Perseids remained modest - except for an early (dust trail-caused?) peak

Looking at the automatically generated ZHR plot from worldwide visual observations, the Perseids of 2010 managed to produce a prolonged plateau with a zenithal hourly rate around only 80, lasting for almost 24 hours from noon to noon UTC of Aug. 12 and 13 - but sitting on it is a sharp peak of ZHR ~130 at 17:00 UTC on August 12: This could be a dust trail produced by the parent comet in 1479, though - as CBET #2416 of 17 August warns - the peak is only "based on roughly ten visual observers located in China, Russia, Japan, and Israel." An encounter with that trail had been predicted by several modellers though perhaps not with such an amplitude. For those not encountering the extra peak and/or sitting under mediocre skies the 2010 Perseids were not the great show all too many overblown stories had promised once again - seen under good conditions it was fun, though, as early reports and analysis here (earlier), here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here (earlier, earlier, earlier and earlier) show. Picture collections can be found e.g. here, here (blog; more), here, here, here, here, here (lots of meteor-free pics, too - d'uh), here and here.

Individual pictures of note are e.g. this, this, this (again), this, this, this, this, this, this, this and this shot, with nice composites (not always well documented) here, here, here, here and here. There are is a map from double station observations here (earlier), we have these, these, these, these and these video still composites, a series of video stills and individual videos of various kinds here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here, a collection and a failed attempt with just airplanes. One could also detect Perseids through their ionization trails reflecting distant TV stations to the southern UK as this and this clip show! In advance of the peak there were also a few more scientific stories and press releases, from Nature on Perseids science, Scientific American on the shower itself, Meteoroids on their burn-up heights (also here), the U of A, RAS and S&T. Finally ample coverage of the Perseids 2010, after and before the show, here, here, here, here (earlier), here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here (earlier, still earlier, even earlier), here, here, here, here, here (now that's an idea!), hier, hier, hier and hier - accuracy varies ...

In other planetary news there is a new crater discovery (also mentioned here and here), but it's not confirmed yet and could also be volcanic or whatever. • For sure is the discovery of the 1st Neptune trojan in the L5 zone as documented here, here, here (also a list of all), here, here, here, here, here, here and hier. Neptune itself, by the way will complete its 1st orbit next year which caused some confused headlines (here, here and here) as it also returns to the discovery position in the sky already this year, dito for the non-precessing ecliptic longitude. Celebrate whenever you like ... • There is an observation of 2P/Encke (viewing conditions), more pictures came in from 10P/Tempel (also of Aug. 21, Aug. 19, Aug. 12 and Aug. 10), P/2003 S2 (NEAT) has been recovered and everyone hopes 103P/Hartley will perform (more): several pictures, also of Aug. 19 (more) and Aug. 15 - not really convincing yet ...

• The evening planet triangle has dissolved again, and the Moon came by Aug. 11 to 13: pictures of August 19 (more, more), August 15 (more), August 13 (more, more, more, more and more), August 12 (more, more, more, more, more and more), August 11 (more), August 10, August 9 (more), August 8, August 7 and August 6. Also on various days from South Africa and yet more stories here, here and here. Plus Venus close-up and not identified - how about some basic astronomy? • On Jupiter meanwhile two red spots are meeting as also seen in this sequence and this picture (but not this one) from today! Also an animation of August 6 - and Jupiter through a Galileoscope with a webcam. If Galilei could see that ...

Elsewhere in the Universe a few more impressions from the total solar eclipse last month: a panorama by yours truly from Argentina, I've been made aware of what may be the trashiest eclipse video ever shot in Chile (in the continuation the umbral cone is visible briefly in the sky, though), and stuff from Rapa Nui, Tatakoto and Hao - and the aftermath on Mangaia. • From the Sun itself vis. vs. H-alpha on Aug. 15, two spot groups, the Aug. 7 flare and more CMEs, the earlier aurora and some activity coverage here (earlier), here and here, also on invisible aurorae, flare warnings (and scares), the Sun's 'conveyor belt' changes (more and more), the role of the Cluster mission and an alleged role of the Sun in jetstream blocking. • The proper motion of 61 Cyg visualized, the status of Eps Aur, a 38-hour exposure of the Vela SNR, Herbig-Haro 32 and an ISS Sun transit. • The 'Star Hustler' Jack Horkheimer (more) has died yesterday (more). • A video about and some fun telescopes from Stellafane 2010, a photo prize for an Orion Nebula, the Wilson & other awards - and a cool VR picture of The Dish & the sky.