North Canterbury residents hear 'sonic boom', see mystery object burning through the evening sky

A suspected meteor shoots across the North Canterbury sky. Photo / Amanda Coster

North Cantabrians were treated to an atmospheric spectacle last night when a suspected meteor burned across the evening sky.

People have taken to social media to describe what they saw, with some saying there was a loud "boom", and others thinking it was an earthquake.

In Sefton the Coster family heard a "massive kind of rumble", or "sonic boom", just after 6pm on Monday, Stuff reported.

Amanda Coster said when the family looked out the window they saw an object "burning up and coming down" in the sky, heading towards Mt Gray.

Coster thought it was a meteor, with an "orange glow to it" and leaving a long trail, Stuff reported.

Another person posted on social media: "Heard this and thought is it an earthquake, plane or just straight out old Superman?"

There have been reports of sightings from Kaiapoi and Rangiora.