Rare Green Fireball Lights Up Wellington Sky, Sparks Space Debris Insights
Science
M
Moneycontrol•01-02-2026, 14:08
Rare Green Fireball Lights Up Wellington Sky, Sparks Space Debris Insights
- •A rare green fireball was observed flashing across the night sky near Wellington, New Zealand, on January 30th, visible for several seconds.
- •The luminous object, captured on video by multiple observers, lit up the skies near Lower Hutt and was also reported from Manawatū-Whanganui.
- •Experts, including University of Auckland physics professor Richard Easther, identified it as a bolide, a very bright meteor, likely a natural space rock, not space debris.
- •The distinctive green glow is attributed to elements like magnesium and nickel in the meteoroid, which emit green light when superheated by atmospheric friction.
- •Such fireballs are rare but safe, as most meteoroids disintegrate completely in the atmosphere, posing no threat to ground observers.
Why It Matters: A rare green bolide lit up Wellington's sky, offering a safe, spectacular display of atmospheric entry.
✦
More like this
Loading more articles...
