The event was co-organized by the Astronomical Society of Brunei Darussalam (PABD) and the Peliunan Park Management.

Under a clear sky, participants recorded 99 bright meteors with few fireballs between 10 pm and 5 am – an average of 14 meteors per hour (ZHR) – streaking from the constellation Lyra.

With the Moon setting early, the suburban dark skies of Batu Apoi offered ideal conditions for viewing the annual meteor shower, produced as debris from Comet C/1861 G1 (Thatcher) entered Earth’s atmosphere at extreme velocity, leaving glowing ionized trails.

The event commenced in the afternoon on April 22 with tent setups and registration, transitioning into an “All-night Stargazing” session in the evening. Participants were treated to views of the Moon, planet Jupiter and bright deep-sky objects through the optical telescopes and smart telescopes.

The event comprised a specialized astronomy talk by the PABD Secretary General, Hazarry bin Haji Ali Ahmad. The presentation covered the science of the Lyrids meteor shower and raised critical dark sky awareness, emphasizing the importance of protecting the night from light pollution.

Held in conjunction with International Dark Sky Week, the session served as a call to action for the local community to join the global movement for dark sky preservation. By committing to responsible lighting, participants joined a worldwide effort to curb light pollution and protect the visibility of our universe and astronomical phenomena for the next generation

“Witnessing so many people connect with the night sky to watch the celestial wonder is truly inspiring,” expressed Hidayatullah bin Ahmad, PABD Programme Coordinator. “AstroCamp is more than just a meteor shower; it’s about building awareness, igniting a sense of wonder, and reminding us that we must all work together to preserve the natural darkness of our universe.”

Under the theme “Dark Skies, Falling Stars,” the program featured a dedicated Milky Way hunt and the “First Light” Lyrids Astrophotography Challenge. After observations concluded at astronomical twilight, participants gathered for the prize presentation. Muhammad Arif bin Ismail was named the astrophotography champion, taking home a Dobsonian telescope.

Photos by: Ak Muhd Adi Zulhilmi Bin Pg Yakub / PABD

PRESS RELEASED

Whether you are a seasoned astronomer with a high-powered telescope or a curious beginner seeking a peaceful getaway, we invite you to pitch your tent, set up your gear, and unwind under a vast blanket of stars. With clear skies overhead, the crown jewel of our retreat will be the peak of the Lyrids Meteor Shower – a breathtaking celestial display.

More Info: https://bruneiastronomy.org/web/meteorcamp2026/

Despite persistent rain and fog blanketing much of the predawn sky, observers successfully recorded 8 meteors during a focused one-hour window.

Beyond meteor counting, the activities also featured sky quality measurements and general skywatching.

With the Perseids nearing their peak, astronomy enthusiasts are encouraged to begin early observations. Meteors are now already visible under clear skies, especially with minimal interference from moonlight.

This is a composite multiple meteors photographs shot with single background image from one camera position over a four-hour period on May 6, 2022.

Photographed by Md Qawiem Hj Md Jamil, Executive Committee of the Astronomical Society of Brunei Darussalam (PABD).

One of the brighter meteor showers will light up Brunei skies – the Perseids are coming soon this week.

They occur every year and visible between July 17 and August 24. Perseids tend to peak around August 12-13, between midnight till dawn. And this year 2021, the new moon phase will keep the night sky naturally dark, which is a prime time to observe the meteor.

Perseid meteors are made of tiny space debris from the comet Swift-Tuttle that briskly burnt in our atmosphere upon entry producing spectacular light shows or “shooting stars”. The Perseids are named after the constellation Perseus because the direction, or radiant, lies in the same direction as the constellation.

As our country is back under strict movement restrictions due to recent COVID-19 outbreak, it is still the best time to enjoy the celestial display from your home.

How to Watch Spectacular Meteor Showers from Home

Weather permitting and depending on your location, Perseid meteor observer can see 60 to 100 meteors in an hour from a dark place.

While meteor showers are best seen in the darkest places, those living from the urban areas may still see the bright ones from your back gardens, balconies or rooftops.

For those living in rural areas in Brunei will have the advantageous spots to observe the spectacular displays from their backyards or gardens. These observers will see more stars and meteors thanks to the lower level of light pollution.

