[meteorite-list] Monze - Oct. 5

[MexicoDoug at aol.com]

Hola list,

October 5 - A very special day.  I wanted to wish a Happy 
Impactday to the "Monze" meteorite 54 years ago in Zambia.  
Was going to ask the list if anyone knew more about the 
circumstances of the fall, but Googled it first.  Mark B's 
site showed up in the search and I was totally impressed with 
the article he has posted.  (if anyone can add to it, please 
do:) - like if the good chief is named Chongo or Congo and if 
he really said 50 degrees from the horizon, or who 
scientifically embellished the account if not the chief).

The very interesting meteoritearticles.com account is below:
(Thanks Mark!)

On October 5, 1950, around 4:20 a.m., the Monze meteorite fell 
in the over two villages (Chiteba and Chizuni) in the area of 
Mwanachiwinda, Rhodesia, Southern Province of Zambia, Africa.  
In Northern Rhodesia the meteorite was low enough and bright 
enough to wake up most of the locals, who sleep outside if the 
house is hot. The report that followed woke up the remaining 
sleepers. At first the locals were quite scared but after they 
realized the nature of the event they casually collected the 
meteorites for the men that came to collect them.

The meteorite first came to light when Chief Chongo brought 
three pieces to his District Commissioner with the following 
message.  "Please send a piece of the star to my King George, 
and tell him what has happened in my country and what has 
visited us for I know that he will be interested." 

The Chief would later recall, "At about 4:20 a.m. on the 5th 
October, 1950, I was awake inside my house and suddenly I 
noticed a bright light outside. I ran outside to see what is 
was.  When I got outside I saw that many others of my village 
were also running out to see what caused this great light.  
The light was as bright as midday.  I looked up into the sky 
and saw a large star coming over us, from the east.  It 
consisted of a head and tail.  The head was a deep red in 
colour and very large - by comparison for size, if the moon 
appeared as big as my eyeball, the meteorite would be about 
the size of a motor=car when seen very close by.  It had a 
long thin tail which was white in colour and about five times 
a long as the diameter of the head.

It was approaching very fast and took only a few seconds to 
pass right overhead.  When first seen by me it was about 50' 
above the horizon.  As it crossed the moon I noticed it was 
sending out many streamers of fire which crossed and zig-
zagged in all directions.

Then the tail broke into three pieces which were about the 
same size, and which remained in the same line as the line of 
flight.  When the star had passed overhead and was abou 25d 
above the horizon its light suddenly went out.  It did not 
appear to land further on amongst the trees.

A short time after there was a violent explosion and the 
ground and my house shook.  Following immediately upon the 
explosion came a strong reerberation such as violent thunder 
which came form the direction in whicht he star had gone and 
which passed over and behind me and died away in the 
distance.  When the reverberation had died away there came a 
strong, constant and very cold wind which followed over in the 
direciton from which the meteorite had come.  Nothing happened 
after the wind had died away and all was silence again."  - 
Chief Congo

Thomas Siganza, Chongo resident: "We were sleeping outside our 
huts that night. Some of us were awake at this time and we saw 
a large star coming towards us from the east and going towards 
the moon.  The star was a brilliant white and it had a long 
thin tail which was also white. The head seemed many times 
larger then the moon and its brightness became so great that 
we could not see the moon." "We looked at the star with great 
fear for we did not know what it meant.  It seemed to hit the 
moon and then went out with a terrific explosion.  The voice 
seemed to go back from where the star had come." - 

Harrison Hajarika, Chongo resident: '"I was fast asleep 
outside my house when the meteorite passed over.  I was then 
woken by a noice and my wife came and called me to see the 
star.  When I looked up I saw only a trail like smoke across 
the sky.  I was then aware of a great rumbling which seemed to 
pass overhead and died out in the distance." 

Chiteaba Village Headman: "Early in the morning of 5th October 
I was inside my house and I saw a very bright light outside.  
Whilst I was wondring what it was and getting up to see what 
it was all about.  When I had taken about two steps outside my 
door there suddenly came a very very strong buffering wind 
from all directions and I heard the 'wing-wing' of falling 
stones.  Again I was afraid and I ran back into my hut.  It 
seemed as if the wind continued for two or three minutes and I 
could still ehar the sound of stones falling.  When it was all 
over I went outside and when the sum came up I picked up three 
pieces of the stones which fell and the same day I took them 
to my Chief to show him and tell him what had happened at our 
village."

Many kilos. of this meteorite was recovered, with the total 
weight of the find unknown.

Reference: The Northern Rhodesia Journal, Volume I - No. 4 - 
1951

http://www.meteoritearticles.com/colmonze.html