Weather Balloon Cameras: Takin’ Pictures from Way Up High
You know, them weather balloons, they go way, way up there. Higher than any bird can fly, higher than them airplanes even. And folks, they like to stick cameras on ’em, to see what it’s like up yonder. Makes sense, I guess. Who wouldn’t wanna see what the world looks like from so high up? It’s like peekin’ at the heavens, I reckon.
Now, these ain’t your fancy-schmancy cameras, not like the ones them city folks use. They gotta be tough, these cameras. Think about it, it gets mighty cold up there, colder than a well-digger’s backside in January. And that wind, it howls like a banshee. So, these cameras gotta be able to handle that.
- Them GoPro Thingamajigs: A lot of folks use these little cameras, the GoPros they call ’em. They’re small and light, like a hummingbird. And they can take a beatin’, seems like. Good for the cold, too, which is important, ’cause it ain’t exactly balmy up there.
- Them Raspberry Pi Cameras: Now, these are a bit fancier, but still good. Some folks use a whole bunch of ’em at once, like six or somethin’. They say they take nice pictures, real clear-like. And they don’t use much juice, which is important, ’cause you don’t want the battery dyin’ on ya when you’re up in the clouds.
So, how do they get these balloons up there anyway? Well, they fill ’em with somethin’, I dunno what exactly, maybe air, maybe somethin’ lighter than air. Whatever it is, it makes the balloon go up, up, up. And that camera, it just hangs on for the ride, takin’ pictures all the way.
Now, what kinda pictures do they get? Well, I hear they’re somethin’ special. You can see the Earth, all round and blue, like a big marble. And the sky, it’s black as night, even in the daytime. You can see the clouds, too, from above, which is kinda funny, seein’ as how we’re always lookin’ up at ’em from down here.
Some folks, they send up more than just cameras. They send up all sorts of contraptions, little computers and whatnot, to measure the air and the temperature and such. Smart folks, I guess, always tryin’ to figure things out. One fella, he sent up a whole science project, called it “Major Tom,” after some singer, I reckon. Used one of them Raspberry Pi things, and some sensors to measure the pressure and temperature and how wet the air is. Sounds complicated, if you ask me.
I tell you what, it’s a marvel, this whole thing. Sendin’ a camera up into the sky, just to see what it’s like. Makes you think, don’t it? Makes you think about how big the world is, and how small we are. And it makes you appreciate them clear, sunny days, ’cause you know, up there, it ain’t always so pretty. Sometimes it’s cold and windy and dark as a coal mine. But that’s part of the adventure, I guess. Seein’ the world from a different angle, that’s worth somethin’, even if it’s just a picture.
So next time you look up at the sky, remember them weather balloons and their cameras. They’re up there, lookin’ back at us, showin’ us a side of the world we don’t often get to see. And it’s a sight to behold, that’s for sure.
And that’s the long and short of it, about them weather balloon cameras, as best as I can tell ya.
Tags: [Weather Balloons, Cameras, High Altitude, GoPro, Raspberry Pi, Photography, Science, Atmosphere, Balloons]