Antarctica Meteor Airburst

2026, April 29. Antarctica, 740 km SW of McMurdo Station. Airburst. Time: 14:00:39. Coordinates: (81.0S;133.9E). Altitude: 28.7km. Velocity Components: Vx: -14.8; vy-1.8; vz: 9.8. True Velocity: 17.84 km/s at an Entry Angle of 33.32°. Energy: e = 4.8e10 Joules; -e = 0.16 or 160,000 kg/TNT. Its the ninth meteor airburst detected by NASA this year. 25/26 ratio: 17:9. While several slow-entry meteors have resulted in meteorite falls across North America and Europe recently, the overall frequency for the year remains notably low. The current 2025/2026 ratio stands at 17:9, highlighting a quiet period for global bolide activity. The event occurred within the active Southern Australia / New Zealand / Antarctica corridor. This flight path is a known focal point for trajectory monitoring. Crucially, the timing of this event is favorable; with the seasonal migration underway, many cetacean populations have already begun their northward journey. This reduces the likelihood of atmospheric pressure waves impacting sensitive marine life in these southern waters. The primary hope remains that this event is not a precursor to larger, undetected fragments following the same orbital path.

The "Slow" 2019 Whale Season and the Meteor Airburst in Southern Australia

Direct Migration Path: In May, Southern Right Whales are actively moving from the sub-Antarctic feeding grounds (40°S–60°S) toward the coastal nurseries of Warrnambool (Logans Beach) and the Great Australian Bight. The May 21 airburst happened exactly when the lead females would have been approaching the coast.

The "Adelaide Fireball".

2019, May 21. Large Airburst. Time: ~10:30 PM local time, 13:12UT. Energy/Size: It was estimated the object was roughly the size of a small car, weighing in at between 20 to 40 tonnes. Altitude: 31.5 km. Velocity: 11.5 km/s. Impacted 440km south of Adelaide in Great Australian Bight or 430 km east of Warrnambool in Victoria. It was 260 km from the nearest coastline in South Australia. Energy: e (Radiated Energy in Joules) = 65.6e10. Impact yield 1.6 kt or equivalent to 1,600,000 kg of TNT. CCTV from Safety Beach on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula showed a huge ball of light falling from the sky and illuminating Port Phillip Bay. It was also caught on dashcam from Adelaide. At Horsham it was described as “a huge bright white light”. CNEOS data and infrasound arrays recorded a significant atmospheric disruption. The meteor moved from north to south, flaring green and then orange. It was visible from Adelaide (SA) all the way to the Gippsland coast (VIC). Acoustic Impact: Residents across South Australia and Western Victoria reported a "massive boom" that made houses and the earth "shake visibly." This indicates a low-altitude airburst or a significant sonic boom from a large fragment.

Because stony meteorites are more likely to explode violently in the mid-to-lower atmosphere, they release their kinetic energy as a massive pressure wave (infrasound) all at once. If the airburst occurred over the shelf or near the coastline (fragments were suspected to have landed in the ocean), the resulting infrasound would have been intense. For a species that relies on low-frequency sound for navigation and social cohesion, a 1.6 kt-equivalent "thump" could have acted as an acoustic deterrent. Geographic Mapping of the bolide's trajectory (North to South over SA/VIC) means the pressure wave would have propagated directly into the Great Australian Bight and the Bonney Upwelling (a major whale corridor).

In 2018 South Australia recorded 789 individuals. In 2019, the year of this major bolide, the numbers dropped to 577. This ~27% drop in sightings is often attributed to natural "calving cycles," but the presence of a car-sized meteor exploding over the migration corridor just as it started provides a strong physical alternative. It suggests the whales didn't just "fail to show up"—they were likely deterred or disoriented by the acoustic impact.

The Southern Right Whale population has still not recovered from this event.

There was a large airburst in 2014 off Antarctica, one in 2015 in the migration corridor (SRW population plateaued), two in 2017, before the 2019 event. Humpbacks go where they want when they want; they adapt, SRW do not. These whales are more fragile and favour routine and regular habitats far more than humpbacks.

