Bandar Seri Begawan – The Astronomical Society of Brunei Darussalam (PABD), in collaboration with JPCC Sdn. Bhd., held a three-night sidewalk astronomy event from July 10 until 12, 2025, inviting the public to experience the wonders of the night sky under the theme “Making Astronomy Closer to Public.”
The event was designed with two key goals: To make astronomy approachable and inspiring for the general public, including casual visitors to Jerudong Park, and to foster curiosity and scientific wonder through direct telescope observation of celestial objects.
Over 300 attendees, ranging from astronomy enthusiasts to first-time stargazers, gathered at walkway outside Jerudong Park Food Court during the three evenings to peer through telescopes and connect with the cosmos.
Main activities included:
i. Stargazing: Visitors observed the Full Moon at close-up view that revealed cratered surface, glimpsed of bright deep sky objects such as star clusters and identifying the constellation Scorpio.
ii. Interactive Guidance: PABD members were on hand to explain celestial phenomena such as the moon phases.
iii. Astrophotography: Many visitors took the opportunity to snap their own images of the Moon using smartphone cameras through telescope eyepieces capturing lunar surface at high magnification.
Various telescopes, including refractors, reflectors, and smart telescope models, were stationed around the venue, enabling visitors to experience different methods of observation.
Sidewalk Astronomy, originally popularised by amateur astronomers in 1965, gradually evolved into a global initiative embraced by the astronomy community. In Brunei Darussalam, this initiative was first introduced by PABD in 2007, inspiring the public to look up and reconnect with the wonders of the night sky.
“Some of our visitors had never seen the Moon’s surface in such detail—the craters, lunar highlands and the topography. For many, it was their first real experience with astronomy. Seeing their excitement and awe has been deeply rewarding for us as organisers,” shared Mohammad Husaini bin Ali Hassan, PABD member.
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