Good astro observing site at Kahang Organic Farm?

[starfinder]

Whilst studying maps of Johor for more potential sites, I did a search on "Kahang", which is a town about mid-way between Kluang and Mersing.

I came across the website of the Kahang Organic Rice Eco Farm:
http://www.organic-kahang.com/

From the looks of it, I think it may potentially be a very good place for astronomy observing.

It seems to be situated in a dark sky area, looking at Google Earth's city lights brightness map (see screen capture below). (Unfortunately, Google Earth does not have detailed satellite photos of the Kahang area). Importantly, there are no nearby urban centres in the east and southeast direction. Not sure how much S'pore/JB at due south would affect sky conditions in that direction.

According to their website, they are 6km east of Kahang town. Kahang itself is midway on the Kluang-Mersing road, or more accurately, the road from Kluang to the Jemaluang T-junction (the T-junction is about 15km south of Mersing, on the Kota Tinggi – Mersing trunk road).

So the farm is about 45 km east of Kluang and probably around 20-30km west of Jemaluang (not very sure about the latter).

According to the very detailed website of the farm, they cater to camping, arrange lots of activities such as boat rowing, prawn fishing, and jungle walks, and even have room accommodation. The website has lots of photos and some videos too. See:

- On tent camping area:
http://www.organic-kahang.com/mov/camping.html
- On Farm stay rates (including room stays):
http://www.organic-kahang.com/gate-rates/Rates.htm
- On activities at the Farm:
http://www.organic-kahang.com/activitie ... index.html

Plus there appears to be large open spaces (to set up the scopes!).

The advantages of astro observing at this farm *could* be:
(1) Probably quite dark skies, as stated above.
(2) Security, as observing would be in a managed farm catering to campers and tour groups, rather than being out alone in a rural area. Plus farm staff at hand to assist if needed.
(3) There are probably open unobstructed places to set up scopes, from a look at the website’s photos.
(4) These open places are on flat ground, with either short grass or sand.
(5) Facilities such as accommodation rooms and toilets
(6) Not that far from Kahang town to stock up on necessities.
(7) Day time activities at the farm.

Possible downsides could be:
(a) May be susceptible to night or morning fogs as it is in an inland area, near forests and plantations.
(b) The farm charges gate entry fees and separate rates for pitching camping tents, which are not cheap.
(c) Not sure if there is or there isn’t bright house and road lighting within the farm.
(d) At least 2 hours drive from JB or the Tuas crossing, but still slightly nearer than Telok Sari.

And here is a general news article about the Kahang area:
http://www1.nst.com.my/Current_News/Joh ... 3/Article/


My question is, has anybody been there before? Any comments on the above?

If not, could someone check out the place to assess suitability? That would be a good project!

[guangwei]

Hi, i've been to this place for a sch camp before at this organic farm at kahang and it is really a good dark place, that was when before i was into astronomy. The people there are friendly too.

[starfinder]

Hi, i've been to this place for a sch camp before at this organic farm at kahang and it is really a good dark place, that was when before i was into astronomy. The people there are friendly too.

Hi guangwei, tks for the info!

Regarding your description of the farm as a good dark place, could you pls elaborate, e.g. do you remember if you saw lots of stars, was the farm itself dark at night (i.e. few house and road lights), etc?

Do you remember if there was fog at night blocking out the sky?

How was the accommodation like? Did you stay in rooms or in tents? Was the place clean? When were you there?

Many questions... appreciate as much info as you could provide!

[guangwei]

Regarding your description of the farm as a good dark place, could you pls elaborate, e.g. do you remember if you saw lots of stars, was the farm itself dark at night (i.e. few house and road lights), etc?

Yes, i see alot of stars, and i keep looking up the sky and not listening to the teacher. Yes, the farm is dark at night but there are some lights at the farm for seeing purposes, but not too bright. There are very very few houses, mostly forest. No road lights.

Do you remember if there was fog at night blocking out the sky?

No fog, didnt notice any, just clear skies.

How was the accommodation like? Did you stay in rooms or in tents? Was the place clean? When were you there?

I stay in tent cos is school camp.. I am not sure if there are houses for you to stay, but of cose the people there stay in their house, i don't think there is much space.. but i think the teachers stay in the house hahaha

clean.. ok lah still can..

I was there 4 years ago.. and my first shooting star i saw was there cannot forget.

[oxygn]

the chalet looks decent. Place looks promising

[starfinder]

Hi Guangwei,

Tks... perfect answers! If I were a school teacher, I would give your replies an A1+. Haaa...