The 2003 Whatipu Stranding & Leonid Fireballs

The stranding occurred exactly during the peak of the 2003 Leonid meteor shower. Astronomers recorded that while the overall meteor count was moderate, this specific year produced a high concentration of fireballs (bolides).

Leonid meteors are the fastest of any annual shower, entering at roughly 72 km/s (161,000 mph). This velocity is critical for research because it means even small objects generate massive kinetic energy and atmospheric shockwaves upon entry.

During the early morning hours of November 14, observers across the South Pacific reported multiple bright fireballs. One specific report from a NASA-affiliated team noted a "significant bolide" over the Pacific Rim around the time the whales would have been approaching the coast.

Seismic Quietude vs. Atmospheric Noise: GeoNet records for the Auckland region on November 13–14 show no significant tectonic earthquakes. This is important, as it eliminates "ground-up" seismic confusion and points toward an "air-down" acoustic event (like an airburst).

The absence of seismic activity (earthquakes) on the morning of November 14, 2003, points toward an external trigger. Given the peak of the high-velocity Leonid bolides and the reported fireball activity in the South Pacific that morning, the hypothesis that an atmospheric airburst disrupted this bachelor pod’s navigation remains compelling.

To add to the above are the two airbursts in the region that also contributed to strandings.

2003, November 1. Tasmania, SW of island in Southern Ocean. Airburst. Time 14:09. (-51.4 S, 151.7 E). Blast force 213,000 kg of TNT.

2003, November 10. Off the coast of Antarctica. Airburst. Time 13:54, (64.5 S, 136.2 E). Blast force equivalent to 1,300,000 kg of TNT.

Resulting stranding events.

2003, November 18. Tasmania, Point Hibbs. A remote location south of Strahan. A mass stranding of 110 Black Dolphins (pilot whales) and 10 bottlenose dolphins die. They had been dead for several days before this finding date. Discovered by an abalone diver.

2003, November 28. Tasmania, Arthurs Bay near Whitemark, Flinders Island. A mass stranding of 10 Cachalots (Sperm Whales). Died 9; Survived 1. The lone survivor was found 200 meters off shore in good condition considering the predicament it found itself in.  

Southern Ocean Meteor Airburst

Another meteor airburst in this region at this time of year is not great for cetaceans. See the October 17 post regarding Orca deaths in Argentina.

2025, November 15. Southern Ocean, approximately 1500km SW of South America and 1300 km NW of Antarctica. Airburst. Time: 00:48:43. Coordinates: 62.2S, 94.7W. Altitude: 30.0 km. Energy: e = 10.5e10 and 0.32 or 320,000 kg/TNT. This is the 30th airburst of 2025.

Also, like other regions in the world, there has been a high influx of material coming into the UK/Eastern Europe region with corresponding strandings. There will be a delay in data collection, but I will update as soon as it becomes available.

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.  

The great escape - dodging cosmic bullets

2025, June 21. Southern Ocean. Airburst. Coordinates: (61.3 S, 157.9E). Time: 20:55. Altitude: 56.3 km. Energy: e = 3, -e = 0.1 or 100,000 kg/TNT. Velocity was NA.

Whales escaped north just in time. Everything has been quiet in the last two months, with only one event over land in Mexico. This one was timed by nature after cetacean migration was well underway, with many whales seen along New Zealand and Australian coasts. Unfortunately, it shows this region of the Southern Ocean is susceptible to meteor airbursts. It is also not a high-energy event and was moderately high when detected. There was some activity in the west of the Australian continent in the previous months; however, it wasn't significant. New South Wales had some bright arrivals, but this happened and stopped before the whales arrived. New Zealand has been quiet, which is unusual, so this all has added up to whales being rather happy with the situation. I hope it remains that way. It also shows that we need to bank the animals and stop slaughtering them, because nature changes and when it does, cetaceans will feel the full force of it.

Meteor Airburst

2025, April 28. Southern Ocean/South Indian Ocean, 400 km NNW of French Southern and Antarctic Lands. Airburst. Coordinates: (45.1S, 67.3E). Altitude: 31km. E = 3.4. -e – 0.12kt or 120,000 kg/TNT. Airburst Ratio 2024-2025 4:17.

