Sonic Boom created by fireball in New Zealand

On the 26th, a large fireball was witnessed offshore of Christchurch that was seen over a large region. I wasn't overly concerned; however, this evening a second large fireball has created an extensive shockwave throughout the atmosphere. A Marine Animal Disturbance Alert should be noted for the region until further information is obtained. As with many coastal meteors, they can be harder to read in terms of their effects on the marine environment.

Preliminary Data: 2026, July 28. New Zealand, Lower North Island/Cook Strait. Time: 22:26:10. Filmed from Toatoa, rural Ōpōtiki (Bay of Plenty). Seen from regions: Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Canterbury, Hawke's Bay, Manawatū-Whanganui, Marlborough, Taranaki, Tasman, Wellington, Taranaki, Opiki. Kapiti. Sonic Boom: Sound generated in concurrent and delayed forms from two extensive explosions when meteor fragmented. At Wairarapa, there were reports of animal disturbance, including livestock and domestic animals. It flew right over Manakau, and then, about 2mins later, a loud, low rumble disturbed all the birds. Multiple Reports: Sounded like an earthquake, but there was no tremor. Animals outside went crazy. Cows across the road were going nuts. Multiple booms echoing off the hills. Sounded like thunder. Explosion was crazy!! Huge explosion/ rumble after. Sound was loud and went on for a while. Popping sounds amid the rumblings as well. Heard at Masterton, Gladstone, Eketahuna, Ōtaki,

There will be numerous reports from this event. The trajectory is not fully understood yet. 

2026, July 26. New Zealand, South Island, East of Christchurch over Southern Ocean. Fireball. Time: 17:51NZST, 05:49UT. Duration: 5+ seconds. Travelling south. It appears that the object fell over the sea off the East coast of Canterbury/Christchurch about 70 km offshore. Seen at Ormondville in North Island and Dunedin in South Island over 800km apart. Regions: Canterbury, Manawatū-Whanganui, Otago, Wellington. Witness on commercial flight: “Was spotted by our flight crew on approach into CHC this evening and left an ionized trail behind it for 5 seconds or so. Due to its remote sea location, no sonic boom was reported.

Update 20260730: Another fireball over the coast travelling towards the Tasman Sea. 2026, July 29. New Zealand, North Island, Auckland. Time: 20:37NZST, 08:37 UT. Travelling east. Seen in Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Hawke's Bay, Manawatū-Whanganui, Northland, Taranaki, Waikato.

Marine Animal Disturbance Alert: New Zealand & Australia

Current Alert Status: High Vigilance (March 26 – March 31, 2026)

Coastal communities, mariners, and wildlife volunteers across New Zealand and Australia are advised to maintain a high state of vigilance regarding unusual marine mammal behavior and potential stranding events. Following the recent peak of the M2025-F1 (The Puppis Source) meteor activity on March 21, we are currently within a critical observation window for deep-water species. This newly discovered source, first identified by the Global Meteor Network in 2025, is of significant interest due to its unique physical characteristics and potential for high-altitude atmospheric interactions. Because of the lack of information on this shower producing noticeable fireballs globally, I felt it prudent to be overly cautious during this time and the weeks following the peak, for stranded cetaceans.

The Nature of the Disturbance

The primary concern involves "slow-burning" atmospheric entries. Unlike typical meteors, these objects penetrate deep into the stratosphere before undergoing terminal airbursts. These high-energy explosions generate low-frequency pressure waves—infrasound—that can travel vast distances through the ocean. For deep-diving species like Beaked Whales and Pilot Whales, these sudden acoustic pulses can cause severe disorientation or a "startle response," leading pods to flee toward shallower, hazardous coastal waters. This period could last until the end of April. Also, this is fireball season, so that doesn't help either. 

Key Risk Zones

New Zealand: Focus remains on Farewell Spit and the Golden Bay region. These areas act as natural "whale traps" where disoriented pods can easily become caught by rapidly receding tides.

Australia: High alert for the Bass Strait, Tasmania, and the Southern Western Australian coast. Recent sightings of deep-water species in unusual surface patterns—including rare Beaked Whale sightings near Bremer Bay—suggest ongoing acoustic stress in the offshore canyons.

What to Look For

Near-Shore Sightings: Any deep-water species (Beaked Whales, Pilot Whales, or large pods of Orca) spotted unusually close to the surf line.

Unusual Social Behavior: Excessive "huddling" or agitated, erratic swimming patterns in pods near the coast.

