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A mystery object sighted in the Auckland night sky is probably... the moon.
A member of the public emailed the New Zealand Herald after spotting a "blazing" object in the sky last night.
Their photos showed what seemed to be a bright object streaking across the sky.
The witness said the object was seen about 6.41pm yesterday.
They said when the bright light dissipated, a foggy or hazy cloud hovering lingered in the area until all the light dimmed.
Stardome Observatory investigated.
"Our astronomer has taken a look at the images and based on the time, altitude, and brightness he believes it is the Moon shining through the cloud cover," a spokeswoman said.
However, another reader said they witnessed "the same blazing light" last night and on Monday night.
They said the light was "hovering" for about 20 minutes before disappearing.
The Moon is responsible for various optical illusions. For example, when nearer the horizon, it appears much larger than when higher up in the sky.
Clouds and ice crystals can also can cause optical phenomena.
Auckland was a hotbed of odd phenomena last night.
Apart from the strange lights, dozens of North Shore residents reported hearing powerful explosions.
Birkdale, Birkenhead, Hillcrest and Northcote residents discussed the intense explosions on social media, some saying their houses shook after the incidents about 10.45pm.
But the culprit was found later, when the Defence Force owned up.
Radio station ZM said the Kaipara Bomb Range was the likely source of three to four loud blasts.
The station said West Aucklanders also felt the explosions and Number 5 Squadron was currently conducting trials with its P-3K Orion aircraft.
The trials were scheduled to finish towards the end of June.
The Defence Force said the sound was usually confined to a 10km to 15km radius, but a westerly wind along with low cloud cover seemed to have amplified the sound of the explosions.
They were returning from an overnight hike to Kapakapanui Hut when the weather changed.
