Meteor shower seen across New Zealand

A meteor shower seen from one end of the country to the other prompted a "large number" of emergency calls to police tonight.

People in Auckland, Tauranga, Wellington and Christchurch reported seeing the shower between 6.30 and 7pm.

Most thought they were seeing emergency flares.

Auckland Inspector Darroch Todd said the shower was "not an everyday event".

Jennie McCormick, astronomy teacher at Auckland's Stardome Observatory had not seen it but said it "must have been quite bright for everybody to call up".

She urged anyone who saw such things to report their sighting to the Observatory.