The 72-Hour Echo: We are currently in the "lag window" where the physical effects of weekend atmospheric events often manifest as coastal strandings.

Action Required

If you observe whales or dolphins in distress, swimming toward shallow water, or already stranded, please contact your local stranding network immediately. In New Zealand, contact Project Jonah or the Department of Conservation. In Australia, alert ORRCA or your state's wildlife authority. Do not attempt to refloat large animals without professional guidance, as they may be suffering from internal acoustic trauma.

Airburst above Gulf of Alaska, NE Pacific

2026, March 23. Gulf of Alaska, NE Pacific, Airburst. Coordinates: (54.6N, 144.1W). Time: 19:23UT. Altitude: 35 km. Velocity: 11.48 km/s. Entry angle of approximately 54.1°. Energy: e = 5.1e10. -e = 0.17 or 170,000 kg/TNT. This is the sixth airburst of the year calculated by NASA. Note: A velocity of 11.48 km/s is particularly interesting because it is very close to the Earth's escape velocity (~11.19 km/s). This indicates a "slow" entry, which is characteristic of: Asteroidal origin: Objects coming from the inner solar system often have lower entry speeds. Meteorite potential: Because the velocity is low, the object experiences less intense heating and atmospheric pressure, making it much more likely that fragments survived to reach the ground or ocean as meteorites. A slow, deep-penetrating bolide at 11.48 km/s would create a sustained sonic boom (shockwave) that travels differently through the atmosphere and into the ocean than a high-velocity "disintegrator." With Europe and the USA having sustained rockfalls, it seems an undetected NEO has broken apart, or preliminary debris for an upcoming larger event. 

Marine Animal Disturbance Alert: A watch for cetacean strandings should be noted for Alaska, the surrounding Aleutian Islands and British Columbia. 

Meteor Airburst off the coast of New Zealand

2026, January 30. New Zealand, east of South Island. Airburst. Time: 23:25 NZT or 10:25:27UT. Coordinates: (45.0S, 174.5E). Altitude: 89 km. Energy: e = 3.4e10, -e = 0.12 or 120,000 kg/TNT. Total Velocity: 71.07 km/s. This high velocity is quite characteristic of objects originating from further out in the solar system or those meeting Earth head-on in its orbit. Sound: Concurrent and delayed sound heard. Duration: 5+ sec. Direction: WSW? (further data to come). Left behind a glowing contrail. Seen the length of the South Island and in the southern parts of the North Island. Canterbury Region, Manawatū-Whanganui Region, Marlborough Region, Nelson Region, Otago Region, Southland Region, Tasman Region, Wellington Region. 

A Marine Animal Disturbance alert should be noted for the region from Stewart Island in the south to Hawkes Bay in the North. Further data regarding the meteor flux before and after this event in later days. A broad precautionary watch for the Chatham Islands, Farewell Spit and even the west side coastal regions of the country. 

Historically, the airbursts in the southern regions have shown a detrimental effect over a large area.  So far Tasmania has reported no data; however, this island is in a data blind. Usually, any high activity in New Zealand can result in strandings in Tasmania. Therefore, a watch should be noted for species not commonly seen in stranding events, and it can be months after the incident stream has occurred.

Fireballs Aotearoa: Facebook

A second event:

2026, January 30. New Zealand. Fireball. Time: 22:32NZDT or 09:32 UT. Seen: Manawatū-Whanganui Region, Marlborough Region, Taranaki Region, Wellington Region  

Florida and Bahamas at risk of strandings

A high level of atmospheric fireballs has been detected in the northern hemisphere. Florida, California, and the UK region have had above-average events. A watch should be noted for coastlines. 

2025, November 11. Fireball. The Southwest Florida sky in broad daylight at 12:39. It is shown over land in the lower state.

Marine Animal Disturbance Alert for New Zealand

2025, October 9. New Zealand, Southern Ocean, SE of Stewart Island (Rakiura). Fireball. Duration: 2.5 sec.  

2025, October 10. New Zealand, Dunedin, Clutha District. Fireball. Around 10pm. A bright blue green fireball falling to the south low in the horizon. Break-up of meteoroid.

2025, October 11. New Zealand. Southern Ocean. Fireball. Break up of meteoroid. Approximately 4 hours after the above and larger.  

A Marine Animal Disturbance Alert should be noted for the SE region of the South Island of New Zealand and Stewart Island/Rakiura. Even though no reports yet of sonic booms, the length and duration of the events warrant a watch for cetacean strandings. Will update this post as more information collected. 

