
Rare Sight: Oamaru man Gary Brooker, near Moeraki at the time, captured this image of a bright object in the sky on June 3.
Mr Brooker was driving north along State Highway 1, near Moeraki, when he spotted the bright trail at 6pm on June 3.
''I was coming home along the main road and I spotted it going down so I stopped and took a photo.
''I didn't think it was a plane because the vapour trail would have been white, but this was burning.''
He said there was an obvious object leading the trail, which he believed was a piece of ''junk''.
''I wouldn't have a clue (how fast it was going). I was doing 100km on the main highway, but I had enough time to put my foot on the brake, stop and take a photo and then it was gone.
''Somebody said it could have been out near Australia. It could have been miles and miles away, but it was so bright.''
It was the first time Mr Brooker had witnessed such an event. He has since shared his discovery with other people, including a friend who has researched the sighting online.
And it turns out Mr Brooker was not the only one who witnessed the rare event over New Zealand.
Another sighting, believed to be the same object, was recorded on the internet, along with another photo, Mr Brooker said.
Having been an outdoor photographers for many years...and having observed many things it's obvious to me what this is.
Airline jet contrail.
First look at background sky: typical dusk sky.
Look at clouds at lower right: typical coloration for clouds at dusk.
Look at the contrail carefully...you can see distinct double line. It is likely there's 2 on each side, but the resolution of the camera is not enough to pick up on the paired engines but enough for the separation between the 2 pairs.
Why the orange contrail? Being at even higher altitude than the clouds it is still getting light from the sun which at that altitude is in the process of setting, hence the orange color.