Photos: Comet mistaken for plane in fiery plunge

The comet visible just after sunset. Photo / Simon Baker

The Fire Service and police around the country received calls last night from people mistaking Comet McNaught for an object falling from the sky.

"One person in Welcome Bay called and said they saw something falling from the sky and another near Waiuku said they thought a plane was on fire," said Fire Service communications centre spokeswoman Leah Denton.

A police spokeswoman in Wellington confirmed they had also received calls from "people who were wondering what was happening".

The comet, which was named after Australian astronomer Robert McNaught who discovered it last year, is expected to be visible at twilight for the next three weeks.

It is 124 million kilometres from Earth and is now moving away from the sun. Astronomers say it can be spotted in the southwestern sky shortly after sunset.

Carter Observatory senior astronomer Brian Carter said the comet was the brightest in more than 40 years. Nasa astronomer Tony Phillips said the comet was 100 times brighter than Halley's Comet when it appeared in 1986.