Weather balloons

JY · Post by JY » Wed Oct 15, 2003 8:49 am

Hi,

I have read a couple of times people describing strange phenomena and satellites crashing.

Note that fom time to time in the evening twilight, a weather balloon is launched in the Singapore skies (look up around 19:00).
It goes up to very high altitude, takes measurements of pressure, humidity, temperature ...etc...
When it reaches a maximum altitude, the atmospheric pressure is so low that it explodes in a myriad of tiny shining fragments.

Instruments are usually lowered automatically with a small parachute.

Last year I took an image using an ETX125 and webcam but erased it since.

Have a look, it is interesting and a good observation project.

Cheers

Jean-Yves

IceAngel · Post by **IceAngel** » Wed Oct 15, 2003 9:08 am

weather balloons?? they launch it everyday?? where's their launching ground??

JY · Post by JY » Wed Oct 15, 2003 10:08 am

No idea where they are launched.
No idea about dates of launch.

They are very easy to spot : check at the zenith for a bright "star" before any other star appears. It is brighter than anything else in the twilight before the night falls.

Let's make it a challenge for this fine group of astronomers :
- First to spot the next balloon
- First to image the next balloon

Cheers

Jean-Yves

Grievous · Post by **Grievous** » Wed Oct 15, 2003 10:14 am

You're on, Jean-Yves! But not fair! You got a headstart already!

Charlie

KSeet · Post by **KSeet** » Wed Oct 15, 2003 10:25 am

wah sounds interesting! where was the last time anyone saw one? I used to spot bright objects in the skies too! But didn't notice if they exploded since I only have my eyes..hee

kcy · Post by **kcy** » Wed Oct 15, 2003 10:52 am

Yup. Saw that once in sp when its around 7-7.30pm. A balloon will look very bright, and will certainly look like a quater moon(abit smaller, the shape not the size

). Usually will stay up in the sky for quite some time until it burst. Maybe ya can try looking for it on fridays 8)

JY · Post by JY » Wed Oct 15, 2003 10:56 am

OK, I'll stay out of the race.

Tip : naked eye appearance is likely to be like a bright star, a point of light. When it burst, you need binoculars or a scope to see the fragments shining.

Cheers

Jean-Yves

Grievous · Post by **Grievous** » Wed Oct 15, 2003 11:15 am

Im on it coming Friday! Anyone wanna join the Great Balloon Race?

Charlie

Terry · Post by **Terry** » Wed Oct 15, 2003 5:27 pm

Where does the fragments fall?

JY · Post by JY » Wed Oct 15, 2003 6:01 pm

Goes with the wind, same destination as kids' helium baloons that take off from Orchard road every weekends.
Probably ends a few kilometers offshore

JY