A host of explanations have been offered for a number of ghostly white objects photographed above the Hokitika Airport yesterday morning.
An airport staff member snapped the phenomenon just after 7am.
He had not noticed the circular objects until he checked the photographs on his camera. He took other shots to make sure the discs were not caused by dirt on the camera lens.
Hokitika weather observer Mark Crompton initially said they could be perihelion, or phantom suns, which formed as a result of ice crystals in the atmosphere. However, after viewing the images he said they looked more like the reflection of ceiling lights.
The airport staff member confirmed that the photo was taken outside, away from the windows.