2025, October 12. New Zealand, Invercargill, SE of South Island, Awarua Bay east end. Dead Bottlenose dolphin.

Also: 2025, October 7. Scotland. Fireball. Traveling NW over Inverness region. Concurrent and delayed auditory experience.

2025, October 7. UK, SE. Several cities stunned as a green “fireball”. Seen from as far apart as Nottingham in the UK to Bar-le-Duc in France over 640 km apart. Large as the full moon. Concurrent and delayed auditory experience.  

“A Fairly Large Meteor” in Indonesia.

On Sunday evening, October 5, 2025, a large meteor entered Earth’s atmosphere near Cirebon, West Java. It created a bright fireball and a loud explosion that startled residents across Kuningan and Cirebon. The meteor came in over land from the SW to NE direction. The meteor crashed into the Java Sea between 6:35 PM and 6:39 PM local time. BRIN astronomer Thomas Djamaluddin confirmed the event, explaining the boom was caused by a shockwave as the meteor descended through the atmosphere. It was heard over an area of 700 (km²). BMKG’s seismic sensors detected ground vibrations at the same time. The explosion/boom was also detected at the Public Sonic Boom Observation Station in Bali 700 km away. Residents, especially in Lemahabang, reported seeing the fireball and hearing the blast, which posed no danger. It was described as a "Fairly large meteor". A Marine Animal Disturbance Alert should be noted for the coastal regions of West, Central and associated islands of Java, Indonesia, between Jakarta and Semarang in the Java Sea.

(Beritasatu.com)

Marine Animal Disturbance Alert for Northwestern Borneo

2025, October 1. Malaysia, Brunei, Bandar Seri Begawan, Malaysia. Fireball. Sonic Boom heard. Sarawak witnesses heard a loud bang following the sighting These sightings were reported by several witnesses across Sarawak, from Bintulu to Miri on the island of Borneo. Loud bangs were heard around Samalaju Bintulu Miri. The meteor was first spotted at around 8.50pm, near the Samalaju industrial area in Malayia 230km south. Travelling NNE towards Brunei Bay, South China Sea. A Marine Animal Disturbance Alert should be noted for the region.

Meteor Airburst off the coast of Brazil

2025, September 9. South Atlantic, 77km off the coast of Brazil in Ceará. Airburst. Time:17:49:10UT, 14:433 time zones. Coordinates: (2.3S, 39.5W). Altitude: 24.0km. Velocity: 20.72km/sec. Energy: e = 15.3e10, -e = 0.44 or 440,000 kg/TNT. Travelling east. Seen inland as far as 140 km and 216km from event. It displayed properties of concurrent and delayed sound. Given the location on the continental shelf and the substantial energy release, a Marine Animal Disturbance Alert should be issued for the region. This is the 25th airburst of 2025.  

Note of Interest: 2025, September 8. Saudi Arabia, Hail Province, 13km west of An Nimriyah. Airburst. Time: 10:09:15. Coordinates: (26.4N, 42.2E). Altitude: 28.4km. Energy: e = 3.6e10, -e = 0.12 or 120,000 kg/TNT. This is the 24th airburst of 2025.

Meteor Airburst off the coast of Japan

2025, August 19. Japan. Large Airburst. Time: 14:08:48UT, 23:08 LT. Coordinates: (131.8E, 30.9N). Altitude: 27.5 km. Velocity: 19.624 km/s. Energy: e = 65.8e10 or -e = Impact energy of 1.6 or 1,600,000 kg/TNT. Approximatly 70km NE of Tanegashima Island and 80 km from Japans coastal mainland. Many people in Kagoshima and Miyazaki prefectures posted on social media that they had seen a ball of light in the sky. The flash was so powerful it lit up Kagoshima City completely, 140 km away, for a few seconds. It was also filmed clearly from Kansi airport 500km to the NE. Eight minutes later, a notable atmospheric pressure wave measuring 12.5 pascals was recorded southeast of Sakurajima, 120km from the event. Seismic instruments also detected ground vibrations. Staff at the local weather office on the opposite side of Kagoshima Bay reported hearing a loud “boom” after opening a window. This is the 23rd airburst recorded this year. A Marine Animal Disturbance Alert should be noted for the coastal regions of SE and Central Japan and surrounding islands. 

List of cetacean strandings in Scotland since the July 3rd meteor event

2025, July 3. Scotland. Large Fireball. (Electrophonic Meteor). Had delayed and concurrent sound properties.  