Western Australia Meteors

 on the 27th of April

Marine Animal Disturbance reissued for South Africa after another airburst

2025, April 8. South Atlantic, 700km WNW of South Africa. Airburst. Coordinates: (32.2S, 10.4E). Altitude: 44.9 km. Velocity: 22.6 km/sec. Energy: e = 2.1, 0.076 or 76,000 kg/TNT. 2024-25 Ratio: 4:15. A marine animal disturbance is expected to be noted in southern Africa in the upcoming months.

This comes after the March 29 airburst in the Southern Ocean. Coordinates: (49.3S, 14.3E). Altitude: 21.6km. Velocity: 12.3 km/s. E = 5.9. -e = 0.19, 190,000 kg/TNT. 2,200 km north of Antarctica and 1,700 km SSW of Cape Town, South Africa. See Monday, 31 March post.

Meteor airburst in Southern Ocean

2025, March 29. Southern Ocean. Airburst. Coordinates: (49.3S, 14.3E). Altitude: 21.6km. Velocity: 12.3 km/s. E = 5.9. -e = 0.19, 190,000 kg/TNT. 2,200 km north of Antarctica and 1,700 km SSW of Cape Town South Africa. With northerly cetacean migration underway, you don't want to see this. A Marine Animal Disturbance should be noted for southern Africa in the upcoming months.

Meteor airburst 2024-2025 ratio 3:14.

Mass stranding in Taiwan

2024, October 8. Taiwan, Taichung’s Daan Beach. A pod of four pygmy killer whales.

Image: Ocean Conservation Administration

Other Events: 2024, October 5. Southern Ocean / South Pacific, 1800km west of South America, Chile, Reserva Nacional Alacalufes. Airburst. Coordinates: (-55.9, -102). Time: 12:27. e = 2.7, -e = 0.095 or 95,000 kg/TNT. Altitude: 39.5km. Velocity: 13.1 km/s.

2024, October 8. Spain, shores of Galicia, specifically on Pampaido beach in Sanxenxo. Dead 15-metre whale (Fin?) and dolphins wash up on shores of Spain during brutal Storm Kirk. The animal was in a state of decomposition. Meanwhile, in Fisterra, A Coruña, two dead dolphins were found washed up on a beach on Wednesday morning.  

Three airbursts Updated: 20241008

2024, September 23. South Atlantic Ocean. Airburst. Time: 06:37. Coordinates: (-45.6, -31.9). Energy: e = 5.5, -e = 0.18 or 180,000 kg/TNT. Altitude: 69km. Velocity: N.A.

2024, September 28. Southern Ocean, 240km N.E of Elephant Island in Antarctica below South America. Airburst. Time: 00:10. Coordinates: (-59.8, -51.8). e = 10.8, -e = 0.32 or 320,000 kg/TNT. Altitude: 34 km. Velocity: 15 km/s. This was only 374 km N.W from the airburst on June 3. It is also over 4 times more powerful than the South Africa event on August 25.

Fireballs (nasa.gov)

Updated: 20241008

Fireballs (nasa.gov)

2024, October 5. Southern Ocean, 1800km west of South America, Chile, Reserva Nacional Alacalufes. Airburst. Coordinates: (-55.9, -102). Time: 12:27. e = 2.7, -e = 0.095 or 95,000 kg/TNT. Altitude: 39.5km. Velocity: 13.1 km/s. 

2009 South Africa Incident

2009, April 10. Southern Ocean, South of South Africa. Large Airburst. Time: 1842. Coordinates: (-44.7, 25.7). e = 27, -e = 0.73 or equivalent energy of 730,000 kg/TNT. Altitude: 32.4. Velocity: 19.1 km/s.

2009, May 30. South Africa, Kommetjie Beach. 55 Black dolphins (pilot whales) were stranded and died. Of the pod 10 died of stress quickly and the others were euthanized.

