Story: Meteorites

Page 2. Meteorites in New Zealand

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Falls

There have been only two recorded meteorite falls in New Zealand, almost 100 years apart.

The Mokoia meteorite

On 26 November 1908 a meteor streaked across the daytime sky, accompanied by a sonic boom. The spectacular event startled onlookers; one witness described the sound as ‘a loud furnace blast’. Two pieces of the meteorite were retrieved from a small crater at Mokoia, in the Taranaki region, and presented to the museum in Whanganui. The Mokoia meteorite is of particular interest because it is one of a rare group that contains compounds of carbon and hydrogen. Along with other carbonaceous chondrites it has been studied in detail, because its so-called ‘organic’ compounds bring scientists closer to understanding the origin of life.

The Ellerslie meteorite

This meteorite crashed through the roof of Brenda and Phil Archer’s home in the Auckland suburb of Ellerslie on 12 June 2004. It bounced off a leather couch and hit the ceiling, before coming to rest on the floor where their grandson had been playing a few minutes earlier. Brenda Archer said that it was lucky it hit the roof: ‘If it had fallen in the garden, it would probably have been added to the pile of rocks I’m taking to the dump. Nobody would have known about it.’ 1

Meteorite spotting

Of the nine meteorites recorded in New Zealand, only two (Mokoia and Ellerslie) have been observed to fall. The others have mainly been found by farmers, who noticed unusual rocks while working in their paddocks.

By comparison, 21 meteorites have been found in the United Kingdom. All were observed falls, apart from a single specimen found in an archaeological excavation. It is assumed that the high proportion of sighted falls is due to the UK’s greater population density. But given their greater population, it is surprising there have been so few finds – perhaps New Zealand farmers have sharper eyes.

Finds

Although there have been many searches, only nine confirmed meteorites have been discovered in New Zealand. They were found throughout the country.

Looking for meteorites

It is likely that more meteorites will be discovered in New Zealand. Before any find is accepted as valid, both the specimen and its location are examined by experts, and a sample is chemically analysed. New meteorites are reported to the Meteoritical Society, based in the USA, and a list of finds is published annually.

If you believe you have discovered a meteorite, take it to a museum or university geology department. Because so few have been found in New Zealand, they are of high scientific interest. It is important that they are preserved for future study.

Meteorites discovered in New Zealand are covered by the Protected Objects Act 1975, and may not be exported without written permission from the Ministry for Culture and Heritage, which administers the act.

Footnotes:
  1. Sunday Star-Times, 13 June 2004. › Back
How to cite this page:

Simon Nathan, 'Meteorites - Meteorites in New Zealand', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/meteorites/page-2 (accessed 29 March 2024)

Story by Simon Nathan, published 12 Jun 2006