud 03:17:08     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (20/25, Gliese 65) due to cloud 03:36:53     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (21/25, M31 w/AT2026aabo) due to cloud 03:49:03     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (22/25, GCVS RX And) due to cloud 04:08:33     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (23/25, SHK 38) due to cloud 04:23:46     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (24/25, GSC 1224:29) due to cloud 04:53:01     Target Cancelled Target cancelled (25/25, AT2026yvx) due to cloud 04:53:05   Queue Completed Job Queue completed 04:53:08 Session Closing Session closing 04:53:10   Dome Closed Dome already closed (closed at 01:51, closing time 45s, zigbee 42s) 04:54:30   Dome Parked Dome parked (parking time 69s), Az: 90.1 deg 04:55:20   Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 38s total) 04:55:44   Telescope State Handbox reads 'Scope parked Turn scope off.' 04:56:41   Telescope Switched Off Telescope Power has been switched off via UPB Switch. 04:58:06   Services Stopped Night Services stopped 04:58:09 Session Finishing Session Finishing started (Create Fits Summary, Transfer Files) 04:58:41     Dome (Find Park) Find Park started (Search Az 88.0 to 92.0°, Step 0.2°, Narrow) 04:59:24     Dome Find Park found (Best Park Az 90.4°) 04:59:30     Dome Dome has been synced at park position (Az 90.0°, Adjustment: -0.5°) 04:59:32   Dome Parked Dome parked 05:02:34   Dome Charging Dome is parked and well charged (96%, 15.0v) 05:02:36 Session Finished Session Finished

Session Alerts & Alarms

Time     Type       Name Detail 05:02:34 Yellow Alert Dome Charging Dome is parked and well charged (96%, 15.0v)

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Operational Issues (2026-09-06 S1448)

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

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Critical Issues

• None

Major Issues

• None

Minor Issues

• Exception occurred in AstroNorthCam's MainRun() and incomplete or empty Day Keogram plot. Whilst running on AllSky/Weather Computer, there was an exception caught in AstroNorthCam's MainRun's outer catch. with the message "The process cannot access the file 'C:\Data\AllSky Imaging\TapoCam\Keograms (Day)\NorthCam.DayKeogram.20260907.jpg' because it is being used by another process." at AstroNorthCam.Keogram.TKeogram.StartKeogramPlot() routine in .\AstroNorthCam\Modules\Keogram.vb:line 814. The problem is caused by MultiPaneViewer's LoadDayKeogram() / LoadNightKeogram() locking the keogram file preventing access by StartKeogramPlot() and preventing writing of updated the Keogram very 60s by SaveKeogramPlotToFile() routine (causes a "generic error occurred in GDI+".  exception and failure to record each new keogram line ). Fixed in AstroNorthCam 1.12.16 by defining FileShare.ReadWrite & FileAccess.Read  with following code block in MultiPaneViewer :
    Using fs As New FileStream(KeogramFile, FileMode.Open, FileAccess.Read, FileShare.ReadWrite)
     bmKeogram = New Bitmap(fs)
  End Using
  and the following code block in StartKeogramPlot()
    Using fs As New FileStream(KeogramPath, FileMode.Open, FileAccess.Read, FileShare.ReadWrite)
    TempImg = Image.FromStream(fs)
    gKeogram.DrawImage(TempImg, 0, 0)
  End Using
   Fixed  2026-09-07 (AstroNorthCam 1.12.16)

Small Defects

• Padded box is not showing on standard ObjectPics produced within BuildObjectFrame() routine. Rectangular boxes are visible on standard ObjectPics produced within FindObjectsInImage routine(), but is not visible in standard ObjectPics for new temporally grouped boxes  produced with the BuildObjectFrame routine.  It is necessary to move the call to the SaveObjectPicture() routine until after the call to PadBoxes.
  - change non-interacting text boxes to be read only
- change text box and other component back colours to light grey
- move catalog memory value to a new text boxes
- free disk space text box with colour warning for low free space
  Fixed in AstroNorthCam 1.12.16.
   Fixed 2026-09-07 (AstroNorthCam 1.12.16)

Continuous Improvement

• Enhance AstroNorthCam's Mutli-Channel Frame Viewer with a number of improvements. It is proposed to make the following improvements:
  - change non-interacting text boxes to be read only
- change text box and other component back colours to light grey
- move catalog memory value to a new text boxes
- free disk space text box with colour warning for low free space
  Implemented in AstroNorthCam 1.12.16.
   Done 2026-09-07 (AstroNorthCam 1.12.16)
   
• Add ''Helicopters", "Insects" and "Satellites" to the list of gallery folders presented in comboboxes on various AstroNorthCam Forms. AstroNorthCam's SinglePaneViewer, MetaSnapViewer, ObjectPicViewer and ObjectsViewer forms each contain a combobox called comboGalleryFolder, each with their own collection of Gallery folder names.  It is proposed to use a common enum list of folder name 'GalleryFolder'), rather than individual lists extend it to include ''Helicopters", "Insects" and "Satellites" and add a Items loader with each form's Load handler. It is alos proposed that Filenames saved to a Gallery Folder should use a singular file name suffix (e.g. instead of "Insects", use "Insect") applied with
  GalleryName.TrimEnd("s"c)
  ' & GalleryName.TrimEnd("s"c)'   . Implemented in AstroNorthCam 1.12.16.
   Done 2026-09-07 (AstroNorthCam 1.12.16)
   
• Create a small data file for each NorthCam Object Box showing key metadata. To assist with diagnostics and context it is proposed to create a small data file containing object information associated with each ObjectBox. This file should be written for each Object Box created during course of 15s Window Interval, the best place to create such data files is in BuildObjectFrame() as the final boxes are known at that poing.  The ObjId should be written to the Box so that its final status is known. Implemented in AstroNorthCam 1.12.17.
   Done 2026-09-07 (AstroNorthCam 1.12.167)
   
• Modify the size of ObjectPics to include a margin beyond the Padded Box Edges. If an Object'ss Padded Box is around the same size of the mininum ObjectPic size, the box will directly abutts two edges of the ObjectPic.  It is proposed to modify SaveObjectPicture to include some additional margin around the Padded Box for better composition of the image. The ObjectPic should still be subject to Minimum ObjectPic size requirements. HiRes / Detail frames should show the same dimensions as the standard ObjectPics to provide symmetrical side-by-side viewing in the ObjectPic Viewer. Implemented in AstroNorthCam 1.12.16 using a 15px margin.
  Done  2026-09-07 (AstroNorthCam 1.12.16)

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