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The Times of India
The Times of India
World
TOI World Desk

Meteorite Crash Through Roof: family turns space rock into museum star; scientists probe its secrets

Auckland Archers Auckland Museum New Zealand Phil Archer Earth

A quiet Saturday morning in Auckland took an extraordinary turn in June 2004 when a piece of rock from space punched through the roof of a suburban home. The meteorite struck the living room of Brenda and Phil Archer's house in Ellerslie, bounced off a leather sofa and hit the ceiling before coming to rest on the floor. Nobody was injured, but the impact left a hole in the roof and a family suddenly in possession of one of New Zealand's rarest natural objects. According to the New Zealand Herald, the Archers received a NZ$50,000 offer for the meteorite but chose not to sell it to an overseas buyer, preferring to keep the rock in New Zealand. The meteorite was eventually acquired by Auckland Museum for NZ$40,000.

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