Menelusuri Sejarah dan Kronologi Perkembangan Tempat Cerapan Hilal Rasmi di Malaysia [Tracing the History and Chronology of the Development of Official Hilal Observation Places in Malaysia]

Abstract

Perkembangan ilmu falak kini kian meluas dengan pertambahan tempat cerapan hilal rasmi di seluruh Malaysia dari semasa ke semasa. Sehingga kini, terdapat 29 tempat cerapan rasmi di Malaysia yang dipilih berdasarkan rekod kenampakan hilal. Pengamatan hilal dalam penentuan awal bulan Hijri merupakan aktiviti terpenting dalam kegiatan ilmu falak di Malaysia. Salah satu faktor kenampakan hilal di Malaysia dengan mengambil kira pandangan ufuk barat yang bebas daripada sebarang halangan yang boleh terhalangnya untuk melihat hilal.  Kajian ini bertujuan untuk mengamati sejarah tempat cerapan hilal di Malaysia. Bagi mencapai objektif kajian ini, kaedah pengumpulan data, analisis dokumen dan pemerhatian telah dibuat. Hasil kajian mendapati sejarah permulaan tempat cerapan dibangunkan secara rasmi sekitar tahun 1970-an bermula di Pantai Teluk Kemang, Negeri Sembilan dan sehingga kini terdapat 29 tempat cerapan hilal secara rasmi.

The development of astronomy is now widespread with the increase of official hilal observation places throughout Malaysia from time to time. Until now, there are 29 official observation points in Malaysia selected based on the hilal visibility records. Hilal observation in the determination of the early month of Hijri is the most important activity in Islamic astronomy in Malaysia. One of the factors of hilal visibilities in Malaysia is considering the view of the western horizon which is free from any obstacles that can prevent from seeing the hilal. The aim of this study was to observe the history of hilal observation places in Malaysia. To achieve the objectives of this study, data collection, document analysis and observation methods were made. The study found that the history of the beginning of the observation places was officially developed around the 1970s starting at Teluk Kemang Beach, Negeri Sembilan and to date there are 29 official observation places.