‘Thought it was a plane on fire’: large meteor sightings stir delight in New Zealand

The fireball is caught on camera above Hawke's Bay, in New Zealand’s North Island. Two suspected meteors have flashed across the country’s skies in recent days. Photograph: Fireballs Aotearoa.

Two large suspected meteors have flashed and boomed across New Zealand’s skies in recent days, delighting those who glimpsed the celestial events and sending some animals into a frenzy.

A fireball was seen over parts of the North Island just after 10.20pm on Tuesday night, after a separate one streaked across South Island’s skies on Sunday evening.