Regarding the rooms, I've just come across this webpage showing photos of the chalet rooms:
http://www.organic-kahang.com/mov/chalet.html
And the dormitory house:
http://www.organic-kahang.com/mov/dormitory.html

Looks adequate to me. Nice and clean.

[Edit add]: And here is a photo of their campsite from their website:



Seems to be open spaces for unobstructed views.

Hmmm... I'm beginning to think this place is quite suitable for astronomy. Pity we at Singastro didn't know about it before.

Can't wait to stay there!

Anyone else (besides oxygn) got views on the suitability of this place?

[Airconvent]

mmm...still maybe only on good days there is no mist. I drove back from Mersing at night a few times and mist does form. Maybe its because nowadays not as cold ? In anycase, from the map, it does not seem any nearer than Mersing. Was the drive smooth (no jams, wide roads)? Maybe can get the GPS coordinates so can key into the GPS ?

But good to see you are still actively find the next big "thing", Gavin!

[starfinder]

mmm...still maybe only on good days there is no mist. I drove back from Mersing at night a few times and mist does form. Maybe its because nowadays not as cold ? In anycase, from the map, it does not seem any nearer than Mersing. Was the drive smooth (no jams, wide roads)? Maybe can get the GPS coordinates so can key into the GPS ?

But good to see you are still actively find the next big "thing", Gavin!

Hi Rich,

Yes, agree that mist/fog may be occur since its inland. However, as the farm has huge open spaces of paddy fields, the farm itself may not have much fog. Guangwei said he did not encounter mist/fog when he was there. [Edit: delete]

I've not been there before. Here is the directional map of the place from the farm's website:
http://www.organic-kahang.com/location/index.htm

[Edit:] I think I've been able to fix their exact location on the satellite map, based on their description as being 200m east of the bridge over the Kahang river, and near the Madek river. Based on this deduction, their GPS coordinates would be:
2°15'4"N
103°35'12"E
This is quite close to where I had originally marked it in the screen capture above from the Google Earth City lights imagery.


[Edit:] Regarding distance from Singapore, I think it may be faster going via the less crowded Tuas link, and then up the North-South Highway, then turn off right (east) to head to Kluang, and then further east to the Kahang Organic Rice Eco Farm. I have measured the road distance from the Tuas side of the 2nd link to the farm using this route as about 153km using Google Earth.


[Edit:] I don't think the farm is at elevation 1000m above sea-level, based on a look at the topographical lines on Google Maps. Probably around sea-level. The reference in the quote below to 1000m is probably that of the mountain forest reserve.

And here is the farm's own description of its surroundings:
http://www.indiabizclub.com/qxzpmd/?q=; ... usu9z03qrt
"The location of the organic rice farm was carefully selected to meet the environmental requirements of an organic farm. This farm is presently called Kahang Organic Rice Eco Farm (Koref) to reflect the integration of organic rice farming with ecotourism as the main activities of the undertakings. The farm is located beside a permanent forest reserve in the Belumut mountain area, 1, 000 metres above sea level. The water from the catchment area is channeled through a headwork built across the Madek river.
The fields are irrigated under gravity flow from the headwork, via a 3 km length of main water conveyance canal. Irrigation water is clean and unpolluted as the water comes directly from the forest catchments without passing through many human settlements and the conventional plantation crop areas. There is no chemical factory within a 35 km radius of the farm, however there are some agro-based palm oil mills located 7 km from the farm. The famous Endau-Rompin National Park, with a total area of about 100, 000 ha, is about 15 km away."

[rlow]

We have obbed twice somewhere between Kluang and G. Belumut, and it gets misty rather early. Just for info. The farm does look like a good place for us.

[starfinder]

We have obbed twice somewhere between Kluang and G. Belumut, and it gets misty rather early. Just for info. The farm does look like a good place for us.

Tks rlow for the info.

Hey, if that farm is suitable for astro, i.e. mist is not an issue etc, I think that would be a good place to build an observatory! It would be in quite a secure enclosed location, i.e. as opposed to a solitary building out in the rural open. Lease a tiny spot of land from the farm, or another farm similar to it. Then can house an Obsession, an AP, and the complete range of Pentaxes and Televues. Plus a Fujinon 150mm bino. All in dry cabinets of course.

Now, that's a dream. From what I know of, private observatories are quite common in many countries such as the States, Australia, etc. So why not in Malaysia. Call it the SingObstrovatory.

That's our Vision 2015. And complete it 3 years in advance.