Bruneiastronomy.org

USM Astronomy Convention and Expo 2008

2008-07-02T23:27:55-07:00

PROGRAM FOR “USM ASTRONOMY CONVENTION AND EXPO 2008”

Theme: “ASTRONOMY AND SPACE – OPEN YOUR HEARTS”

Date: 18 to 20 July 2008,
Main Venue: Main Examination Hall and Padang Kawad, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia

*Exhibitions, workshops, solar observations, quizzes, lucky draws and commercial promotion of telescopes run continuously in Main Examination Hall, and Padang Kawad, USM

*Exhibitions end at 10.00 p.m. Participants in workshops are encouraged to bring their own equipment and materials.

Read more for invitation letter and contacts information (in malay).

Mystery Light Over Manggis Dua

2008-06-28T05:36:34-07:00

The streak of light in the evening sky captured on digital camera

Borneo Bulletin - Bandar Seri Begawan - A family of three was in a state of disbelief when they saw a mysterious light emerging in the evening sky that did not resemble anything they had encountered before.

The family, described the light as mysterious. They were hanging out on the balcony of their home in Kg Manggis Dua when they spotted a bright shimmer in the starry skies of the evening.

It was about 6.38pm when they noticed the bright light in the sky.

Send Your Name to the Moon

2008-05-29T17:41:17-07:00

Earthlings, you can participate in NASA's return to the moon mission�and submit your name which will then be sent to our neighbouring satellite, the Moon on board of Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. You can get a copy of your certificate (of which you can print)�in return�for your support on the mission.

Support the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Mission and submit your name before the date ends on June 27, 2008.

Click Here To send your messages From Earth.

Brightening Comet Is Coming

2008-05-22T08:05:51-07:00

Nightsky Hunter - C/2007 W1 (Boattini) is already much brighter than expected. Current visual magnitude estimates by experienced comet observers place the comet between magnitude + 8.9 using 10x50mm Binos. It can be found near Corvus the celestial Crow for much of the night low in the sky at a declination of -17 degrees and then moves into Hydra. It's moving to the west. It will pass 0.85 A.U. from the Sun in late June and is expected to reach to magnitude +6.0 however considering this current activity the comet may reach magnitude +4.5 making it a nice naked eye object. In the northern hemisphere it will be visible until May 25th when it could be near 6th mag. It will be invisible for 1.5 months during perihelion passage however it will appear again in the morning sky at a similar magnitude. A bright comet is often at its most spectacular post perihelion so if this unexpected brightening trend continues then we MIGHT have a very nice comet in our skies. With a diameter of 12' it is a large objecy and moderately condensed. Of all the known comets this is the on which could deliver! Update: The BAA now predict this comet to reach mag +2.0 making it a bright naked eye object.

Mei 28 - Fenomena Matahari di atas Kaabah

2008-05-15T03:31:13-07:00

Atas: Menghadap sebelah barat dari Brunei, kaedah menentukan arah kiblat menggunakan bayang tiang ketika fenomena istiwa adzam di kaabah.

Pada 28 Mei setiap tahun,�jam 5.26 petang,�kedudukan matahari akan betul-betul berada tepat di atas kaabah,�Mekah.�

Fenomena astronomi�yang lebih dikenali sebagai istiwa adzam boleh dimanfaatkan oleh umat Islam hampir seluruh dunia untuk�menentukan arah kiblat yang tepat ketika waktu tadi.

Lazimnya, dalam setahun matahari akan berada tepat di atas kaabah sebanyak dua kali iaitu apabila nilai sudut deklinasinya bersamaan dengan latitud Mekah (21.421 darjah Utara) pada setiap 28hb Mei pukul 5.16 petang dan sekali lagi pada 16hb Julai pukul 5.28 petang waktu Brunei

Ikuti cara-cara berikut untuk menyemak arah kiblat dari kawasan awda:

1. Awda perlu menggunakan objek-objek yang lurus seperti sebatang tiang atau sisi-sisi rumah. Ia juga mestilah tegak dengan memeriksa menggunakan pemberat yang diikat ke benang (plumbline).

2. Objek tadi mestilah berada di sebuah tempat yang tidak terlindung dari sinaran matahari misalnya jangan diletak di bawah pokok atau di dalam rumah. Akan tetapi�hendaklah diletakkan�di kawasan yang menerima terus cahaya matahari misalnya di halaman rumah yang lapang.

3. Tepat pada jam 5.16 petang�28 Mei,�garisan bayang objek yang dihasilkan oleh matahari adalah arah kiblat iaitu menghadap ke arah matahari.

PABD Meeting 25 April 2008

2008-04-21T03:37:20-07:00

Please be informed that the Astronomical Society of Brunei Darussalam will be holding a meeting:

Date: 25th April 2008 /
Day: Friday
Venue: 2nd Floor, Survery Department. BSB.
Time: 2.30 - 4.30

A great pleasure to invite all members of PABD and interested stargazers to attend the meeting.

AGENDA:
1. Recital of Surah Al-Fatihah
2. Society Annual Report
3. Astronomy Week & Day

Thank you.

