Astronomy enthusiasts from Malaysia observe solar eclipse in Spain

Driven by a deep passion for astronomy, four Malaysians from Negeri Sembilan embarked on a journey to Zaragoza, Spain, to witness the total solar eclipse on August 11. Their mission extended beyond mere observation; they aimed to meticulously collect data on various aspects of the phenomenon, including prominences, the corona, and Bailey's beads, while also recording the movement of the moon's shadow across the Earth's surface. Agku Bolkhizan A Ahmad Thani, 41, the representative of the mission, explained that the group, which also included Khairul Anuar Samsudin, 37, Nor Hafiz Abu Kassim, 43, and Norfiza Fazila Faisal, 50, scouted the location a day prior to the eclipse. They assessed weather conditions and site suitability before selecting Mirador El Planeron in Zaragoza as their observation point. "Alhamdulillah, our activity was perfect, and we obtained several data points we needed: data for prominences, data for the corona, and data for Bailey's beads, which are from the surface of the solar eclipse itself," Agku Bolkhizan stated. "Additionally, we recorded the movement of the moon's shadow covering the Earth using a camera to get a comprehensive view of the phenomenon." The team utilized three smart telescopes for their observations. Agku Bolkhizan noted that the primary challenge was the location's solar movement during Spain's summer, which differs from Malaysia's. The longer daylight hours caused the sun's path to appear more inclined compared to the more direct path observed in Malaysia. Language barriers also presented a significant hurdle, as none of the Malaysians were fluent in Spanish, and communication in English with locals was not always easy. However, they leveraged technology, including artificial intelligence tools, to overcome these communication challenges throughout their stay. The mission was self-funded, with each participant covering approximately RM7,000 and taking leave from their respective jobs.

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Alhamdulillah, our activity was perfect, and we obtained several data points we needed: data for prominences, data for the corona, and data for Bailey's beads, which are from the surface of the solar eclipse itself. Additionally, we recorded the movement of the moon's shadow covering the Earth using a camera to get a comprehensive view of the phenomenon.