Case file · Cosmic event
The Mbale meteorite shower
On 14 August 1992 a meteor broke up over Mbale in eastern Uganda and showered stones over an area of about 3 by 7 km; a small fragment hit a boy on the head after being slowed by banana leaves.
1992 CE · 1.08, 34.18 · status: official
The account
Hundreds of fragments were recovered and the meteorite was classified as an L5/6 chondrite. Some fell on roofs in the town, and the find drew dealers and scientists to Mbale.
The sceptical view
A well-documented fall studied by Jenniskens and colleagues; the boy was not seriously hurt.