I am using Robofocus, LocalField every 60 minutes during my imaging run. Normally everything works okay, but if a cloud is passing by then the autofocus using LocalField will fail. When this happens Voyager does some sort of repointing of the mount. How do I turn this off? What I want is if a LocalField autofocus fails then the sequence continues normally, no repointing executed.
Craig
If Localfield fail this mean heavy cloud passing, usually more retry will do and you can decide to use RoboStar if LocalField fail. Is not possible to turn off the pointing after fail , this is a safety operations.
All the best
LO
Hi Leo,
If using only Localfield, which means no telescope movement when focusing, can you explain why pointing after fail is a safety issue. If the telescope was not moved and has been tracking correctly then I don’t see why a Localfield focus fail requires repointing the telescope.
The reason I bring this up is because I am doing precision photometry sequences where the target must be maintained within a pixel or two during the entire run. To do this I use an ultra precision tracking program called ATrack which keeps the target within a pixel over several hours, even when a band of clouds may pass through during the run.
But when Voyager tries to repoint the telescope and fails then the target is moved sometimes 80 pixels away from where it should be. This really causes problems now for all subsequent photometry measurements. Note that if autofocus fails then a repointing will fail also because the plate solves do not work.
It is highly recommended that if the telescope is not moved during a localfield autofocus that a repoint is not done if the focus fails. Maybe this needs to be a checkbox in the sequence focus tab and let the user be responsible for any safety issues after a fail.
Craig
Ok Craig, I understand now . I’ll add a flag to remove safety pointing but will be in red color.
Problem is who doesnt understand and remove the safety.
Please send to me the log where this happen to recognize functions to modify.
I will add as soon as possible.
Leo
Hi Leo,
Thank you, this is very critical to my work.
Here is an excerpt of the log file which shows autofocus fail and then a repointing of the telescope:
2019/12/27 22:30:51 357 - WARNING - [RoboFireLocalField ] - [VCURVE_RUN_ACQUIRE_STAR_RETRY_Code ] - LocalField VCurve Run : Find Field Stars Error, retry [3]
2019/12/27 22:30:51 389 - INFO - [RoboFireLocalField ] - [GENERIC_EXPOSURE_Code ] - LocalField VCurve Run : Expose
2019/12/27 22:30:51 451 - INFO - [CameraShot ] - [EXPOSE_START_Code ] - Exposing 10 [s] ; Filter=SR ; Type=LIGHT ; Binning=1 ; Speed=Default ; ReadoutMode=Raw
2019/12/27 22:31:04 029 - INFO - [CameraShot ] - [EXPOSE_WAIT_Code ] - Expose finished
2019/12/27 22:31:04 029 - INFO - [CameraShot ] - [DOWNLOAD_START_Code ] - Download started
2019/12/27 22:31:11 154 - INFO - [CameraShot ] - [DOWNLOAD_WAIT_Code ] - Download finished
2019/12/27 22:31:11 222 - INFO - [ATOMIC_CAMERA_SHOT ] - [Funzione ] - Action Time [ATOMIC_CAMERA_SHOT] => 0 [m] 19 [s]
2019/12/27 22:31:11 229 - INFO - [ATOMIC_CAMERA_SHOT ] - [Funzione ] - Action Time Mobile Mean [ATOMIC_CAMERA_SHOT] => 1 [m] 22 [s]
2019/12/27 22:31:11 235 - INFO - [RoboFireLocalField ] - [GENERIC_ACQUIRE_STAR_Code ] - LocalField VCurve Run : Find Field Stars
2019/12/27 22:31:11 795 - CRITICAL - [RoboFireLocalField ] - [GENERIC_ACQUIRE_STAR_Code ] - Find Field Stars : Found 1 stars. Number of stars found is lower than requested of 5 [KO]
2019/12/27 22:31:11 831 - INFO - [RoboFireLocalField ] - [GENERIC_FOCUSER_GOTO_Code ] - LocalField VCurve AutoFocus Error : Return Previous Position
2019/12/27 22:31:12 014 - INFO - [FocuserMoveTo ] - [MOVE_TO_Code ] - Moving Focuser from Position=31701 …
2019/12/27 22:31:12 014 - INFO - [FocuserMoveTo ] - [MOVE_TO_Code ] - Moving Focuser to Position=28133 …
2019/12/27 22:31:16 514 - INFO - [ATOMIC_FOCUSER_MOVE_TO ] - [Funzione ] - Action Time [ATOMIC_FOCUSER_MOVE_TO] => 0 [m] 4 [s]
2019/12/27 22:31:16 514 - INFO - [ATOMIC_FOCUSER_MOVE_TO ] - [Funzione ] - Action Time Mobile Mean [ATOMIC_FOCUSER_MOVE_TO] => 0 [m] 3 [s]
2019/12/27 22:31:16 826 - EVENTO - [RoboFireLocalField ] - [CollectMemory ] - Memory GC Collect
2019/12/27 22:31:16 826 - INFO - [ROBOFIRE_LOCALFIELD ] - [Funzione ] - Action Time [ROBOFIRE_LOCALFIELD] => 2 [m] 53 [s]
2019/12/27 22:31:16 826 - INFO - [ROBOFIRE_LOCALFIELD ] - [Funzione ] - Action Time Mobile Mean [ROBOFIRE_LOCALFIELD] => 3 [m] 31 [s]
2019/12/27 22:31:16 842 - INFO - [ATOMIC_FOCUS ] - [Funzione ] - Action Time [ATOMIC_FOCUS] => 2 [m] 53 [s]
2019/12/27 22:31:16 842 - INFO - [ATOMIC_FOCUS ] - [Funzione ] - Action Time Mobile Mean [ATOMIC_FOCUS] => 3 [m] 31 [s]
2019/12/27 22:31:16 842 - INFO - [FOCUS_SLEW_STAR_BACK_TARGET ] - [Funzione ] - Action Time [FOCUS_SLEW_STAR_BACK_TARGET] => 2 [m] 53 [s]
2019/12/27 22:31:16 842 - INFO - [FOCUS_SLEW_STAR_BACK_TARGET ] - [Funzione ] - Action Time Mobile Mean [FOCUS_SLEW_STAR_BACK_TARGET] => 3 [m] 42 [s]
2019/12/27 22:31:16 857 - WARNING - [Sequence - Safety Run ] - [FOCUS_NEEDED_WAIT_Code ] - Sequence-Focus with Voyager RoboStar LocalField finished with problems (Focus Actual Location Error (Focus Async Error (Error executing LocalField VCurve AutoFocus : Find Field Stars Error, maximum retries reached … action failed))) !