Fireballs (nasa.gov)

The 1997 Airburst that killed 115 Cachalots (sperm whales)

1997, November 7. Southern Ocean. Midway between the South Island of New Zealand and Antarctica. Large Airburst. Time 07:46, (-57.3, 167.2). e = 8=, -e = 1.2 or an equivalent blast force of 1,900,000 kg/TNT.

1998, February 3 to 28. Tasmania. 115 Cachalots (97 female, 15 male, 3 unknown sex) were involved in three mass stranding events along the west and northwest coastlines. It should be noted that during (Stranding 1) thirty whales were seen offshore but never stranded.

Ocean Beach, Strahan (Stranding 1) On the evening of 3 February 1998, several cachalots were reported ashore on Ocean Beach near Strahan (42"18'S, 145'16'E). By the morning of 4 February, 66 animals had stranded, 12 of which were still alive. A rescue operation towed two animals (one male, one of unknown sex) offshore by midday, at which time two females and two males remained alive. By 0700 on 5 February, only one female and one male were alive. The female was euthanized and the male was refloated and towed offshore at 1630.

Greens Beach, Marrawah (Stranding 2)

At 0700 on 19 February 1998, local residents reported a group of cachalots in a tightly grouped formation off Greens Beach, Marrawah (40°55'S, 144'39'E). Shortly after 1000, they began to strand. By 0700 on 20 February only five of the 35 whales ashore were alive, with rough seas inhibiting any chance of rescue. At 1300 one male and one female were alive. By 0900 on 21 February, the female had died and at 11:00 the male was euthanized.

Black River Beach, Stanley (Stranding 3)

At 1000 on 28 February 1998, 11 Cachalots were reported ashore at Black River Beach, Stanley (40'50’S, 145’17’E). At 1230, 10 females were found deceased and one male alive. At 0400 on 1 March the male sperm whale was towed offshore, but later re-stranded at Edgecumbe Beach (40’52’S, 145’25’E), 10 km east at 1600. This animal was positively identified from Black River Beach by the presence of a lower jaw deformity. At 0230 on 2 March, the whale was towed offshore again and was followed for approximately 14 km, after which it was observed to swim away.

Therefore, 66 of these cachalots were stranded at Ocean Beach, Strahan; 35 at Greens Beach, Marrawah; and 11 at Black River Beach, Stanley. The remaining whales stranded singly along the coastline. Three mass strandings of this species in such close temporal proximity have not been reported in this area before, and this is the first time that data have been comprehensively collected from complete or near‐complete groups of sperm whales from Tasmanian waters. Adult females dominated the three stranding groups. Total lengths ranged from 417 to 1,200 cm and ages ranged from 0.75 to 64 years. Four females were lactating, and four fetuses were found among the groups. Stomach contents were dominated by pelagic cephalopods.

Boom to bust in six years. A warning from the past

How the Australian fishing industry destroyed the Orange Roughy fish population in six years. Orange Roughy can grow up to 30 inches in size and weigh up to 15 pounds. They are notable for their extraordinary lifespan, attaining over 200 years. If the fishing industry couldn't sell the fish they dumped them into landfill. By the time they had finished the Southern Ocean sea mounts south of Tasmania were left barren of this once precious animal. A beautiful animal that was toxic to eat was decimated. It makes you think about what Russian and Chinese fishing vessels are doing now?  Many other countries are involved and complacent about the situation. Illegal fishing in the Southern Ocean is an industrial vacuum that is sadly out of control.

Stories From The Orange Roughy Fishery - The Greatest Boom and Bust in Australia's Fishing History. - YouTube

Dumping Surplus Orange Roughy Fish, St. Helens, Tasmania, Australia, 1999 - YouTube

Another airburst, this time near a fragile area

After a slow start to the year, we have had 7 airbursts in a month. 

2024, June 3. Antarctica, approximately 155 km W.N.W of Petrel Base, Joinville Island Group. Airburst. e = 2.6, -e = 0.092. Altitude = 60km. Lucky for the rich wildlife here the meteor burst was high and on the lower end of energy yield. This area is under attack from avian flu, so this is the last thing they need. This is the type of airburst I fear most, near fragile ecosystems. Imagine if this was larger and a different time of year for whales, over a seal colony or penguin nesting flock. Even though this is a high detonation they can still cause concussion for birds on the wing, eg Albatross or Petrels. If animals are already stressed this could be a tipping point. Due to this a marine animal disturbance watch should be noted for the region.

