Bright-green fireballs that streaked across the skies over New Zealand last month may finally have an explanation.
On July 7, 2022, a bright-green meteor was spotted crashing into Cook Strait between New Zealand’s North Island and South Island. The meteor, likely about 3.3 feet (1 meter) in diameter, struck with explosive power equivalent to 2,000 tons (1,800 metric tons) of TNT (opens in new tab) and led to a massive sonic boom. Two weeks later, another rare green fireball was photographed over Canterbury, on New Zealand’s South Island.
Fireballs are unusually bright meteors that can exceed one meter in size. Only around four are reported each year over any one region, so why are so many fireballs lighting up the skies over this island nation?
“Writer Fuel” is a series of cool real-world stories that might inspire your little writer heart. Check out our Writer Fuel page on the LimFic blog for more inspiration.
