Kudat is one of the few pristine places for stargazing.- by Eddie Chua
PETALING JAYA: The annual Perseid meteor shower can be seen almost everywhere in the country, as long as the location is dark.
The peak time to watch this celestial display would be this Sunday at 1.30am.
Last year, between 150 and 200 meteors were sighted in an hour. However, this year, watching the Perseids' display will be a bit more challenging due to the presence of the almost full moon.
Nevertheless, stargazers can still see the fireballs from the brightest bits of Perseid entering the Earth's atmosphere with the naked eye.
Here are six places, popular among local stargazers, to observe and photograph this dazzling show.
1) Tanjung Simpang Mengayau
Located at the uppermost tip of the Borneo island, this place in the Kudat district, Sabah, is spectacular at night.
It is one of the few pristine places for stargazing.
It always has clear night skies. The stretches of dark beaches on both sides of its coast also make this place an ideal location for meteor observation.
2) Kampung Teluk Pelanduk, Port Dickson
This fishing village is situated not far from the Lexis Hibiscus resort.
There are two jetties, one wooden and one concrete, which stretch out to sea, making them good observation decks.
Although there is a teh tarik stall operating there, and it is usually crowded during the weekends, this place is dark and safe enough to carry out stargazing.
3) Cameron Highlands
This tourist destination is another perfect location to see the meteor shower as it has a superb night sky with minimal light pollution.
One of the best places to carry out the observation is along the dark winding road leading to the Boh Tea Estate.
Enthusiasts can park their cars along the road shoulder and spot the fireballs in between the valley.
4) Pantai Malindo, Penang
This fishing village is located near the mouth of Sungai Burong, and is accessible via Jalan Kuala Sungai Burong.
Finding this tarred lane can be difficult, even for the locals, if you are not familiar with the place.
The landmarks that can lead you to this lane are the Sungai Burong mosque on the left, and the Sungai Burong government clinic on the right. Both are located on Jalan Bharu.
Immediately after passing the mosque, be on the lookout for this lane on the left. The road leads you to the beach.
5) Pulau Tioman, Mersing
This is another popular destination among stargazers.
There are many small motels and cafes run by villagers at Kampung Lalang and Kampung Genting. The accommodation and food prices here are reasonable.
Its dark beaches, a step away from the rooms, make for easy and ideal sites to witness meteor showers.
6) Kuala Selangor, Selangor
Pantai Remis and Pantai Redang Sekinchan, both near the Kuala Selangor town, are two places nearer to the Klang Valley where one can observe the meteor display.
Pantai Remis is about an hour from Petaling Jaya while Pantai Redang is 90 minutes away.
These two places, which are deserted and dark at night, are easily accessible by cars.
Related story: Meteor shower to light up the sky this weekend
