Sains Malaysiana 52(10)(2023): 2943-2954

http://doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2023-5210-16

Model Reruang Magnitud Kecerahan Langit Di Balai Cerap KUSZA, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UNISZA)

(Spatial Model of Sky Brightness Magnitude at Balai Cerap KUSZA, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UNISZA))

ROSLAN UMAR^1,*, MUHAMMAD ARIF IMRAN AHMAD AZAN², NOR HAZMIN SABRI³, NORHAYATI NGAH^1,4, AHMAD NAJMUDDIN ZULKEFLEE⁵, AHMAD EZZUDDIN MOHAMAD¹, AHMAD SOLIHIN SIRA JUDDIN¹, MUSA GARBA ABDULLAHI⁶, NIK AHMAD FIRDAUS NIK WAN¹, NOR AIDA MAHIDDIN^1,7, MOHD KHAIRUL AMRI KAMARUDIN⁸, MOHD SAIFUL ANWAR MOHD NAWAWI², LOH ING HOE⁹, CHONG JU LIAN³, AHMAD LUTFI AFIFI MOHD NASIR¹, AHMAD HARIZ BELY¹ & AHMAD SYAZNI KAMARUDIN⁴

¹East Coast Environmental Research Institute (ESERI), Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA), Gong Badak Campus, 21300 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia

²Academy of Islamic Studies, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

³Faculty of Science and Marine Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia

⁴Faculty of Bioresources and Food Industry, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA), Besut Campus, 22200 Besut, Terengganu, Malaysia

⁵Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia, Aras 6 & 7, Blok D, Kompleks Islam Putrajaya (KIP), No. 3 Jalan Tun Abdul Razak, Presint 3, 62100 Putrajaya, Malaysia

⁶Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Yusuf Maitama Sule University Kano, Nigeria 700221 Kofar Nassarawa, Kano Nigeria

⁷Faculty of Informatics and Computing, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA), Besut Campus, 22200 Besut, Terengganu, Malaysia

⁸Faculty of Applied Social Sciences, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA), 21300 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia

⁹School of Business and Management, RMIT University, Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam

Received: 6 July 2023/Accepted: 10 October 2023

Abstrak

Magnitud kecerahan langit merupakan antara aspek penting dalam bidang astronomi, terutama bagi cerapan astronomi optik yang memerlukan keadaan langit yang sangat gelap. Di Malaysia, terdapat banyak balai cerap rasmi dan persendirian yang digunakan bagi tujuan tersebut. Laporan kajian ini membincangkan berkenaan model taburan ruang (model reruang) bagi mendapatkan gambaran penuh magnitud kecerahan langit di sekitar Balai Cerap KUSZA (BCK) yang terletak di Kampung Merang, Setiu Terengganu. BCK dipilih dalam kajian ini kerana ia bukan sahaja merupakan lokasi rasmi bagi kerja-kerja pencerapan rukyah anak bulan baharu untuk penetapan takwim Islam (hilal), malah BCK juga menyediakan fasiliti bagi pengajaran dan pembelajaran (PdP) serta penyelidikan berkaitan astronomi dan astrofizik. Kajian ini penting bagi memastikan kelestarian cahaya gelap di BCK dan kawasan sekitarnya adalah releven dengan keperluan semasa. Magnitud kecerahan langit diukur pada waktu malam menggunakan alat pengesan cahaya (SQM) di beberapa lokasi sekitar BCK yang kemudiannya dibandingkan dengan data simulasi satelit. Seterusnya teknik interpolasi menggunakan Sistem Maklumat Geografi (GIS) dilakukan bagi menghasilkan peta model reruang kecerahan langit yang jelas menunjukkan kawasan langit gelap dan terang di BCK dan kawasan sekitarnya. Analisis data menunjukkan kewujudan beberapa lokasi langit cerah (penunjuk pencemaran cahaya) di sekitar kawasan BCK dengan nilai tertinggi adalah16.35 mag arcsec⁻² (3.115×10^-2 cd m^-²) yang mungkin disebabkan oleh aktiviti manusia. Kecerahan langit di Balai Cerap KUSZA ialah 21.34 mag per arcsec⁻² (3.144×10^-4 cd m^-²) dan merupakan antara titik paling gelap dalam kawasan BCK. Secara keseluruhan, data menunjukkan kawasan sekitar balai cerap masih selamat daripada pencemaran cahaya yang keterlaluan. Walau bagaimanapun, pencemaran cahaya tidak terkawal akan mengganggu gugat aktiviti cerapan. Oleh itu, peta model reruang yang dihasilkan ini dijangka dapat membantu penyelidik astronomi optik untuk memantau kadar pencemaran cahaya di BCK bagi tujuan penyelidikan astronomi umumnya dan rukyah hilal secara khususnya di Malaysia.

Kata kunci: Alat pengesan cahaya; astronomi optik; kecerahan langit; pencemaran cahaya; Sistem Maklumat Geografi 

Abstract

The magnitude of sky brightness is one of the important aspects in the field of astronomy, especially for optical astronomical observations that require an extremely dark sky condition. In Malaysia, there are many official and private observatories that are used for this purpose. This research report aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the sky brightness magnitude through a spatial model around the Balai Cerap KUSZA (BCK) located in Kampung Merang, Setiu Terengganu. BCK was chosen in this study because it is not only the official location for observing the new crescent moon for the determination of the Hijri calendar (hilal), but BCK also provides facilities for teaching and learning (T&L) as well as research related to astronomy and astrophysics. This study is important in ensuring that the sustainability of dark areas in BCK and its surrounding is relevant to current needs. The magnitude of sky brightness is measured at night using a light detector or Sky Quality Meter (SQM) in several locations around BCK, which is then compared with satellite simulation data. Next, an interpolation technique using the Geographical Information System (GIS) is performed to produce a spatial model map of sky brightness that clearly depicts dark and bright sky areas in BCK and its surrounding areas. Data analysis shows the existence of several clear sky locations (indicators of light pollution) around the BCK area, with the highest value is 16.35 mag arcsec⁻² (3.115×10^-2 cd m^-2), which may be caused by human activities. The sky brightness at the KUSZA Observatory is 21.34 mag arcsec⁻² (3.144×10^-4 cd m^-2) and is among the darkest points in the BCK area. Overall, the data shows that the area around the observatory is still safe from excessive light pollution. However, uncontrolled light pollution can interfere the astronomy observation activities. Therefore, it is expected that the resulting spatial model will assist optical astronomy researchers in monitoring the level of light pollution in BCK for the purpose of general astronomy research and the observation of the new crescent moon, particularly in Malaysia.

Keywords: Geographical Information System; light pollution; optical astronomy; sky brightness; Sky Quality Meter

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*Corresponding author; email: roslan@unisza.edu.my