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Fire in the SkyS
© Tuki SweeneyLast night's meteor, captured on a camera phone by Pirates rugby club members.
"It was like a shooting star then it sort of exploded and fireballed itself a bit further, then it was gone. It was as moving so fast, but so so pretty," one witness reported to The Gisborne Herald.
Other witnesses said it resembled a "green fireball", and one said it was the size of "six houses".
Scores of others also reported the sighting to weatherwatch.co.nz.
"Biggest brightest comet we've ever seen in all our 56 years. Quick and flashy. Seen in awe from Otoko near Matawai," one report said.
Sightings of the meteor were recorded from 7.15pm onwards, and were noted across New Zealand.
Met Service meteorologist Lisa Murray confirmed there were no unusual atmospheric conditions at the time.
"There was plenty of clear sky, so it would have been perfect viewing, with a temperature of 12 degrees and very light winds."
© YouTube/Exoss Citizen Science (screen capture)
© Chris SchurComet Johnson (C/2015 V2) glowed pale green and displayed a short tail on April 2nd.
Nothing against Giacobini, Kresak, Mrkos, and Pajdusakova, but this is one comet name I can pronounce with confidence. Even better, it's been humming along very well, thank you, while waiting for its turn at center stage.
At magnitude +8.5, Comet Johnson (C/2015 V2) is already bright enough to join the ranks of this year's band of binocular comets: NEOWISE (C/2016 U1), 45P/Honda-Mrkos-Pajdusakova, 2P/Encke, 41P/Tuttle-Giacobini-Kresak, Lovejoy (C/2017 E4), and PanSTARRS (C/2015 ER61). Comet watchers appreciate the bonanza; we've been happily toting out scopes and binoculars to follow the progress of each in its turn.
As the Moon toddles east and wanes, dark skies return as soon as May 12th. The timing couldn't be better, with Comet Johnson making a steep dive through the constellation of Boötes high in the southeastern sky at nightfall while also reaching peak brightness.
I last caught sight of the comet shortly just before dawn on May 6th. In 10×50 binoculars, Johnson was a faint, patchy glow in Canes Venatici. The view in my 15-inch reflector was more satisfying. At 76×, Johnson displayed a moderately condensed coma about 8′ across with a ¾° long broad, diffuse tail pointing northwest. Upping the magnification to 286×, I could see a tiny, almost stellar nucleus of magnitude +13.5 at coma center.
© Rolando LigustriWhat a little sunshine won't do. By May 1st, Comet Johnson had developed a long, faint ion tail pointing straight away from the Sun as well as a stubby dust tail.
Keys deputy among those who spotted meteor streaking over South Florida
By 4 a.m. Wednesday, the American Meteor Society received nearly 50 reports about the flaming streak in the night sky.
A meteorologist at CBS Miami also recorded video, the station's website said.
The object was likely a meteor breaking up in the atmosphere. It was visible from the Keys to Port St. Lucie on the east coast and as far north as Tampa on the west coast, reports said.
When Stephen Moore installed a dashcam in his vehicle, it wasn't to capture footage of UFOs.
But that's exactly what happened when his son witnessed a bright light shoot across the Wellington sky shortly before 8pm on Tuesday.
The pair eagerly returned to their home in Hataitai and downloaded the footage from the camera.
"It records in real time, so after we saw it we thought it was too fast to be a plane," said Moore.
Brett Jennings saw something similar in Nelson, and said the light was bright green in colour.
But that's exactly what happened when his son witnessed a bright light shoot across the Wellington sky shortly before 8pm on Tuesday.
© Stephen MooreThe dashcam captured the bright light on Wellington's Featherston St.
"It records in real time, so after we saw it we thought it was too fast to be a plane," said Moore.
Brett Jennings saw something similar in Nelson, and said the light was bright green in colour.
© Daily Examiner
The incident caused a stir on social media, with more than 170 comments on Maclean Buy, Swap and Sell Facebook page.
The Daily Examiner is investigating the cause of the loud bang. But with no definitive answers yet, theories being shared range from the logical such as a sonic boom from a meteorite, to the outrageous, including a UFO crash.
If you heard or saw anything from last night's big bang, tell us your story.
Earlier this week there were reports of other loud bangs following meteorite sightings across northern NSW and south-east Queensland.
Comment: The above event was on Sunday, about 6pm according to reports: Bright meteor with house-shaking sound reported over Queensland, Australia
The timing has coincided with the start of the annual Lyrid meteor shower event, which is active from about April 16 to 25.
© dawlishbeach.com
Considering tonight is a very bright full moon we don't often see much of the night sky.
The following video will give you your own chance to make your mind up as to whether this is another meteor or just a vert bright shooting star.
© Deslee Oldham Facebook
Our sister paper, the Warwick Daily News reported the buzz on social media: Brigitte Jones said, "I felt it out here, the house shook."
Madeline Wilkins posted "I'm in Toowoomba and saw a burning light in the sky maybe a meteorite, heading that direction just before I saw this post... Maybe related?"
Killarney resident Krissy Bloomfield said, "On Brosnan Rd kids saw what we thought shooting star just before the bang."
Some residents reported thinking the noise was thunder or fireworks.
Louise Reed from the Queen Mary Falls Caravan Park posted, "We heard it up here too. It looked like a shooting star right before it and then bang."
And this from Krystal N Lillee Cook, "We heard it in oak street...was really loud like a big crack of thunder."
© Earl Ayers
According to reports, the meteor flew through the night sky around 8:43pm. Those who saw it describe a bright, white light lasting for about 10 seconds, and say it's a sight they'll never forget. Reports have been coming in from North Carolina, including the Triad area, as well as South Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia and even Florida.
Earl Ayers tweeted a video of the meteor captured on a camera at a home in Cornelius, North Carolina. Make sure to look to the upper left to see the bright light.
Comment: Last September a 'huge meteor' exploded off the Queensland coast with a shockwave coming onshore, rattling residents and homes.