While looking for something in storage this weekend I ran into a stash of chinese sky lanterns. Its a cold morning (-9) and low winds so I fired one off. Very impressive lift on a day like today. I live in a rural area with recent snow cover so I am not worried about setting the woods on fire.
For those unfamiliar with them, they are a one time use hot air ballon, basically a thin colored rice paper bag with a light wire ring on the bottom and a wax impregnated cube that is suspended in the center of the opening. Pick a calm cold day, with snow on the ground and then light the cube. Its easier with two people as it takes a few minutes for the bag to fill up with hot air. It then requires a light touch holding onto the rim until it starts to create lift and then its released. At night the candle makes the translucent paper glow. As it rises its picks up velocity and usually when it gets up a bit, the prevailing winds carry it off. The cube usually burns for several minutes. Eventually they go out and fall to the ground. I had one get caught in a tree once and and observed how long the burned out remains lasted, the rice paper was gone after two rainstorms, the loop rusted out and fell off the tree in about 60 days. My observation is they disappear a lot faster than mylar ballons that I find in the woods on occasion.
Not sure of the legality of them in all states but something fun to use on cold clear nights. I knew some folks who would use them while they were ice fishing. Some folks used to get creative and would set three of them off connected by light thread, if it worked well they would rise up and form a triangle. If they picked the weather conditions right and launched them in a sheltered area when they rose up into the higher level winds they would pick up a lot of speed and get reported as UFOs.
Note these are usually available on the internet, since they are throwaway and mass produced the quality of them is not great. They come folded up in box and require a light touch unfolding them as frequently the paper sticks where it shouldnt. Usually gentle tugging will get it to unfold but have a rool of scotch tape around and be prepared to have a few duds that are too torn.
For those unfamiliar with them, they are a one time use hot air ballon, basically a thin colored rice paper bag with a light wire ring on the bottom and a wax impregnated cube that is suspended in the center of the opening. Pick a calm cold day, with snow on the ground and then light the cube. Its easier with two people as it takes a few minutes for the bag to fill up with hot air. It then requires a light touch holding onto the rim until it starts to create lift and then its released. At night the candle makes the translucent paper glow. As it rises its picks up velocity and usually when it gets up a bit, the prevailing winds carry it off. The cube usually burns for several minutes. Eventually they go out and fall to the ground. I had one get caught in a tree once and and observed how long the burned out remains lasted, the rice paper was gone after two rainstorms, the loop rusted out and fell off the tree in about 60 days. My observation is they disappear a lot faster than mylar ballons that I find in the woods on occasion.
Not sure of the legality of them in all states but something fun to use on cold clear nights. I knew some folks who would use them while they were ice fishing. Some folks used to get creative and would set three of them off connected by light thread, if it worked well they would rise up and form a triangle. If they picked the weather conditions right and launched them in a sheltered area when they rose up into the higher level winds they would pick up a lot of speed and get reported as UFOs.
Note these are usually available on the internet, since they are throwaway and mass produced the quality of them is not great. They come folded up in box and require a light touch unfolding them as frequently the paper sticks where it shouldnt. Usually gentle tugging will get it to unfold but have a rool of scotch tape around and be prepared to have a few duds that are too torn.
![[Hearth.com] Chinese Sky Lanterns](/talk/data/attachments/256/256884-043feba17d21e0aadbcc0ba90f745467.jpg?hash=6F5LQ6H4Rj)