2019/12/27 22:31:16 888 - SUBTITLE - [Sequence - Safety Run ] - [PRECISE_GOTO_TARGET_Code ] - Precise Pointing to Target
2019/12/27 22:31:16 888 - INFO - [TelescopeGoto ] - [CHECK_TELESCOPE_CONNECTION_Code ] - Actual Position (JNow) (RA=02 08 47.800 / DEC=-26 45 51.00 )
2019/12/27 22:31:17 185 - EVENTO - [TelescopeGoto ] - [CHECK_FLIP_MIRROR_DESTINATION_Code ] - Calculated Data for Dome is ALT=68 56 14.30 ;AZ=296 35 49.66 ;HA=01:24:19;Latitude=-38 05 40.00 ;Pier=pierEast
2019/12/27 22:31:17 185 - INFO - [TelescopeGoto ] - [CHECK_FLIP_MIRROR_DESTINATION_Code ] - Pier Flip Status After Last Slew = pierEast (SW)(2)
2019/12/27 22:31:17 185 - INFO - [TelescopeGoto ] - [CHECK_FLIP_MIRROR_DESTINATION_Code ] - Expected Pier Flip Status After Slew = pierEast (SW)(2)
2019/12/27 22:31:17 263 - INFO - [TelescopeGoto ] - [RUN_ASYNC_Code ] - Slewing Async (JNow) RA=02 08 46.042 DEC=-26 46 34.33 …
2019/12/27 22:31:21 998 - INFO - [TelescopeGoto ] - [SETTLING_TIME_Code ] - Waiting Settling Time (1s)…
2019/12/27 22:31:22 186 - INFO - [Telescopio ] - [PushFunction ] - PierSide= pierEast (SW)(2) ; LastGotoPierSide= pierEast (SW) ; FlipStatus= FATTO ; MeridianQuery= IDLE ; LST= 03:34:04 (DRV) ; RA= 02:08:46 ; LST-RA= 01:25:18(1.42156611111111) ; AZ= 296° 01’ 46" ; ALT= 68° 49’ 16"
2019/12/27 22:31:22 967 - INFO - [TelescopeGoto ] - [SETTLING_TIME_WAIT_Code ] - Mount Assert Stable (1s)…
2019/12/27 22:31:22 998 - INFO - [TelescopeGoto ] - [FINISH_Code ] - Actual Position (JNow) (RA=02 08 46.100 / DEC=-26 46 34.00 )
2019/12/27 22:31:22 998 - INFO - [ATOMIC_TELESCOPE_GOTO ] - [Funzione ] - Action Time [ATOMIC_TELESCOPE_GOTO] => 0 [m] 6 [s]
2019/12/27 22:31:22 998 - INFO - [ATOMIC_TELESCOPE_GOTO ] - [Funzione ] - Action Time Mobile Mean [ATOMIC_TELESCOPE_GOTO] => 0 [m] 19 [s]
2019/12/27 22:31:23 014 - INFO - [TelescopeGoto ] - [Funzione ] - Reload Pier Flip Status After Slew = pierEast (SW)(2)
2019/12/27 22:31:23 170 - INFO - [CameraShot ] - [EXPOSE_START_Code ] - Exposing 15 [s] ; Filter=SR ; Type=LIGHT ; Binning=2 ; Speed=Default ; ReadoutMode=Raw
2019/12/27 22:31:40 779 - INFO - [CameraShot ] - [EXPOSE_WAIT_Code ] - Expose finished
2019/12/27 22:31:40 779 - INFO - [CameraShot ] - [DOWNLOAD_START_Code ] - Download started
2019/12/27 22:31:43 280 - INFO - [CameraShot ] - [DOWNLOAD_WAIT_Code ] - Download finished
2019/12/27 22:31:44 201 - INFO - [CameraShot ] - [FILE_SAVE_Code ] - File FIT Saved (SyncVoyager_20191227_223123)
2019/12/27 22:31:44 232 - INFO - [ATOMIC_CAMERA_SHOT ] - [Funzione ] - Action Time [ATOMIC_CAMERA_SHOT] => 0 [m] 21 [s]
2019/12/27 22:31:44 232 - INFO - [ATOMIC_CAMERA_SHOT ] - [Funzione ] - Action Time Mobile Mean [ATOMIC_CAMERA_SHOT] => 1 [m] 21 [s]
2019/12/27 22:31:44 279 - INFO - [PlateSolvingFile ] - [SOLVE_START_Code ] - Solving Unreferenced FIT File SyncVoyager_20191227_223123.fit
2019/12/27 22:31:46 154 - WARNING - [PlateSolvingFile ] - [SOLVE_FAIL_Code ] - Plate Solving Error : No matching stars found. Check your estimated center-point RA/Dec, and your image scaling and quality.
Craig
Please send me log file all by email
I will send the complete log by email.
Craig