The prominent New Zealand 1871 newspaper

…..tells us of an extraordinary appearance in the sky on Sunday night….The night was cloudy, and the moon was partly obscured by lowering scud. The appearance to which I allude I can only compare to a bar of heated iron, wedge-shaped….( likely Jet sized)

….This strange meteor traversed the heavens from north to south… at its base it appeared 'red-hot,' ( like heated iron)….it occasionally buried itself in the dim transparency of dark clouds, and anon reappeared in bold relief against the patches of clear areas sky, was magnificent in the extreme.….. The strange sight was witnessed by many who were taking their after-church, walk at the time….

ORIGINAL FULL LENGTH PUBLICATION 1871

A gentleman who came up last evening from the Thames tells us of an extraordinary appearance in the sky on Sunday night last Our informant says:— "At about half-past eight o'clock I was walking on the beach at Shortland, when my attention was attracted by an extraordinary appearance in the western sky. The night was cloudy, and the moon was partly obscured by lowering scud. The appearance to which I allude I can only compare to a bar of heated iron, wedge-shaped, and which to the eye appeared some 15 feet in length, and varying from 18 inches at its base to some 3 or 4 inches at its point. (LIKLEY JET SIZED) Of course I only mention its size as it would, appear to an unscientific gazer. This strange meteor traversed the heavens from north to south, at an angle of about 45deg. from. Wharekawa, near Sandspit Passage, until it sank from view apparently a short distance beyond the telegraph turrets at the mouth of the Piako. To carry out my simile of a bar of iron, I must state that at its base it appeared 'red-hot,' and this colour gradually darkened towards the point to the colour observable in a bar of iron one end of which has been immersed in water. It occupied about half a minute in its transit, and, whilst passing along, its appearance, as it occasionally buried itself in the dim transparency of dark clouds, and anon reappeared in bold relief against the patches of clear areas sky, was magnificent in the extreme. "Immediately or its disappearance, the clouds which had hither to obscured the sky cleared away, and the moon shone forth in double brilliancy. The strange sight was witnessed by many who were taking their after-church, walk at the time, and gave rise to expressions of wonder and amazement.

SOURCES - NEWSPAPER

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXVII, Issue 4179, 5

January 1871, Page 2

The Daily Southern Cross originally stated as Southern Cross a weekly paper in Auckland,New Zealand in 1843 by prominent businessman and aspiring politician, William Brown.