Similarities between strandings in Western Australia and meteor activity

Last year. 2023, July 25. Western Australia. A pod of 97 Black Dolphins strand at Cheynes Beach, east of Albany. At least 52 whales die.

A few days before: 2023, July 21. Western Australia, west of Albany. Meteor. Time: 12:03. Velosity: 44km/s. Traveling N.W. Duration 2.54 seconds. Appeared in atmosphere at 112 km and ended at 90 km. This was part of a wider and very strong stream of meteors that came into the upper atmosphere that are not shown on the map below. The whales were basically driven to shore under heavy VLF radio waves.  

Map – Fireballs Aotearoa

Western Australia Whale Stranding and meteoroid update

Two other notable meteors came into the atmosphere 2 days before the April 26th stranding of the Black Dolphins. With the large one on the 15th (see posts below), these three events combined are a VLF Radio wave storm for whales.

2024, April 24. Western Australia. Time: 14:00UTC. Meteor. Velocity: 68km/s. Duration: 1.53 seconds. Location: S.W. of Albany in the Southern Ocean. Traveling W.N.W.

2024, April 24. Western Australia. Time: 20:03UTC. Meteor. Velocity: 55km/s. Duration: 3.12 seconds. Location: West of Albany. Started over land and ended in the Southern Ocean. Travelling W.S.W.

Map – Fireballs Aotearoa

New Zealand meteor

2024, April 18. New Zealand, Canterbury, Marlborough, Tasman and Wellington. Fireball. Time: Around 07:59 UT or 19:59NZST.

American Meteor Society (amsmeteors.org)

A pod of dolphins and whales die in 2020

2020, August 28. Mauritius. A pod of 39 dolphins died. Any link to an oil spill from a Japanese ship wreaked on a reef was false. A Japanese ship, MV Wakashio, ran aground on July 25 and began leaking fuel on August 6 into the Mahebourg Lagoon, fouling a protected wetlands area and a small island that was a bird and wildlife sanctuary. This is a fact and was terrible for the environment, especially the wetlands that were devastated. The oil was a new low-sulfur fuel oil that was being introduced to reduce air pollution. Along with the dolphins, 3 whales also died. The dolphins and whales have been stranded under “split stranding conditions” which means some kind of concussion force is behind the event.

The following are airbursts from meteors preceding the strandings.

2020, March 4. Southern Ocean/Indian Ocean. Airburst. (-53.3, 90.8). e=39.4, -e= 1 or 1,000,000 kg of TNT.

2020, March 26. Southern Ocean/Indian Ocean. Airburst. (-38.3, 23.5). e=12.4, -e=0.37 or 370,000 kg of TNT.

2020, May 18. Southern Ocean/Indian Ocean. Airburst. (-38. 7, 77.2). e=16.2, -e=0.46 or 460,000 kg of TNT.

2020, July 12. Southern Ocean/Indian Ocean. Airburst. (-48.7, 74). e=7.5, -e=0.23 or 230,000 kg of TNT.

2020 August. Dead dolphins and whales in Mauritius.

An interesting note is that in Tasmania, Australia this event happened a month later. Based on travel times for these marine animals it all adds up.

2020, September 14-16. Tasmania. Australia’s worst stranding event: Split stranding. Total 470 Long-Finned Black Dolphins strand in Macquarie Harbour. Rescuers save 111. 270 stranded on the 14th and another 200 on the 16th.

A satellite image of the tanker on the Mauritius reef.

US sanctions target Russian ship surveying for Antarctic oil and gas via Cape Town

Russia needs to be expelled from the Southern Ocean.

The US has imposed sanctions on a Russian state seismic vessel that has led extensive oil and gas surveys in Antarctica’s Southern Ocean, a marine wilderness threatened by greenhouse gas emissions and extreme weather.

Story by Tiara Walters

US sanctions target Russian ship surveying for Antarctic oil and gas via Cape Town (msn.com)