Strange Flip Behavior

I suspect this may have been a corner case.

Pier flips previously and subsequently have been reliable. But the Feb 21st session did something strange. I was at the scope at the time so I saw the whole thing.
I started around 6:30 pm intending to get at least one 10 minute sub of NGC1579 prior to crossing the meridian. The sequence commenced, but with the number of the steps required the start of the sub imaging was less than 10 minutes prior to flip (or meridian).
Since the time was short, SGPro gave three choices.
a) Cancel the procedure
b) Wait for the countdown to complete, leading to the flip at the prescribed 5 minutes past meridian.
c) “Try” to flip early

I chose the “Try” to flip early and watched the mount go through its acrobatics. After plate solving, the scope moved from the west side looking east to the east side looking west. It then went through all the steps including focus and starting the guider. Then at the point of starting the next sub, the mount reversed itself and returned to the west side looking east. Once again did its align, focus and guider start. I noted on the scope module that we were now into “minus” flip time period. And surprisingly the exposure started.
I let this one 10 minute sub complete which put the mount about 8 minutes past flip (or maybe more accurately, 8+5 minutes past meridian). I was unsure what would happen beyond this point, so I sent the mount towards the east with the HC and aborted the session. Then restarted the session (the mount to the east side pointing west) and captured a few subs until the clouds rolled in.

March 04, 2020
I may initially not have been clear, so I’ll try to simplify my original post.

a) the mount started at scope west, pointing east.
b) at the point of the first sub, SGPro stated it was time to flip (i.e. too little time to complete sub).
c) I selected the try to flip now option.
d) the mount went to scope east, pointing west.
e) just prior to the start of the sub image the mount returned to scope west, pointing east.
f) the automation then proceeded to image.

The automation originally decided there was insufficient time to image at scope west, pointing east. But it then proceeded to do just that after momentarily flipping, and then flipping back.

Appreciate any thoughts on this.

Mark

@niteman1946

It seems like your mount does not support “early flips” correctly and became confused as to where it was pointing. All subsequent behavior was a side effect of that initial confusion and your scope began reporting erroneous time and/or position information to SGP. SGP always trusts the mount, so it just reported what it was being told.

Charlie

It could be that the mount has flipped early but then forgotten this. The result is that the slew that is done as part of the centering process flips back. to the original pier side because the mount hasn’t reached the meridian.

What’s needed is that after an early flip the mount remains in a state where all subsequent slews are to the preferred meridian. It may be possible to do this in the mount driver but all subsequent slews will flip early. Maybe that’s OK.

Thanks Charlie and Chris.
It had occurred to me also that the mount had lost track of where it was.
It looks like, for now at least, it’s best to keep my finger off the early flip button.
Mark

Closing due to inactivity. If this is still an issue, please send the requested information and “uncheck” this thread as solved.

Thanks!