Dark Nights for the Perseids (From SKY & TELESCOPE)

The last time the annual Perseid meteor shower happened during a run of good moonless nights was in 2007. It turns out that every three years, the same phase of the Moon returns to roughly the same date each month (2.2 days earlier, on average). So in 2010 we're on for moonless Perseids again!
The shower lasts for many days, but according to the International Meteor Organization this year's peak should occur during a half-day-long window. For North Americans, the best viewing will probably be late Thursday night and early Friday morning, August 12-13, or possibly the night before.

Visit the SKY & TELESCOPE site for more info.
 

Roatan Marine Park

The Roatan Marine Park (RMP) is a grass roots, community-based, non-profit organization located on the island of Roatan, 50 kilometers off the mainland coast of Honduras. 

The organization was formed in January 2005 when a group of concerned dive operators and local businesses united in an effort to protect Roatan’s fragile coral reefs. Initially, it was our goal to run a patrol program within the Sandy Bay-West End Marine Reserve (SBWEMR), to prevent over exploitation through unsustainable fishing practices. Over time, we expanded the scope of our environmental efforts through the addition of other programs encompassing the entire island.


Click here to visit the Roatan Marine Park web site.

Recommended Reading and ID Books

Reef Fish Behavior has become a classic reference and overview of what is presently know about the behavior and ecology of reef fishes inhabiting the waters of Florida, Caribbean and Bahamas. 

Available at Amazon.com

By far, the most popular identification books for the area we will be visiting are these by Humann & DeLoach. This three volume set may be purchased in the boxed version pictured or as individual volumes: Reef Fish, Reef Creature and Reef Coral.

Available at Amazon.com