Two Large Meteor Fireballs Light Up New Zealand Skies, Delight Witnesses
Two suspected meteors have flashed over New Zealand's North and South Islands in recent days, prompting excitement among residents and a search for potential meteorites.
Two large suspected meteors have streaked across New Zealand's skies in the past few days, delighting those who witnessed the celestial events and startling some animals. A fireball was sighted over parts of the North Island just after 10:20 p.m. on Tuesday, following a separate one over the South Island on Sunday evening.
Dashcams, security cameras, and specialized meteor cameras captured the North Island event, showing a bright flash. Dozens of people took to social media to describe a "huge boom" that accompanied it. One commentator wrote, "Absolutely insane. I thought it was a plane on fire." Another described an orange ball with a purple tail and black soot. Several people reported a loud low rumble that disturbed birds and caused cows to "go nuts."
Steve Wyn-Harris, recently appointed director of Fireballs Aotearoa—an organization of geologists, astronomers, and citizen scientists tracking meteors—was relaxing in his spa in Hawke's Bay when the sky lit up. Initially thinking it was lightning, he soon received eyewitness reports on his phone. He noted that hearing the sonic boom indicates the meteor came relatively close to the ground.
Fireballs Aotearoa is encouraging residents in the lower North Island to look for meteorites—black stones that would not normally be there. Only 10 confirmed meteorites have been found in New Zealand in the past 150 years, but many more are believed to have fallen. Retrieval is challenging due to the country's small population, rugged terrain, and limited infrastructure for triangulation. However, Wyn-Harris said this is changing: the organization now has 200 cameras nationwide, and the growing number of security and dashcams is helping improve coverage for locating meteorites.
