Balloon Ascension Day  9 Jan 2024

Is your head in the clouds? It"s time to keep it there! Today is Balloon Ascension Day, an event dedicated to honouring the achievements of Jean-Pierre Blanchard, a French aeronaut and innovator who accomplished the first manned balloon voyage in America, from Philadelphia to Deptford, New Jersey, back in 1793. Since 2011, this day has been celebrated annually to pay tribute to this midair milestone. In today"s image, the sun sets over the Rio Grande and casts a light on the colourful hot air balloons above Albuquerque, New Mexico. Every year, people gather from all over the globe for the nine-day-long Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta—the largest hot air balloon festival in the world—to see skilled pilots expertly manoeuvre their baskets.

© Jennifer MacCornack/Shutterstock

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