© Jimmy WestlakeA Delta Aquarid meteor.
Stargazers were treated to a rare sighting of a meteor fireball in the skies over the Hastings on Tuesday night.
Port Macquarie resident Jeff Clare phoned the
Port News to report what he described as a 'ball of flames' in the night sky sometime between 7pm and 8pm which moved slowly north before arching in shape and disappearing.
Jeff's story prompted some lively discussion on Facebook, with several residents also reporting having seen the bright, firey light.
However, according to Mid North Coast Astronomy Group founder and space expert David Reneke, anyone who managed to catch a glimpse of the fireball was extremely lucky.
"We have just gone through an intense period of meteor shower activity," Mr Reneke explained.
"We have about eight to 10 of these meteor showers every year, but the one that has just passed, and another coming up this month, are two of the best."
The Delta Aquarids meteor shower passed over the southern hemisphere on July 28 and 29 and Mr Reneke believes the fireball over Port Macquarie is a remnant of that activity. The next meteor shower, the Perseids, has the space community excited with an estimated 50 to 80 meteor sightings expected every hour during the early hours of the morning between August 10 and 12.
Comment: Are SOTT.net readers beginning to understand why we've been warning for years about comet dust veils covering the planet? Just one bolide can circle the northern hemisphere in 4 days! THOUSANDS of bolides have exploded in recent years...