September 15, 2012
Interplanetary Ballooning
image by Peter Rosén
Gonsales reached the Moon in a basket carried by geese. Baron von Munchausen used a sailing shipfor his attempt. And more geese are currently in training for their upcoming Moon voyage. Here is documentation of a less well known effort that tragically failed, having overshot the Moon. The six person crew - including the first woman to attempt a Moon mission - frantically looks down towards Earth for help that can not come. Apparently their balloon contained too much gas, and even their emergency releases of some - pink cloud - could not bring them down to the level of the Moon. When last seen they had just passed Neptune and were hoping to reach Pluto before New Horizons.
Chuck Wood
Technical Details
14 June, 2008. Canon Eos 40D with a 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM at 200 mm
Yesterday's LPOD: What is the Best Lunar Telescope?
Tomorrow's LPOD: Technicolor Moon
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