Weather balloons don’t have any flashing lights, but they are up to 20 feet in diameter and highly reflective. And they move relative to the stars, as you say you observed.

An instrument called a radiosonde is attached to the balloon to measure pressure, temperature and relative humidity as it ascends up into the atmosphere.

Do weather balloons light up at night? Weather balloons have no on-board illumination, but in twilight they can be in sunlight while it is dark down below and the sky is darkening. In these circumstances they will stand out as a bright object that may be slowly moving with respect to the stellar background.

They can gain an altitude of 60,000 feet (18,300 meters) or twice as high as commercial aircraft. Those balloons are reflective, and they appear bright in the sky.

It is possible for balloons to fly at any time during daylight hours on a calm winter’s day. Very rarely, sporting and recreational balloon flights are conducted at night, but these are invariably planned to land after sunrise. Activity is usually higher at weekends and on public holidays.

Stable Winds Flying our hot air balloons in the morning ensure good use of the stable winds which are associated with colder air present just after sunrise. While temperatures can be colder during the winter months the large burner on the balloon provides lots of nice warmth as your lift off from the ground.

Most balloon flights take place between April and October. You can fly in winter, but the weather is likely to be worse. The best weather for hot air balloon flying is blue skies, light winds, and little or no rain. Strong winds and heavy rain make it too dangerous to fly, and pilots will not take risks.

Casual attire is absolutely appropriate, even expected on a hot air balloon ride. So, aside from a few exceptions, just dress comfortably. The weather up high is about the same as it is at ground level, so dress as you normally would for a walk in your local park.

Hot Air Balloons: The Dangers Although hot air balloon accidents are uncommon, they do happen, and they can result in devastating and sometimes fatal injuries. Even hard landings can lead to whiplash, broken bones in the upper and lower extremities, and traumatic brain injuries (TBI).

What’s it Like Going Up in a Balloon? Well, it’s a softer ride than many think. As you lift off the ground, the gondola (basket) will generally slide a little bit, but you can’t really feel yourself going up. As a matter of fact, it’s not even as scary as an elevator ride.

Steering up and down is a straightforward process. The canopy of the hot air balloon is filled with hot air that lifts the balloon up. Firing the burner heats more hot air and causes the balloon to rise further. As the hot air cools, the balloon will descend.

During the flight, the pilot’s only ability to steer the balloon is the ability to climb or descend into winds going different directions. Thus, it is important for the pilot to determine what direction the wind is blowing at altitudes other than the balloon’s altitude.

A hot-air balloon is a lighter-than-air aircraft consisting of a bag, called an envelope, which contains heated air. The heated air inside the envelope makes it buoyant, since it has a lower density than the colder air outside the envelope. As with all aircraft, hot-air balloons cannot fly beyond the atmosphere.

In two hours, a weather balloon can rise above the clouds, higher than the paths of jet planes, passing through the ozone layer in the stratosphere. Reaching altitudes of 35 km (22 miles) or higher, the balloons endure temperatures as cold as -90° C (-130° F).

For a pleasure flight, the distance travelled is dependent on the wind speed. It’s not safe to fly at winds above about 10 miles per hour. If there is no or very little wind, the balloon will not fly far. Most balloon flights last about an hour in the air, travelling at a height of between 500 and 2,500 feet.

This also depends on the balloon company. Royal Balloons will take you as high up as 3,000 feet, whereas a Kapadokya Balloons flight will fly up to 6,000 feet on weekdays and 8,000 feet on weekends.