The Perseid meteor shower is predicted by IMO to peak on August 12 between 17UT and 19:30UT at a ZHR of about 100 and this is the best shower of 2005. By the time the radiant rises sufficiently, that is, by about 23:00 local, the waxing Moon will have set and its light would not interfere with viewing the meteors. Last year's shower surprised with a peak ZHR of ~200 at about 11:50UT; this might happen although is not very likely even in 2005. The Perseids are fast meteors and sometimes produce fireballs.
We are planning to put on-line our refurbished CONCAM-1 next to the CONCAM-2 at the Wise Observatory. The refurbishment, that hopefully will be completed in the first week of August, consists of:
1. The installation of the CONCAM-1 in a well-ventilated metal box
2. The mounting of a transparent plastic dome on top of the box
3. The fitting of a two-blade rotating chopper on top of the camera but protected by the dome, and turned by a synchronous motor.
The new contraption wil be mounted very close to the operating CONCAM-2 for a 'short' trial period. After successful operation for a month or so, it will be transported a few tens of km Northward, to allow meteor triangulation.
I urge all CONCAM/NSL fans to watch out for meteors and bright fireballs during the nights of the shower peak, as well as those preceding or following the peak.
Noah Brosch