For further inquires, do contact PABD

Naked-eye Gamma Ray Burst

2008-03-21T15:23:45-07:00

NASA - March 21, 2008: A powerful gamma ray burst detected March 19th by NASA's Swift satellite has shattered the record for the most distant object that could be seen with the naked eye.

"It was a whopper," says Swift principal investigator Neil Gehrels of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. "This blows away every gamma ray burst we've seen so far."

Swift's Burst Alert Telescope picked up the burst at 2:12 a.m. EDT on March 19, 2008, and pinpointed the coordinates in the constellation Bootes. Telescopes in space and on the ground quickly moved to observe the afterglow. The burst was named GRB 080319B and registered between 5 and 6 on the visual magnitude scale used by astronomers. (A magnitude 6 star is the dimmest visible to the human eye; magnitude 5 is almost three times brighter.)

Brunei Astronomical Society 2008 Programmes

2008-02-25T04:25:51-07:00

The following are a list of activities and programmes for 2008. These activities are yet still tentative. Kindly, interested members of public are adviced to contact the executive commitees for further information.

07 Feb - New Moon Watching (Safar)
08 Mar - New Moon Watching (Rabiulawal)
21 Mar - Astronomy Camp (Schedule for 21 - 23 Mar)
06 Apr - New Moon Watching (Rabiulakhir)
25 Apr - Sidewalk Astronomy (schedule 25 -27 Apr)
05 May - Astronomy Week (schedule 05-11 May)
06 May - New Moon Watching (Jamadilawal)
10 May - Astronomy Day "Bringing Astronomy to People"
04 Jun - New Moon Watching (Jamadilakhir)
16 Jun - Astronomy Camp (Schedule for 16 - 19 Jun)
03 Jul - New Moon Watching (Rejab)
24 Jul - Sidewalk Astronomy (Schedule for 24 -26 Jul)
02 Aug - New Moon Watching (Syaban)
16 Aug - Partial Lunar Eclipse Observation
31 Aug - New Moon Watching (Ramadan)
11 Sep - Program Belia Masjid
30 Sep - New Moon Watch (Syawal)
11 Oct - PABD Hari Raya Celebration
29 Oct - New Moon Watching (Zulkaedah)
28 Nov - New Moon Watching (Zulhijah)
12 Dec - Sidewalk Astronomy (Schedule from 12 -14 Dec)
28 Dec - New Moon Watching (Muharam)

Update of the activities and information about it will be posted on ths site. New moon watching activities will be an ongoing project to support the Survey Department in recording the sightings and visibilities of lunar cresent on every begining of new Islamic months.

For PABD MEETING SCHEDULES (Please Click Read More)

March 2008 Astronomical Events

2008-02-23T00:00:00-07:00

As darkness falls these March evenings, Saturn dominates the eastern sky. The ringed planet climbs higher each passing night and looks spectacular through a telescope.

02 The Moon passes 4° south of Jupiter
03 Mercury is at greatest western elongation (27°)

05 The Moon passes 0.2° south of Mercury

The Moon passes 0.2° north of Venus
The Moon passes0.2° south of Neptune

2008 Planetary Events

2008-02-22T15:43:34-07:00

The following are information for planets, moon (including moon phases), and sun for 2008. Calculation made for:

Location: Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei
Latitude: 4°54'00" N Longitude: 114°56'00" E
Time zone: Singapore Standard Time
Times: Local

Object	Event	Date & Time	Additional Information

Sun	Annular Solar Eclipse	Thu 02/07/2008 11:56a
	March Equinox	Thu 03/20/2008 01:50p
	June Solstice	Sat 06/21/2008 08:01a
	Total Solar Eclipse	Fri 08/01/2008 06:23p
	September Equinox	Mon 09/22/2008 11:46p
	December Solstice	Sun 12/21/2008 08:05p

Mercury	Eastern Elongation	Tue 01/22/2008 01p	(+18ｰ.64)
	Perihelion	Mon 01/28/2008 02a
	Inferior Conjunction	Thu 02/07/2008 02a
	Western Elongation	Mon 03/03/2008 07p	(+27ｰ.15)
	Aphelion	Wed 03/12/2008 02a
	Superior Conjunction	Wed 04/16/2008 03p
	Perihelion	Fri 04/25/2008 01a
	Eastern Elongation	Wed 05/14/2008 12p	(+21ｰ.79)
	Inferior Conjunction	Sat 06/07/2008 11p
	Aphelion	Sun 06/08/2008 01a
	Western Elongation	Wed 07/02/2008 02a	(+21ｰ.79)
	Perihelion	Tue 07/22/2008 12a
	Superior Conjunction	Wed 07/30/2008 04a
	Aphelion	Thu 09/04/2008 12a
	Eastern Elongation	Thu 09/11/2008 12p	(+26ｰ.87)
	Inferior Conjunction	Tue 10/07/2008 05a
	Perihelion	Fri 10/18/2008 12a
	Western Elongation	Wed 10/22/2008 05p	(+18ｰ.32)
	Superior Conjunction	Wed 11/26/2008 01a
	Aphelion	Sun 11/30/2008 11p