Text and Photos by Wan Azfarozza
Coldplay’s “Yellow” was playing in the background: “Look at the stars… look how they shine for you….” I was lying on my back on a mat a few meters away from Tasik Raban. It was dark. My eyes were fixed on the night sky, specifically the Scorpius constellation.
In all honesty, it does resemble a scorpion. What a sight to remember. A couple of minutes later, lo and behold, a meteorite streaked across the sky. We, along with a whole group of other strangers lying down to witness the Perseid Meteor Shower on August 12, 2024, cheered every time we saw a meteorite pass by.
We cheered for the cosmic visitor that graced Lenggong, for ourselves being able to witness the marvels of the universe, and for each other, sharing such a beautiful experience together.
The three-day Meteor Carnival in Lenggong, Perak, was the best astronomy event I have ever attended. I didn’t know what to expect, but I soon realized that not getting enough sleep was part of the experience.
For those cosmic visitors, though, I was willing to make an exception. I had never before laid on the ground under the stars or spent the night stargazing, focusing solely on meteor showers. It felt like a romantic scene from a Hollywood movie, only this was a real-life experience.
The carnival started on August 11th and spanned three days, featuring daytime talks by speakers from various backgrounds, including astrophotographers and a representative from the National Planetarium.
Did you know Lenggong, Perak, was hit by meteors millions of years ago? If you visit Lenggong, you can explore meteor sites in the most unlikely places—like a palm oil plantation. The rock formations from the meteor impact are still there, and Lenggong itself is ground zero for the impact. To reach the plantation, we had to take a lorry, making us all feel like jovial, if slightly illegal, immigrants.
Typically, most people would be afraid of total darkness at night. But at this carnival, it was exactly what everyone was waiting for. It was showtime! On the first night, we took a night boat on Tasik Raban connecting to Sungai Perak, stopping at several spots identified as prime locations to witness meteor showers.
Unfortunately, it was cloudy that night, so there were no sightings. But we enjoyed a lovely Kampung cuisine dinner in one of the villages, and for me, navigating the Perak River by night with only a headlamp was a unique experience. No complaints there.
The second night was the one everyone had been anticipating. It was forecasted to be the peak of the meteor shower. Before sunset, everyone was finding their spots on the plain field near Tasik Raban—the carnival participants and the general public alike.
As I sat slumped on my beanbag, provided by the organizer GoSky, I looked around and saw families playing frisbee, people running in circles trying to catch the air to inflate their beanbags, and others like me, lounging on their mats and beanbags, watching the sunset with great music in the background and snacks in hand. I thought to myself, “Am I in a movie? Am I still in Malaysia?” The whole scene was surreal. Serenely surreal.
When night fell, it was showtime! A representative from the National Planetarium briefed us on the star formations visible that night, including the Teapot asterism and the Scorpius constellation. While the Teapot wasn’t clear, the Scorpius was bright and unmistakable. After the briefing, it was just us and the night sky, eagerly waiting for the cosmic visitors to appear.
The first meteor I saw was magical—bright, quick, and absolutely beautiful! More followed, though sometimes we had to wait 15 minutes, 30 minutes, or longer between sightings. But it wasn’t just about the meteor showers; it was about the entire experience.
It was about chatting with family, friends, and loved ones while lying on the ground at night, laughing, feeling the night breeze on your face, and fighting to stay awake, knowing that closing your eyes meant missing another cosmic visitor. Would I do this all over again? No, I would lose my beauty sleep. Kidding! Of course, I would.
The beauty of the universe far outweighs the value of my sleep. Now, whenever I look up at the stars, that Coldplay song will play in my mind, and the memory of this entire experience will be one of those precious moments I will cherish forever.
For more information on the next meteor carnival, follow Goskyadventures on Instagram.
