The Murchison meteorite is 4.6 billion and fifty years old

WORLD-RENOWNED… The small town of Murchison celebrated fifty years since the unforgettable day a meteorite exploded above them, showering the town in debris like this, now on display at the Murchison museum. Photo: Steve Hutcheson.
WORLD-RENOWNED… The small town of Murchison celebrated fifty years since the unforgettable day a meteorite exploded above them, showering the town in debris like this, now on display at the Murchison museum. Photo: Steve Hutcheson.

FIFTY years ago, on September 28, 1969, the people of Murchison were disrupted from their usual Sunday morning activities, getting ready for church, by the sounds of a sonic boom followed by a shower of rock fragments falling all over the countryside.

It has become known globally as the Murchison meteorite, one of the rarest forms of its type and has been studied at major research facilities across the world.

On its fiftieth anniversary, scientists from these institutions have descended upon Murchison to mark its arrival, many to talk about the basis of their research into aspects of the meteorite.

The town of Murchison also celebrated the anniversary with an array of events held over three days, including talks and films, a book launch, mural painting, scavenger hunt and more. The museum was open all weekend, boasting bits of the meteor for visitors to admire.

The Murchison meteorite is known as carbonaceous chrondrite, weighing more than 100kg and estimated to be more than 4.6 billion years old, formed during the early history of the solar system. As it hit the earth’s atmosphere, the meteorite exploded as a bright orange ball and dull orange tail bursting into small fragments that spread across a wide area over Murchison.

One of the more interesting features of the Murchison meteorite is the presence of amino acids, one of the building blocks of DNA, the genetic code of living cells. Recent studies have indicated the presence of sugar compounds.

Perhaps there are other forms of life out there somewhere.