Last night one of the rigs here acted strange...never saw it before.

Running a 5x5 raster scan for photometry verification, target was NGC7790 star field up near +61dec.

Several images in this linked plan were successfully taken, such as this (ACP log excerpt) Note that time is in UT

ACP console log opened 15-Dec-2010 01:09:55 UTC
This is ACP version 5.1 (build 3, Maintenance release 5.1)
Licensed to Arne Henden
01:09:55 This is AcquireScheduler V3.2.2-Krajci100104
01:09:55 Custom image file path/names are in use
01:09:55 Custom auto-flip parameters are in use
01:09:55 PreFlip=300 PostFlip=120 AF=300 PU=60
01:09:56 Initializing AcquireSupport V5.1.17
01:09:56 Telescope is ACP->K28, driver V2
01:09:56 MaxIm DL/CCD is version 5.12
01:09:56 Imager is SBIG Universal
01:09:56 Guider is SBIG Universal(internal)
01:09:56 Calculated unbinned plate scales (arcsec/pix): H = 1.05 V = 1.05
01:09:56 Calculated field of view (arcmin): H = 26.9 V = 17.9
01:09:56 Using focus offsets from FilterInfo.txt
01:09:56 ACPS Observation #135 - NGC7790_Center
01:09:56 Pointing updates are enabled
01:09:56 Starting observation 1 for plan NGC7790_raster
01:09:56 Start slew to NGC7790_Center...
01:09:58 (wait for slew to complete)
01:10:28 (slew complete)
01:10:28 Doing auto-center...
01:10:28 Switching from SZ to C filter for pointing exposure
01:10:28 Focus change of 44 steps required
01:10:45 (taking 20 sec. exposure, C filter, binning = 2)
01:11:11 Calibrating image...
01:11:11 Image finished
01:11:11 Plate-solve pointing image.
01:11:11 1633 image stars found
01:11:12 327 catalog stars found
01:11:12 Solved! 135 stars matched.
01:11:12 Average residual is 0.24 arcsec.
01:11:12 Pointing error is 0.390 arcmin @ angle 23.44
01:11:12 Image FWHM is 4.1 arcsec (1.93 pixels)
01:11:12 True focal length is 175.7 cm.
01:11:12 True image center (J2000): 23h 58m 25.3s 61° 12' 51.45"
01:11:12 Imager sky position angle is 180.1 deg.
01:11:12 Image FWHM is 4.1 arcsec (1.93 pixels)
01:11:12 (avg FWHM = 4.03 arcsec)
01:11:12 KR For internal guider - error LESS than 0.6 arcmin...BYPASS re-slew
01:11:12 Target is now centered.
01:11:12 Imaging to NGC7790_raster_SG_20101215_011112
01:11:12 Switching from C to SG filter for imaging
01:11:12 Focus change of -20 steps required
01:11:29 (taking 29 sec. exposure, SG filter, binning = 1)
01:12:08 Image finished
01:12:08 Plate-solve NGC7790_raster_SG_20101215_011112 final image.
01:12:09 832 image stars found
01:12:09 328 catalog stars found
01:12:09 Solved! 129 stars matched.
01:12:09 Average residual is 0.24 arcsec.
01:12:09 Pointing error is 0.437 arcmin @ angle 32.37
01:12:09 Image FWHM is 4.1 arcsec (3.91 pixels)
01:12:09 True focal length is 175.6 cm.
01:12:09 True image center (J2000): 23h 58m 25.9s 61° 12' 52.15"
01:12:09 Imager sky position angle is 180.1 deg.
01:12:09 Image FWHM is 4.1 arcsec (3.91 pixels)
01:12:09 (avg FWHM = 4.06 arcsec)
01:12:12 Run complete
ACP console log closed 15-Dec-2010 01:12:12 UTC


Then FocusMax reported the following: Note that time is Mountain Standard (UT-7)

18:16:06 Current position = 2431, Move to = 2411, TC steps = 2, Final position ==> 2413
18:16:09 FocusMax temp comp is on
18:17:34 FocusMax temp comp is off
18:17:35 Current position = 2413, Move to = 2433, TC steps = 2, Final position ==> 2435
18:17:44 FocusMax temp comp is on
18:18:26 FocusMax temp comp is off
18:18:26 Current position = 2435, Move to = 2415, TC steps = 2, Final position ==> 2417
18:18:31 FocusMax temp comp is on
18:19:35 Telescope TheSky returned illegal Dec value of: 24.0002289392038
18:19:56 FocusMax temp comp is off
18:19:56 Current position = 2417, Move to = 2437, TC steps = 3, Final position ==> 2440
18:20:06 FocusMax temp comp is on
18:20:47 FocusMax temp comp is off
18:20:48 Current position = 2440, Move to = 2420, TC steps = 2, Final position ==> 2422
18:20:53 FocusMax temp comp is on
18:22:20 Telescope TheSky returned illegal Dec value of: 24.0156515461024
18:22:23 Telescope TheSky returned illegal Dec value of: 24.0156540604211
18:22:26 Telescope TheSky returned illegal Dec value of: 24.0156515943093
18:22:30 Telescope TheSky returned illegal Dec value of: 24.0156540696585
18:22:32 Telescope TheSky returned illegal Dec value of: 24.0156530336151
18:22:35 Telescope TheSky returned illegal Dec value of: 24.015653558383
18:22:37 Telescope TheSky returned illegal Dec value of: 24.0156512268058
18:22:40 Telescope TheSky returned illegal Dec value of: 24.0156517478986
18:22:44 Telescope TheSky returned illegal Dec value of: 24.0156555269322
18:22:46 Telescope TheSky returned illegal Dec value of: 24.0156574826084


