* Astronomy

Circumstances of fall: Explosions, variously described as eight distinct explosions, a series of crackling explosions, three explosions and a series of staccato reports, accompanied disintegration of the meteorite over south-west Swaziland. The descent of fragments was marked by a high pitched whine. All three fragments recovered are hard aerolite, similar in appearance and distinctly magnetic. They are irregular in shape but smooth surfaced with characteristic rounded indentations. Overall black-brown crusting with an irregular pattern of cracks is common to all three. The two smaller fragments were fractured and broken on impact and display disseminated sulfide. Specimen A was found buried in moist soil with its lowermost surface at a depth of 18 cm below ground level. Specimen B was buried to a similar depth in moist soil in a ploughed field. Specimen C was buried at an estimated depth of 15 cm in moist, pebbly soil on a boulder strewn hillside. It is estimated that 20% of Specimen C was splintered off on impact and was scattered as variously sized chips, only a few of which were recovered. All three specimens had been dug out before the sites were visited. It would appear that the directions of descent were vertical or near vertical.
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