2025, July 6. Scotland, Highland. Risso's dolphin washed ashore dead in advanced decomposition.

2025, July 6. Scotland, Argyll and Bute, Cetacean (indeterminate species). Indeterminate.

2025, July 6. Scotland, Argyll and Bute. Short-beaked common dolphin/striped dolphin (indeterminate species) in advanced state of decomposition.

2025, July 7. Scotland, Argyll and Bute. Cetacean of indeterminate species. COD: Indeterminate at moment.

2025, July 9. Scotland, Highland. Risso's dolphin found dead in an advanced state of decomposition.

2025, July 10. Scotland, Angus. Bottlenose dolphin, alive-rehab.

2025, July 11. Scotland, Western Isles. Short-beaked common dolphin. In an advanced state of decomposition.  

2025, July 13. Scotland, Highland. Short-beaked common dolphin. In a moderate state of decomposition.

2025, July 13. Scotland, Highland. Risso's dolphin. In an advanced state of decomposition.

2025, July 15. Scotland, Highland. Short-beaked common dolphin/striped dolphin. In state of advanced decomposition.

2025, July 16. Scotland, Argyll and Bute. Harbour porpoise. In a state of moderate-advanced decomposition.

Orca strands in New Zealand

2025, July 14. New Zealand, Surf Club at Mairangi Bay Northshore Auckland. Beached Orca. Managed to self-refloat. The Marine Animal Disturbance Watch remains in effect for the next 14 days.

Fireball in New Zealand - Marine Animal Disturbance Watch

2025, July 13. New Zealand, East coast North Island. Fireball. Time: 04:23. Travelling ENE. Duration: 6 sec. Altitude: 90 to 30 km. I'm awaiting further data on any audio reports, so a Marine Animal Disturbance Watch should be noted for the region. I will evaluate further in any updates.

Fireballs Aotearoa  

Marine Animal Disturbance Alert for UK and Ireland

2025, July 3. Scotland. Large Fireball. (Electrophonic Meteor) Had delayed and concurrent properties. Sound described as a huge boom heard over 230,000 square kilometres. Time: 00:49. Travelling East towards North Sea. Seen in England, Northern Ireland and Wales at a distance over 500 km. The incredible blast was spotted as far as the Outer Hebrides. Appin witness: “Then maybe 20 to 30 seconds later, an explosive bang.”

Considering the vast area, the sound was heard, a Marine Animal Disturbance Alert should be noted for waters in the UK, Ireland and coastal regions of mainland Europe. 

Update: The meteor was seen above Taynuilt and Fort William, with one person claiming the “huge explosion” seemed to “wake up the whole town”. One person expressed their shock, saying: “I thought it was a bomb at first. I almost had a panic attack.” The boom was also “heard and felt” in Benderloch.

The outer circle is the sighting, and the inner is the sound.

Airburst near Atlanta

2025, June 26. USA, Georgia, east of Blacksville and 50km SSE of Atlanta. Medium Airburst. Coordinates: (33.4N, 84.1W). Seen as far north as Cleveland in Ohio over 900km away. Altitude: 32.6 km. Energy: e = 17, -e = 48 or 480,000 kg/TNT. Sound: Had delayed and concurrent properties. Between 12:15 and 12:30 p.m. Eastern time, more than 100 reports of a possible fireball were submitted to the American Meteor Society website from Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee.

Update: A meteor fragment has hit a house (crashed through the roof and floor). Tremor felt.

GOES-19, a NOAA satellite.  

Also 2025, June 25. Western Australia, Indian Ocean. Meteor. Approximately 260km south of Hamelin Bay. Velocity: 55.2 km/s. Duration: 2.52 sec. Coordinates: LLB: (-36.57, 114.61), LLE: ( -37.56, 113.67). Height: 114.58 to 99.71 km. Time: 16:33. A Marine Animal Disturbance Alert should still be noted for this region, even though it would be extremely unlucky to have a cetacean stranding. The meteors over the last two weeks are not large, just moderately consistent. 

Global Alert System for cetacean stranding

Given the different parameters involved in issuing these alerts, I'm working on a color-coded worldwide Marine Animal Disturbance Alert system to make it simpler, more accurate and easier to follow. Inputs such as migration and habits need to be taken into consideration. Also, meteor airbursts of all energy outputs, heights and fireballs of all varieties need to be taken for what they are, diverse. Because this is relatively new, as in the last couple of years, new situations have come along that challenge what I want to portray in the alert issued, so this will be easier and more accurate. This new system will be shown like the example below (not the current situation) and will be presentable once software is involved. I gather this will change as it evolves. I will also issue dates to coincide with alert length, because cetaceans can come ashore many months after injury. This in itself can be confusing when events overlap.

