Meteor Alert False Alarm

25.06.2004
By AMANDA CAMERON

Seen a strange orange streak moving across the early morning sky recently? Think you've seen a meteor? Well, you're not alone.

North Shore residents have been reporting suspected meteor sightings for the past four weeks, according to the Stardome Observatory at One Tree Hill.

Leonie Anderson spotted "a big orange streak" in the sky about 7.30am yesterday while walking to work in Takapuna with a friend.
"It was thicker at one end and then tapered," she said. "We watched it for about four minutes then it disappeared."

But Warren Hurley of the Stardome said what people had actually seen was a high-flying aircraft moving from southeast to northeast.

The plane and its vapour trail were illuminated by the morning sun, creating the orange effect.

"It looks quite bright. It does look orangey - the same as clouds at sunset. And the fact that it moves across the sky so slowly would eliminate a
meteor," Mr Hurley said.

"More aircraft are flying north from Christchurch without stopping in Auckland these days so it's a relatively normal sight."



© Copyright 2004, New Zealand Herald

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