Locals who failed to catch a glimpse of a meteor falling over New Zealand have expressed their dismay at missing such a rare opportunity.
But Rotorua Astronomical Society president Ken Blackman says people have not entirely missed their chance.
"Meteor showers are not as rare as people may think. They actually happen all the time, both day and night, it's just a lot of the time you can't see it."
About 10pm on Wednesday, thousands of Kiwis, including many in and around Rotorua, spotted a flash of light plummeting towards the ground. Many also reported hearing a loud crashing noise. Meteorite expert and former publisher of Meteorite Magazine Joel Schiff said that, based on footage, he believed it was "almost certainly some extra-terrestrial material".
Mr Blackman said there were periods during the year when meteor showers were more likely.
"People who missed this meteor and are worried they won't have another chance to see one, shouldn't be too concerned. We pass through the tail of Halley's Comet twice a year, which causes meteor showers from the comet's debris."
Fletcher Hodge, 33, and Michael Mckee, 30, both from Hamilton, were travelling back from Rotorua when they noticed the sky getting "bluer and brighter".
Mr Hodge said he looked out the driver's side of the vehicle and saw what he thought was a shooting star.
"The next minute it was practically at the right-hand side, like only 200-300 metres away. It came in slow, then sped up. There were big bright blue flashes and then it went straight down into a gully," he said.
"I've seen shooting stars and comets break up but I have never been so close in my life."
Mr Mckee said the light from the object lit up the whole countryside.
"I saw a streak in the sky and bits of ... like fireworks ... but thought it was too bright to be fireworks. It didn't hit me till after that it was cosmic. I've never seen anything like it in my life. It was almost blinding."
Nearly 100 people on the Rotorua Daily Post Facebook page shared accounts of what they saw and speculated as to what it could have been.
One said when she saw it she "thought it was lightning and waited for the rain but it didn't come".
Another said she was inside her house when she saw a flash of blue light.
"I wish I had gone out to see it properly."
- Additional reporting Danielle Nicholson