The Chandrapur Fireball
One evening, a trail of glowing fireballs crossed the sky over central India, and the next morning a metal ring was found in a field.
What was reported
On the evening of 2 April 2022, people across Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh saw a string of bright, burning objects moving slowly across the sky. Many filmed it, and some thought it was a meteor shower.
The next day, villagers in Sindewahi, in Chandrapur district, found a metal ring about 3 metres across in an open field, and metal cylinders were found nearby. No one was hurt.
Explanations offered
Astronomers identified it as the re-entry of part of a Chinese Long March 3B rocket, launched in 2021. Scientists from the Indian Space Research Organisation examined the debris and said the ring was consistent with part of the rocket's upper stage.
- When
- 2 April 2022
- Where
- Sindewahi, Chandrapur district, Maharashtra, India
- Witnesses
- Thousands across Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh
- Status
- Explained
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.