BRILLIANT METEOR

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXV, Issue 31, 5 January 1945, Page 4

BRILLIANT METEOR

SEEN NEAR DANNEVIRKE,

The Tiratu correspondent of the Dannevirke News, describing the meteor seen at 8.45 p.m. last Saturday, says:—Coming from the southwest and travelling easterly, a ball of blue fire appeared which developed a tail, and as it came nearer the tail, seemingly five or six feet long, was visible. Later the tail appeared to disintegrate into sparks and disappeared. Later a dull thud was heard, as though some heavy object had struck the ground at a distance. The meteor looked like a rocket or a Verev light travelling across the ' sky,. and the writer expected it to curve down to earth as rockets and Verev lights do but it kept a straight line." The meteor did not appear very high, and appeared to be travelling at a speed of a fast aeroplane, accompanied . by a crackling noise.

Mr E. H. Sehvyn Dawe, G.R.C Sc., writes to the News:—Approximately at 8.45 p.m. last Saturday I witnessed a spectacular meteor which traversed the sky from south-west to north-east —the nucleus of brilliant red travelling with unusual low speed. About 15 seconds after the visitor was absorbed by the atmosphere two distinct reports resembling distant artillery fire were heard, and it is just possible a meteorite may be picked up at no great distance.

Mr Fraser Robertson, of Hawker Street, Wellington, who was at Castlepoint, on the coast 40 miles from Masterton, advises that the meteor came across the sky at 8.45 p.m.. K ln vk the .™™tr.Yside with a blue Kk W ¥ n J lt 40 yards from the beach a loud explosion occurred/and the meteor disintegrated, showering C hke . a r °cket. A red ball continued on for 50 yards and went out. lur A U. Lancaster, schoolmaster. Porangahau, states that the meteor A°?- i h ? south-west over the hills and high m the skv, south of the township, at 8.45 p.m Fragments were coming off it. It appeared to disintegrate in irudair. People at Mangaorapa, six miles west, heard a series or explosions which shook water tanks. rw"** 01, w ? nt out t 0 sea between C ape Turnagain and Porangahau A spiral-shaped trail remained for four or five minutes.