NST Online: Topnews

Posted: 09 Oct 2011 11:08 PM PDT

Malaysians abuzz over "Moon Halo"

KUALA LUMPUR: The "Moon Halo" phenomenon from 10pm last night in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor is not uncommon but often occurs when the moon goes through a certain phase.

Langkawi National Observatory assistant science officer Karzaman Ahmad said a ring around the moon was formed due to refraction of moonlight through ice crystals in cirrus clouds 5-10km from the earth's surface.

"The ring should have been in rainbow colours but because the moon does not has its own light, (the moon reflects the light from the sun) the colour effect is limited and not visible," he said when contacted by Bernama today. He said the phenomenon depends on cirrus clouds in the atmosphere as well as the angle and shape of ice crystals.

"Moon Halo created from ice crystals can be hexagonal but last night it was in the shape of a ring at 22 degrees angle."

Karzaman said the phenomenon occurred to the sun about five or six months ogo and known as "Sun Halo".

He dismissed claims by some individuals that the event signifies THAT an untoward incident would happen to the earth.

Late last night, Facebook users uploaded pictures and discussed the phenomenon on Twitter saying it was strange leading to mixed reaction. -- BERNAMA

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Guan Eng wants hudud issue ironed out soon

Posted: 09 Oct 2011 12:09 PM PDT

2011/10/09
By Jaspal Singh and Rahmah Ghazali
news@nst.com.my

IPOH: The hudud issue, if not ironed out soon, would have an adverse effect on the opposition parties, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said yesterday.

Lim said DAP had made its stand clear -- that it would not support any move to introduce or implement hudud in Malaysia.

He reiterated that he would resign as DAP secretary-general if it was mentioned in the opposition's Buku Jingga (Orange Book) that hudud would be implemented if it came to power.

"If there is such evidence, then I and all other members, the 30 of us in DAP's central executive committee, will resign."

Lim said DAP agreed to cooperate with Pas on common principles, adding that all three opposition partners needed to be focused on their final political aim.

"Although relations among the three partners appear normal, we need to iron out the hudud issue soon. If not clarified, it would have an adverse effect (on the opposition)," he said after opening the Perak DAP convention, near here.

Lim, who is also Penang chief minister, said the seeming uncertainty and ambiguity over the hudud issue had been compounded by certain quarters, especially the media.

"As we all know, the media is not under our control. When we want to explain an issue, we are not given the opportunity or the space.

"The psy-war is foggy. We need clarity and to clear the air. With the general election drawing close, there's a lot of psy-war going on."

Parti Keadilan Rakyat vice-president Tian Chua, meanwhile, said it would not agree to amend the Constitution to include hudud if the opposition came to power.

"In the opposition, we already have a consensus that there will be no amendment to the Constitution," he said when contacted.

DAP national chairman Karpal Singh had on Saturday said that "there are going to be a lot of problems". He was responding to a statement by Kelantan Menteri Besar Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat calling for the implementation of hudud to go on even without the Federal Government's approval.

Kredit: www.nst.com.my

Isnin, 10 Oktober 2011