Home / Environment / Rock from Space Crashes Through Auckland Roof
Rock from Space Crashes Through Auckland Roof
17 Sep
Summary
- A 1.3kg meteorite struck an Auckland home in June 2004.
- The valuable space rock was acquired by Auckland Museum.
- The Archers refused a NZ$50,000 offer to keep it in NZ.
A suburban Auckland home experienced an extraordinary event in June 2004 when a meteorite pierced its roof, landing inside the living room. The approximately 1.3-kilogram stone, identified as an L5 ordinary chondrite, originated from an ancient asteroid. This particular meteorite is notable for its well-documented fall, making it a unique scientific specimen.
The discovery offered a rare collision between domestic life and astronomy. After the impact, the Archer family was presented with offers for the meteorite, including a NZ$50,000 bid from an overseas buyer. However, they chose to keep the rare piece of the Solar System in New Zealand.
Ultimately, the Auckland War Memorial Museum acquired the meteorite for NZ$40,000, making it accessible for public exhibition. This acquisition ensured the event and the celestial object became part of the country's scientific heritage, despite the initial disruption to the family's home.
