Auckland fireball
© Times/Claire McGillivray
Intrigue is mounting following the sighting on Saturday of a mysterious bright light in the north west sky.

Times staff member Clare McGillivray snapped this photo from her Beachlands home on Saturday night. At first she thought it was just the setting sun reflecting off a wispy cloud but wondered if it was a meteorite as it appeared to leave a large trail as it dropped through the sky.

"It took about 10 minutes from first sighting to disappear behind the clouds. During this time it grew from a squiggly line to a straight streak. It appeared to be falling out of the sky or maybe streaking across the atmosphere. Pretty amazing to see," she said.

And she wasn't the only one to have spotted the orange streak.

There were numerous comments from apparent witnesses on the WeatherWatch.co.nz site.

One wrote on the site on Saturday: "Strange light over West Auckland. So about 5.45-6.00pm this evening (30/04/16). I was working at Auckland hospital and happened to look out one of the windows facing towards west Auckland.

"In the far distance I saw what looked like just a bright light and I just assumed it was a plane or something and carried on working - then a few minutes later I looked out and saw that the light now appeared as though it was falling from the sky, it was a very bright orange colour (to be fair there was a sunset this evening) however it pretty much looked as though it was a fire trail or something- at first I thought perhaps a plane was falling out of the sky however there was no smoke.

"It lasted for maybe 10-15 mins before disappearing behind some clouds. Very strange - not sure if it was a meteor or something however no updated news as yet to what it might have been."

Another responded: "Same. My partner and I saw the exact same thing from St Heliers beach. It looked like something falling but had left a bright trail before disappearing behind the cloud line."

Another local called it a fireball. "Just watched a bright orange light falling from the sky. On getting our binoculars out it was definitely a fire ball. With a large orange streak following it. Stunning and amazing to see. We are in Whitford , south east Auckland and we were looking in a northerly direction."