Stars and Lights
Monday May 27, 2013
I had yet another buffet dinner today, but thankfully I didn't feel too obliged to stuff my mouth silly on this one since it's part of the Tioman vacation package. I am however, pretty full, but at least I didn't over eat.
It's nighttime now and being in the middle of the South China Sea, light pollution is low and I was interested in what the constellations would be like here. On one side of the sky I can clearly see the Southern Cross and its pointers, and it reminds me of home. On the opposite side of the sky sits Ursa Major, the "Big Dipper", but unfortunately Malaysia is still too far south to spot Polaris, the North Star. The night sky here is interesting because the constellations are different, but it's definitely not as clear as what you'd get in Wellington. I can't see the Milky Way at all and the chances of seeing shooting stars is slim.
There's something else on the horizon that's catching my eye, though. There's a tropical storm all the way west, over the mainland. I can see the thick thunderclouds illuminated against the pitch black night sky from continual lightning strikes - we're looking at close to three or four strikes per second. The brilliant flashes of electricity pierce the darkness and reflect off the water, yet unfortunately my iPhone camera isn't good enough to capture any of the action.
Stunning.
Posted by Jeremy at 2:04pm on Monday May 27, 2013 :: 0 comments :: 