While humanity has changed dramatically throughout the millennia, the constellations that our ancestors saw are still the very same that we see today.

For urbanites, stargazing is admittedly an unlikely hobby, seeing as how light pollution obliterates these heavenly beauties. However, a small group of Malaysians are determined to enjoy this nightly celestial display.

One of them is Emma Zulaiha Zulkifli, co-founder of Dark Sky Malaysia, a group consisting of astronomy enthusiasts.

Speaking to FMT, the Sabah-based stargazer said she has been fascinated by the stars since childhood. “When I was about seven years old, I was sent to a camp outside the city,” she said.

“At night, when the others returned to their tents, I just laid down outside, watching the stars. That was the first time I ever had a good long look at the stars.”

Her passion for stargazing stuck through the years, and during her tertiary education, she joined astronomy clubs.

While studying in Universiti Sains Malaysia, Emma was under the tutelage of Chong Hon Yew, former lecturer and founder of the Astronomical Society of Penang.

Emma said it was Chong who cemented her interest in astronomy. “He once told me, ‘Emma, there’s one boy or girl in a rural area waiting for you to teach them about astronomy.”

Given that she herself had no one to share her interest with while growing up, his words struck a chord with her.

Founding the local chapter of the International Dark-Sky Association in 2018, Emma and her fellow astronomers help raise awareness on light pollution and astronomy.

Contrary to popular belief, one does not need high-powered telescopes or cameras when stargazing.

“The equipment I started with was passion and patience,” she said, adding that clouds and mosquitoes may be constant annoyances but you should never give up as there is so much up there to familiarise yourself with.

Stars, planets, nebulas and constellations are just a small part of the night sky, she said. Only once you are familiar with the sights up above, should you consider investing in a telescope or binoculars.

“Stargazers are crazy people,” laughed Emma. “At night, we don’t sleep. We are looking for danger, always staying up at night in the dark.”

Whenever the group has free time, they venture into the countryside, looking for the perfect stargazing spot, before setting up telescopes and cameras to watch the night sky.

Finding spots untainted by light pollution is tough but not impossible.

To get a good view of a lunar eclipse last year, Emma and her group drove more than 300km from Kota Kinabalu to Lahad Datu. “That’s how crazy we are!”

For Emma, stargazing is mind-opening. “When you look at the stars, you feel small. The stars out there are just like our Sun. It is a vast universe and we occupy a very, very small part of it.”

This realisation is humbling, she said, as it makes all human problems seem somewhat petty in the grand scheme of things.

She does believe that humanity is not alone in the vast universe, but suggests it’s more likely for aliens to resemble microbes and not green men in flying saucers.

Given the night sky is part of nature, stargazers are also aware of their environmental impact and how to reduce it however they can.

“I don’t think the public doesn’t care about light pollution. They’re just unaware of it, and that’s where we come in to educate them.”

Despite its niche nature, stargazing has its share of enthusiasts around the world, some of whom Emma has collaborated with.

She said that since the Covid-19 lockdowns, more people have become interested in stargazing, perhaps because they’re stuck at home and are finding ways to occupy their time.

Emma hopes that schools would do more to teach astronomy as she believes Malaysia can contribute to the field as a whole.

“Look at our neighbours! In Thailand, they have over 10 government-funded observatories all over the country. And in Indonesia, the government gave out more than 100 telescopes to schools,” she said.

“If Malaysia can support its schools in that fashion, there’s so much more we can contribute to the field of astronomy.”

Interested in astronomy? Drop by at darkskymalaysia.com, or visit their Facebook and Instagram pages for information, updates and more.