Rare Green Fireball Lights Up Wellington Sky, Sparks Space Debris Insights

• A rare green fireball was observed flashing across the night sky near Wellington, New Zealand, on January 30th, visible for several seconds.
• The luminous object, captured on video by multiple observers, lit up the skies near Lower Hutt and was also reported from Manawatū-Whanganui.
• Experts, including University of Auckland physics professor Richard Easther, identified it as a bolide, a very bright meteor, likely a natural space rock, not space debris.
• The distinctive green glow is attributed to elements like magnesium and nickel in the meteoroid, which emit green light when superheated by atmospheric friction.
• Such fireballs are rare but safe, as most meteoroids disintegrate completely in the atmosphere, posing no threat to ground observers.

Why It Matters: A rare green bolide lit up Wellington's sky, offering a safe, spectacular display of atmospheric entry.