Low - Green

Moderate - Orange

High - Yellow

Extremely High - Red

Another fireball west of Baja California, Mexico

2025, June 16. Mexico, Pacific Baja California Region. Fireball. Time: 22:00PDT, around 05:00 UT. Travelling NE. A Marine Animal Disturbance Alert is still in place for the Mexican and USA Pacific coastlines. With now 25 whale deaths in California since January, there could be a spike in cetacean casualties post this event.

Also: 2025, June 17. USA, Florida, Miami Dade. A 13-foot-long juvenile cachalot (sperm whale) was humanely euthanised after stranding. The individual will undergo a necropsy at NOAA’s lab in Miami to help determine cause of death. The only fireball in the Florida region in the last 49 days was a small fireball that dispersed no delayed or concurrent sound. There was a large one on the 29^th of April; however, its trajectory was mostly over land and north near Orlando. So, to wrap up, we have one fireball sighting and one stranding. 

The vast majority of the event below also occurred over land; however, I do take note of these for research purposes.

2025, June 15. New Zealand, North Island. Meteor. Time: 13:41. Direction: SSW. Velocity: 51 km/s. Duration: 6.39 sec. Coordinates: Beg: (-37.24, 176.14), End: ( -39.85, 174.58). Height: (113.73, 104.48km). Connected Shower: June rho Cygnids. Distance: 320 km.  

Marine Animal Disturbance Alert for Western Australia

2025, June 7. Western Australia, Great Australian Bight, 460km south of Perth. Meteor. Shower (Daytime Arietids). Coordinates: (B -36.14, 116.06, E-36.70, 114.95). Velocity: 43km/s. Duration: 2.04 seconds. Height B to E: 103-96km. Another one that started 7 minutes later on the mainland, broke up on entry. With the migration season well underway, a Marine Animal Disturbance Alert should be noted for the SW coastal region of Western Australia. Areas such as Busselton and Bunbury are at higher risk.

Third airburst in Mexico region Updated 20250604

An airburst over land in Mexico brings the tally to three in just over 6 months. The cumulative energy released is 6.8 kt or 6,800,000 kg/TNT. The other two occurred over the Pacific Ocean. This meteor activity has profoundly affected cetacean activity in the region, with its ramifications felt north along the USA west coast. 

2025, May 31. Mexico, Hidalgo State, Xiliapa. Airburst. Coordinates: (98.8 W, 21.1 N). Time: 23:06. Energy: e = 38.6, -e = 1 or 1,000,000 kg/TNT. Altitude: 47.3 km. Velocity: 17.8 km/sec.  

Also: 

2025, May 29. USA, Oregon, Cachalot (sperm whale). Adult male, measured approximately 53 ft long. Cause of death: It appears to have been due to a pre-mortem vessel strike interaction.

2025, June 1. UK, Cleethorpes. Dead dolphin.

2025, June 1. UK, Cleveleys beach. A dead porpoise. It’s the latest porpoise to wash up on a Fylde coast beach in recent months, with others discovered on beaches in Fleetwood and Blackpool.

2025, June 2. USA, Massachusetts, Cape Cod Bay. Fireball. Time: 20:07EDT Seen in Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey and Rhode Island. A Marine Animal Disturbance Alert should be noted for this region due to historical data showing it as a cetacean stranding hotspot. Update: Cancel Alert due to information suggesting this event was above the inland coast, not water. 

Fireball in New South Wales, Australia

2025, June 1. Australia, New South Wales, Sydney. Fireball. Time: 17.56. Vision of the event shows a bright green glow passing over the sky. Entered the atmosphere just south of Newcastle. Delayed and concurrent sound heard. It was seen from as far south as Blackbutt, south of Woolongong, to Werris Creek in the north 360 km apart. The image below was taken Narrabeen Beach looking north, traveling east to west from the South Pacific Ocean. Duration: 6 seconds. 

Note: I’m awaiting further information before issuing a Marine Animal Disturbance alert for this event. Given the migratory patterns at this time of year, it would be prudent to remain vigilant for any signs of distress in cetaceans.

Belinda Buckton took this amazing image. Belinda Buckton | Facebook

Also seen in Sydney City.