There is no special equipment to view a meteor shower. From your home, ensure to minimise the light in your vicinity, and follow these simple steps:

Find a viewing spot with an unobstructed view of the night sky outside your home.
To maximise your shooting star experience, you may need to turn off most of you house lights or look away from any bright lights.
Lie down on the ground and look up towards the Northeast direction.
Share your astronomy at home and observation on your preferred social media by tagging us #bruneiastronomy

Stay at home, stay safe. Clear skies!

Bandar Seri Begawan – Members of the Astronomical Society of Brunei Darussalam (PABD) have caught glimpse of shooting stars in the night skies above the Temburong, despite of the clouds, as the annual Perseids meteor shower intensified last night, August 12, 2020.

The meteor shower of the year was expected to reach its peak Wednesday night into Thursday morning, with the best viewing expected just before dawn. But this year’s shower was accompanied by a last quarter moon, making our sky less for ideal meteor viewing.

And for many parts around Brunei Darussalam, the clouds obscured the most popular celestial light shows. Despite of the moonlight interference and cloudy sky last night, meteor observers had spotted 5 bright meteors and fireballs of the Perseid.

The meteor shower observation was attended by a group of 17 members of PABD which was held in Sumbiling Eco -Village, Temburong.

The event consisted of a video conferencing with other amateur astronomers from regional Persatuan Astronomi dan Falak Negeri Kelantan and the Sabah Stargazers to update meteor shower observation outcomes and exchanging ideas about astronomy.

Earlier in the evening, there were Milky Way hunting activity and stargazing with bright Jupiter and Saturn planets on the spotlight. The observation site offered a good view of the glowing white band of starlight of our galaxy.

Last night’s event came to an end with a spectacular pre-sunrise celestial pairing of the the half moon passed close to the star cluster Pleiades (or Seven Sisters) in the constellation Taurus.

A total of 46 shooting stars were recorded from 11 pm until 3 am, which averaging about 12 meteors per hour rate last night.

The Perseid Meteor Shower is perhaps the most beloved meteor shower of the year. The shower builds gradually to a peak, often produces 50 to 100 meteors per hour in a dark sky at the peak, around August 12 – 13. However, the nearly full moon block out most of the fainter meteors during the camp last night, and mostly only the bright ones could be seen.

Perseid is produced by comet Swift-Tuttle remnants, which was discovered in 1862. The Perseids are famous for producing a large number of bright meteors. The shower runs annually from July 17 to August 24.

Here are some pictures of the stargazing, Campfire and BBQ activities from last night:

Perseids adalah diambil sempena buruj Perseus, “Si Pahlwan”, dari mana juraian meteor tadi berpusat. Pada awal bulan Ogos ia akan terbit dari sebelah timur laut pada tengah malam dari negara Brunei.

Pancuran meteor Perseids pada kebiasaannya bermula dari 23 Julai sehingga 22 Ogos setiap tahun. Akan tetapi pada 11 atau 12 haribulan, pada tarikh tadi juraian meteor sangat aktif dan seseorang boleh melihat sehingga lebih 50 butiran meteor dalam masa sejam. Sekali gus ia memberi peluang kepada peminat cakerawala untuk menyaksikan kejadian yang menarik itu.

Persatuan Astronomi Negara Brunei Darussalam tidak melepaskan peluang untuk membuat cerapan fenomena juraian meteor Perseids. Cerapan telah pun diadakan bermula pada pukul 11 malam pada 11 Ogos di kawasan lapang Bukit Agok, Tutong. Hadir pada cerapan tersebut ialah Yang Di-Pertua PABD dan ahli-ahli persatuan astronomi. Turut hadir bersama ialah pegawai-pegawai dari Jabatan Ukur dan segelintir orang awam.

Dari hasil cerapan menggunakan mata kasa yang telah dibuat pada sekitar pukul 2 pagi itu telah mendapati lebih 6 butir meteor yang boleh dilihat dalam masa setengah jam. Kebanyakannya begitu terang dan bergerak dengan kecepatan yang tinggi. Jumlah butiran yang sedikit dari yang dijangkakan itu mungkin disebabkan oleh keadaan yang berawan dan sedikit berjerebu dari tempat cerpan.

Di samping menyaksikan juraian meteor, kehadiran bulan sabit tua yang berada hampir dengan planet Zuhrah di langit pada awal pagi tadi turut menjadi tumpuan mereka yang hadir. Cerapan tamat sekitar jam 5:30 pagi tadi.