A bright yellow ball was seen streaking across the Hamilton sky about 6.15pm yesterday, leaving a whispy black line in its wake.

Times reporter Aaron Leaman saw the object and thought it was a meteor.

He saw the object from the Waikato University tennis courts and said it was heading west toward Raglan.

It was visible for about 30 seconds before dropping out of sight.

Hamilton Astronomical Society member, and past president, Carol Thompson said the streaking object could have been a meteor.

Meteor sightings were not uncommon, she said.

It was impossible to say where it might have landed although it could have burnt up before hitting the Earth or landed out to sea, she said.

Earlier this month a meteor was seen racing across the Canterbury skies and was accompanied by a sonic boom as it travelled at an estimated 40,000km/h.

Mrs Thompson said anyone who saw yesterday's streaking object should contact the Hamilton Astronomical Society and fill out a fireball-meteor report form.