On this day in space! Aug. 14, 1992: Meteorite shower hits Uganda
On Aug. 14, 1992, a space rock entered the atmosphere over Mbale, Uganda and exploded into hundreds of pieces!
On August 14, 1992, a meteorite shower startled the skies over Mbale, Uganda. The space rock entered Earth's atmosphere, shattering into hundreds of fragments. Debris spread over a 2 by 4 mile area (3.2 to 6.4 kilometers). The largest piece weighed over 60 pounds (27 kilograms). Scientists estimated the original space rock weighed more than 2,000 pounds (900 kg).
Fortunately, the impact was not deadly or debilitating. A young boy was merely grazed by a small meteorite fragment on the head. However, 863 fragments, estimated to be 330 pounds (150 kg) in total, were recovered by October 1993. NASA classifies this meteorite as a type L5/6 ordinary chondrite, noting its disintegration took place between 15.5 miles (25 km) and 6 miles (10 km) high in Earth's atmosphere.
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