Bright green meteor dazzles Sydney skies during auroras

On Sunday, June 1, 2025, a bright green meteor, approximately the size of a basketball, was seen traversing the skies of Sydney, Australia. The meteor was captured on video by local resident Tom McCallister, who observed it moving from east to west at around 5:57 PM local time. Astrophysicist Brad Tucker from the Australian National University confirmed the object's identification as a meteor, citing its distinctive blue-green color, which indicates the presence of iron and nickel. This sighting coincided with a series of spectacular auroras lit up across Australia and New Zealand as a result of geomagnetic storms triggered by a powerful coronal mass ejection (CME) from the Sun that occurred on the preceding Friday. The phenomenon of the aurora australis, visible primarily in southern latitudes, was also shared by numerous skygazers who posted photos on social media, showcasing the dance of lights in vibrant hues of pink, red, and green, with hints of yellow. The dynamic colors are produced by atmospheric molecules being charged by the Earth's magnetic field, with oxygen causing the fluorescent green and nitrogen leading to blue, red, or pink tints. Auroras occur when intense solar storms strike the Earth, and their visibility is usually heightened in regions closer to the poles where the magnetic field is strongest. The increased auroral activity was anticipated due to reports from astronomers predicting a strong geomagnetic storm on the same day, a pattern which often follows significant solar eruptions. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) indicated that the conditions for a severe geomagnetic storm could still be brewing, even suggesting that there might be fluctuations of G3-G4 severe storm levels in the coming days. A coronal mass ejection, which releases large quantities of charged plasma from the Sun, had been noted as a significant precursor to the auroras seen over this time frame. As a result of these solar phenomena, the northern hemisphere experienced aurora borealis displays, extending far down into the continental United States, even reaching regions such as Alabama. The NOAA has remarked that while the activity level from the CME may lessen, the ongoing solar wind conditions suggest the possible continuation of auroras and geomagnetic activity in the near future. The Sun is nearing the peak of its 11-year solar cycle, making such events more common as solar activity escalates, leading to similarly captivating experiences for skywatchers in both hemispheres.