Green Meteor Zips Over Gisborne's Night Sky

New Zealand media reported sightings of a bright green meteor passing over the east coast of New Zealand’s North Island on Thursday, May 18.Facebook user Tuki Sweeney, who was initially filming a training session for local team, Pirates Rugby Club, managed to inadvertently capture a shot of the meteor. As seen in the footage, all the players stopped training to watch as the meteor passed overhead.Residents have also reported their sightings on New Zealand’s Weather Watch, with one eyewitness writing, “Biggest brightest comet we’ve ever seen in all our 56 years. Quick and flashy. Seen in awe from Otoko near Matawai."Astronomer and Otago museum director Ian Griffin told the Gisborne Herald the object in the video was definitely a meteor.“It’s a lovely example of a meteor burning up high in the Earth’s atmosphere and the flashes you can see are where bits of it are breaking off because it’s moving very quickly through the atmosphere and burning up.“This is probably just a random piece of rock from space entering the Earth’s atmosphere and the folks watching the rugby game were lucky to be in the right place at the right time."