Th first instance of the illegal/wacky declination was while this was taking place with ACP log (normal/proper operation):

ACP console log opened 15-Dec-2010 01:19:21 UTC
This is ACP version 5.1 (build 3, Maintenance release 5.1)
Licensed to Arne Henden
01:19:21 This is AcquireScheduler V3.2.2-Krajci100104
01:19:21 Custom image file path/names are in use
01:19:21 Custom auto-flip parameters are in use
01:19:21 PreFlip=300 PostFlip=120 AF=300 PU=60
01:19:22 Initializing AcquireSupport V5.1.17
01:19:22 Telescope is ACP->K28, driver V2
01:19:23 MaxIm DL/CCD is version 5.12
01:19:23 Imager is SBIG Universal
01:19:23 Guider is SBIG Universal(internal)
01:19:23 Calculated unbinned plate scales (arcsec/pix): H = 1.05 V = 1.05
01:19:23 Calculated field of view (arcmin): H = 26.9 V = 17.9
01:19:23 Using focus offsets from FilterInfo.txt
01:19:23 ACPS Observation #139 - NGC7790_Scan
01:19:23 Pointing updates are enabled
01:19:23 Starting observation 5 for plan NGC7790_raster
01:19:23 Start slew to NGC7790_Scan...
01:19:24 (wait for slew to complete)
....here is where the illegal coordinate was reported by FocusMax...in the middle of the slew...but scope properly slewed to +61dec
01:19:44 (slew complete)

01:19:44 Doing auto-center...
01:19:44 Switching from SG to C filter for pointing exposure
01:19:44 Focus change of 20 steps required
01:20:07 (taking 20 sec. exposure, C filter, binning = 2)
01:20:36 Calibrating image...
01:20:36 Image finished
01:20:36 Plate-solve pointing image.
01:20:36 1541 image stars found
01:20:37 318 catalog stars found
01:20:37 Solved! 125 stars matched.
01:20:37 Average residual is 0.25 arcsec.
01:20:37 Pointing error is 0.556 arcmin @ angle 30.10
01:20:37 Image FWHM is 4.7 arcsec (2.24 pixels)
01:20:37 True focal length is 175.7 cm.
01:20:37 True image center (J2000): 23h 59m 12.3s 61° 05' 58.88"
01:20:37 Imager sky position angle is 180.1 deg.
01:20:37 Image FWHM is 4.7 arcsec (2.24 pixels)
01:20:37 (avg FWHM = 4.80 arcsec)


This plan ended properly, but the next plan:

ACP console log opened 15-Dec-2010 01:21:44 UTC
This is ACP version 5.1 (build 3, Maintenance release 5.1)
Licensed to Arne Henden
01:21:44 This is AcquireScheduler V3.2.2-Krajci100104
01:21:44 Custom image file path/names are in use
01:21:44 Custom auto-flip parameters are in use
01:21:44 PreFlip=300 PostFlip=120 AF=300 PU=60
01:21:45 Initializing AcquireSupport V5.1.17
01:21:45 Telescope is ACP->K28, driver V2
01:21:46 MaxIm DL/CCD is version 5.12
01:21:46 Imager is SBIG Universal
01:21:46 Guider is SBIG Universal(internal)
01:21:46 Calculated unbinned plate scales (arcsec/pix): H = 1.05 V = 1.05
01:21:46 Calculated field of view (arcmin): H = 26.9 V = 17.9
01:21:46 Using focus offsets from FilterInfo.txt
01:21:46 ACPS Observation #140 - NGC7790_Scan
01:21:46 Pointing updates are enabled
01:21:46 Starting observation 6 for plan NGC7790_raster
01:21:46 Start slew to NGC7790_Scan...
01:21:47 (wait for slew to complete)
01:22:20 (slew complete)
01:22:20 Doing auto-center...
01:22:20 Switching from SG to C filter for pointing exposure
01:22:20 Focus change of 20 steps required
01:53:39 **Script Error**
01:53:40 Source: ACP
01:53:40 Message: The script was aborted. at line 724 column 17.
ACP console log closed 15-Dec-2010 01:53:41 UTC


The scope did in fact slew to +24dec, which was not the target coordinate. I had to terminate the script because it was stuck, doing nothing, just waiting for the focus change to complete.

I restarted the plan and this target series was eventually completed, but several more times the wacky/illegal dec value of +24 was reported...but at least this time ACP was able to recover from the wrong slew coords and continue the image series in the proper location.

I don't know the cause of this. All target coords were up near +61dec....I checked the rtml coordinates...nothing anywhere near +24dec. Target RA is kinda close to 23 59 59 (J2000)...but is that important? FocusMax reported the problem, but it may not have caused it.

Software was ACP/Scheduler/TheSky6Pro/TheSkyControlledTelescope driver.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance.