[meteorite-list] Daytime Fireball Observed Over New Zealand

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:22:37 2004
Message-ID: <200306121619.JAA07531_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

http://xtramsn.co.nz/news/0,,3762-2443346,00.html

"Daytime Fireball" Over New Zealand
IRN
June 12, 2003

Astronomers have labelled the object that streaked across our skies
this morning a "day-time fireball."

Residents from Auckland to Christchurch witnessed the phenomenon.

One said it was luminous green, surrounded by red sparks, with a white
tail, and about as big as a moon.

Auckland Observatory spokeswoman Jenny McCormick says it was space
debris entering the atmosphere.

She says the bright colours suggest different elements burning up, so
it may have been human space junk.

Jenny McCormick asks people who saw the fireball to give the observatory
a call.

She says the pieces that fall to earth are not radioactive, and can be
worth a lot of money.

A North Canterbury woman claims she saw a piece of it land behind a bush.

But Carter Observatory astronomer Richard Hall says even though the
lights looked like they were landing just over the hill they were probably
hundreds of kilometres away.

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http://home.nzcity.co.nz/news/default.asp?id=32359&c=w

Meteor puts on light show

North Canterbury resident reports seeing part of meteor crash to ground
near Rangiora; sightings of coloured lights throughout NZ

NZCity (New Zealand)
June 12, 2003

Part of a meteor spotted burning up over New Zealand may have come to earth in
North Canterbury.

There have been multiple sightings across the country if bright streaks of light
seen around 7am.

North Canterbury resident Edna Morrison believes she saw part of it hit the
ground as she was driving near Rangiora.

She says it could not have been any more than 10 to 15 metres away when it
disappeared behind a gorse hedge.

Ms Morrison says it was absolutely beautiful, with bright white and blue light.

Auckland Observatory spokesman Jim Robinson says the sightings are probably
of a space rock or a small fragment of comet.

He says sometimes they will come low enough and impact, as happened in
Taranaki in July 1996.

Mr Robinson says larger pieces of space debris often survive when they break
through the atmosphere.

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http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,2538095a11,00.html

Meteor lights up morning sky
www.stuff.co.nz
June 12, 2003

Early risers across the country were surprised by a meteor that left a
"trail of lights" across the sky about 7.07am today.

About 10 South Island callers to the police southern communications
centre in Christchurch reported the sky sighting, Inspector Warren Kemp
said.

The Carter Observatory in Wellington received more than 15 calls from the
Deep South and as far north as Auckland.

"We're not sure whether it was space debris or a natural rocky thing
burning up in the Earth's atmosphere.

"It seems to be quite high up to be viewed from the South Island up to
Auckland," the observatory's John Field told NZPA.

"It was a good time of the morning, just dark enough to be nice and
visible." Meteors were spotted about once a day somewhere around the
world.
Received on Thu 12 Jun 2003 12:19:32 PM PDT