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Brilliant Geminid Meteor Shower Dazzles Brunei Sky

Bandar Seri Begawan – In the predawn hours of December 13, 2015, as the Earth began to sweep through a dense remains of debris from asteroid 3200 Phaethon, these falling space debris burned up in the atmosphere and caused bright flashes in the sky known as shooting stars or geminids meteor showers.

The Geminid shower got its name from the constellation of Gemini or the Twins. From Tutong, there were about 10 meteors in an hour visibled on that morning. The rate is expected to increase as the annual geminid meteor shower peaks tonight (13-14 December 2015). That is when more than 50 shooting stars might be visible every hour (depending on your location/sky). Geminids can be spotted starting between 10 pm and before sunrise, and expected to peak at around 2 am. Continue reading “Brilliant Geminid Meteor Shower Dazzles Brunei Sky”

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Spectacular Geminids meteor shower lights up Brunei Sky

SKYWATCHERS in Brunei and around the world had the opportunity to witness the annual astronomical spectacle of Geminids meteor shower last night. Every year on December 14, the Earth comes across the particles of residue from Comet 3200 Phaethon.

Upon entering the Earth’s atmosphere, these comet dusts burn and vaporise, thus producing bright meteor trails. The natural phenomenon produces rapid streaks of light or better known as shooting stars which are visible to the naked eyes. These meteors appear to radiate from a point in the sky of constellation Gemini, thus its name β€˜Geminids’.

There were also reports from the Astronomical Society of Brunei Darussalam’s Facebook page stating that some even witnessed up to six shooting stars in half an hour that night.

This wide-angled photo of the night sky showing the Geminids meteor, captured at around 11pm from Kampong Keriam, Tutong, on December 14. – HAZARRY BIN HAJI ALI AHMAD
This wide-angled photo of the night sky showing the Geminids meteor, captured at around 11 pm from Kampong Keriam, Tutong, on December 14. – HAZARRY BIN HAJI ALI AHMAD

This wide-angled photo of the night sky showing the Geminids meteor, captured at around 11 pm from Kampong Keriam, Tutong, on December 14. – HAZARRY BIN HAJI ALI AHMAD
This wide-angled photo of the night sky showing the Geminids meteor, captured at around 11 pm from Kampong Keriam, Tutong, on December 14. – HAZARRY BIN HAJI ALI AHMAD

A close-up view of a bright Geminids meteor trail shining against the stars of the constellation Orion
A close-up view of a bright Geminids meteor trail shining against the stars of the constellation Orion

// Press release – Borneo Bulletin