Apart from the traditional maximum at a solar longitude of 140.0 degrees, a pre-maximum peak has been observed for more than 10 years with variable strength. For the first time after the return of the parent comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle, the 2000 Perseids do not show this early peak.

The fresh Perseid peak was expected near 5h UT on August 12. The below Table gives a preliminary ZHR graph showing no significant maximum at this time. The traditional maximum of the Perseids was well pronounced in 2000. The peak time fell near a solar longitude of 140.0 degrees. The small number of observers covering the maximum allows us to give only a rough estimate of the amplitude of about ZHR=110-120.

The excellent conditions with a New Moon on July 1 were used by many observers for monitoring the activity of the June Bootids despite activity was not expected to be extra-ordinary. Nevertheless, the detection of a weak, but distinct annual activity was a challenge for visual observing experts, too.

In 1998, the June Bootids produced an outburst of activity with ZHRs near 80, possibly reaching 200, near a solar longitude of 95.7 degrees (J2000.0). The below Table gives an overview of the activity of the June Bootids in 2000. No outburst was observed. The apparent noise of ZHR values suggests a typical visual detection limit of minor showers near ZHR=1. Significant activity was therefore observed between June 27, 0400-2300 UT. This is about 0.3 to 0.8 degrees later (or 7 to 19 hours later) than in 1998. It will be worthwhile to revisit previous moon-free years to confirm an annual activity level of ZHR = 2 to 3.

The large number of observing reports coming in after the first Shower Circular about the eta-Aquarids allowed an update of the activity graph. The shower appears to exhibit a period of about three days with ZHRs above 50. The data set does not allow to conclude about the fluctuations; yet the broad maximum and the maximum ZHR of ~60 are a clear result of this preliminary compilation.

The meteor shower of the eta-Aquarids is not easily observed from mid-northern latitudes where the majority of visual observers is located, because of the very late rising of the radiant before dawn, and fewer amateurs are observing from the southern hemi- sphere where dawn is much later, and the radiant climbs higher before the end of the meteor watch.

Observations of the 2000 Lyrids were hampered by a gibbous waning Moon, which rose before midnight shortly after the radiant of the Lyrids had reached altitudes above 30 degrees. Typically, the annual maximum of the Lyrids falls between solar longitudes 32.1 deg and 32.5 deg, corresponding to April 21, 22:10 UT to April 22, 05:40 UT this year.

The return of the Lyrid meteor shower in 2000 was normal, according to the present information. The amount of data available is far from conclusive. High ZHRs of roughly 15 to 20 were recorded all through the (UT) evening of April 21 and the whole morning of April 22.