Sonic Boom shakes South Island

Share to Google Classroom

A bright fireball lit up the night sky over New Zealand’s South Island, followed by a loud sonic boom that startled residents.

The meteoroid entered Earth’s atmosphere near Wanaka around 11 p.m. and burned up over Southland. Experts believe a small piece of the space rock may have landed in the Eyre Mountains.

Fireballs Aotearoa, a group that studies meteorites, received many reports of the event. However, due to cloud cover and limited camera data, they are unsure of the exact landing site. Without better information, they do not plan a full search but are asking the public for sightings.

Many people described the fireball as an incredible sight. One person in Queenstown said their balcony suddenly lit up before hearing the boom two minutes later. Another reported that the sound was so strong it shook a mirror inside their house.

If found, this would be New Zealand’s 11th documented meteorite. Scientists say the rock likely came from the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, meaning it could be over 4.5 billion years old.

1
In Auckland, New Zealand, helicopters are flying low over the...
1
People all over New Zealand gathered before dawn to celebrate...
1
Las Lindes beach in Malaga, Spain, has a new kind...
1
In Switzerland, a man named Elias Meyer set a new...
1
Olivia Vinson broke the world record for the most pull-ups...

World & National News

1
President Donald Trump announced that the United States has carried...
1
Las Lindes beach in Malaga, Spain, has a new kind...
1
People all over New Zealand gathered before dawn to celebrate...
1
The wreck of the HMS Endeavour, the ship once sailed...
1
Maurice Gee, one of New Zealand’s most famous writers, has...