THE HOUTU METEOR

Northern Advocate, 31 January 1936, Page 2

THE HOUTU METEOR

SEEN IN AUCKLAND ALSO

[Special to "Northern Advocate."] AUCKLAND, This Day.

The phenomenon seen at Houto, near Whangarei, yesterday morning, which was described as a tremendous silver ball flashing through the sky, was also witnessed by several people in Auckland.

It has been identified as a meteor of exceptional size. As they were watching an aeroplane, four or five men working at Melrose Park. Devonport, saw a blazing body flash through the sky in a northerly direction. If it had 'been night, they said, it would have been a magnificent sight. Mr D. E. Bcame was standing on the footpath in Queen Street, when he saw a streak of silver, ending with a red flash in the northern sky against a bank of clouds. It traced an arcshaped course like a ship's rocket.

Mr Brame was of the opinion- it was a meteor.

Identified By Expert

From the description given by those who saw it, Dr. D. Brown, of the physics department of the Auckland University College, today . identified the phenomenon as a meteor. Brilliant meteors -were common enough, he said, but were seldom, if ever, seen in the daytime.

"It must have been exceptionally brilliant to have been seen in the daytime, said Dr. Brown, "and if these people say they saw it against a bank of cloud it must have been unusually large to have come so near to the earth before dissolution. Meteors usually burn themselves out before they are within 60 miles of the earth's surface.

"It was evidently the first class of meteor, known as the fireball, specimens of which have been known to descend to within about five miles before disappearing.

"But this one seems to have been less than five miles away. Probably it has not been completely vaporised, and there may be a chance of recovering the meteor, which is not likely to be any larger than a football at the outside.

"It would be very valuable to us if the people who saw it could give us some indication of the compass bearing at which the meteor appeared and disappeared. "The astronomical society at the university would be very grateful for such information. It would also be interesting to know if any one heard any explosion, as sometimes happens within a few minutes of a meteor's disappearance."