Here's a fun possible explanation! In '84, there was a lot of space talk because of films like 'The Last Starfighter' and news about the ongoing shuttle missions. Maybe big cultural moments around then are bleeding into your memory of the Challenger disaster, which was for sure in '86.

First time here, and seeing this is mind-blowing. I could've sworn it was '84 too. Not saying I believe in alternate timelines but this got me questioning my memory. Anyone else have links to solid research on the Mandela effect?

Lol, you guys getting dates wrong and blaming Mandela. Next you'll tell me the moon landing was in '69... oh wait.

This is prob just a big mix-up. Our brains ain’t perfect, right? We mess up dates all the time. I say before jumping to conclusions we just admit human memory is pretty trash sometimes.

Actually seeing 1984 could be 'cause a lotta significant space-related events happened early 80s. Like, Columbia was the first shuttle to reach space in 1981. But for Challenger, it was January 28th, 1986. Surely a Mandela effect for some, yet mostly it's misremembering.

Nah nah nah, don't downplay this. Mandela Effects are real and they happen for a reason. Maybe we're shifting through parallell realities or something. Just because it's 'officially' 1986 doesn't mean our memories are wrong. Maybe they're right in another universe!

Actually, a really common misconception. The Challenger disaster was on January 28, 1986. It's such an iconic event but easy to get dates mixed up. Over time facts get fuzzy and these big events sort of smudge into each other in our memories, y'know?

I totally get you, always thought it was '84 myself cuz I associate it with other stuff from then. Brain's weird how it mixes timelines, 'specially with childhood memories. But yep, it's definitely '86.