As Meteor Watch Day falls on June 30, take a look at some of the biggest meteor crashes of all time:
EnsisheimThe oldest recorded meteorite, the Ensisheim struck earth on November 7, 1492, in Ensisheim, France. A 330-pound stone dropped from the sky into a wheat field, witnessed only by a young boy. German King Maximilian even stopped by Ensisheim to see the stone on his way to battle the French army.
Maximilian decided it was a gift from heaven and considered it a sign that he would emerge victorious in his upcoming battle, which he did. Today, the largest portion stands on display in Ensisheim's Regency Palace.
© Ensisheim Regency Palace
MurchisonOn September 28, 1969, a meteor exploded over the town of Murchison in Australia. The explosion left smoke rings in the air and
left 700 kg of meteorite debris scattered across 33-sq-km area. Remarkably, the cosmic rocks contained molecules such as amino acids, which are essential to life. This was the first time organic chemicals had been found in a meteorite.
Comment: The previous day in Perth, Western Australia, stargazers were left baffled after a 'red fireball' was spotted.