BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: An unidentified object was spotted in the evening sky over Brunei on Jan 22, prompting speculation after photographs of the unusual sight were shared with the Bulletin by Professor Erik Meijaard and Rona Dennis.
The sighting occurred around sunset, when the pair noticed an unusual feature standing out against otherwise routine aircraft contrails: a dark, vertical plume resembling smoke, raising initial concerns that it could be an aircraft in distress.
However, checks using the FlightRadar application showed no aircraft in the area at the time.
Closer observation through binoculars revealed that the plume had a dense, “dirty” appearance, ruling out the possibility of a meteorite. At the forefront of the plume, observers were able to make out an object descending slowly.
The phenomenon was witnessed and photographed from the sixth floor of a building in the Gadong area. The object was seen drifting gradually northward before disappearing over the South China Sea. The entire episode lasted approximately 15 minutes and coincided with the setting sun.
According to Professor Meijaard, the slow rate of descent was inconsistent with a meteorite or shooting star, which typically crosses the sky within seconds, raising questions about the object’s origin.
A preliminary online search suggested the possibility of space debris. One theory pointed to debris from China’s Long March 12 rocket, which was launched from the Hainan International Commercial Launch Site in Wenchang, Hainan, at around 3.48pm on Jan 19, 2026.
The Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) has since confirmed the rocket launch but stated that any debris from the mission was expected to fall west of Palawan Island, approximately 700km northeast of Brunei. – Borneo Bulletin/ANN
