What's that strange object in the sky?

Senior Journalist·NZ Herald·

28 Feb, 2021 08:15 AM2 mins to read

The object was captured by many Auckland residents. Photo / Supplied Vaibhav Bhalki

A strange object has appeared in the sky this evening - prompting many to ask "what the heck is that?"

The object, which looks like a long line that tapers off at one end, was seen by people in various parts of Auckland as the sun was setting.

One suggested it was the burning tail of an asteroid, while another thought it could be a plane crashing or vapour trails from an aircraft. Others suggested it was simply an odd-shaped cloud or tornado.

Onehunga resident Ronan Gogarty-Watson said he saw it in the sky at about 8.30pm.

"It got bigger and drifted slightly (and) was still there till sundown."

The object which was seen from Onehunga.

Sally Webster said she could see it from Muriwai Beach and asked what the heck it was after snapping a quick picture of it.

Havana Hopman said she saw the object at 8.33pm at Kohimarama as she was looking towards the city while out on a walk.

"It looked like a tornado in mid air and was a spectacular sight as it was at a completely different angle to all the other clouds," she said.

Jack Powell captured it on camera just after 8pm while out walking in Sunnyhills.

He said it was in the sky for about two hours and there were a lot of people outside watching it from the street.

Metservice forecaster Cameron Coutts said the object looked like a condensation trail from an aircraft.

"There is some other high cloud about so the aircraft would have gone through a favorable area where it produced the cloud. It looks like it was just a short time that it made the trail then over time the trail has spread out a little giving it its distinctive shape."

Coutts said it looked unusual because it is at a different angle to the other high cloud.

Based on what he could see on satellite imagery he said started to the west of Auckland, probably from a flight from Australia, before the wind at that level pushing the trail eastwards.