A little reason to celebrate
Balloon Ascension Day
History ยท January 9
Balloon Ascension Day looks up at hot air and gas balloons, the first way people ever lifted off the ground and drifted with the wind.
Balloon Ascension Day falls on Saturday, January 9, 2027. That is 74 days away.
A balloon rises for a simple reason. Warm air is lighter than the cooler air around it, so a big envelope filled with heated air floats upward and takes a basket along. Gas balloons do the same with a gas lighter than air, such as helium or hydrogen.
Balloon ascensions were among the earliest ways people left the ground at all. Long before engines and wings, crowds gathered to watch a balloon fill, strain at its ropes and then lift away. The flight itself is quiet. Between bursts from the burner there is almost no sound, and because the balloon moves with the wind, passengers often say they feel no breeze at all. Nobody steers sideways. Pilots change altitude to find air currents heading in the direction they want, which makes every landing site a bit of a negotiation.
Marking the day can be as easy as looking up. Early mornings and calm evenings are when balloons usually fly, since the air is steadier then. Some towns hold balloon festivals with mass launches, and others offer tethered rides that rise and come back down on a line. At home, a paper model or a library book about early aeronauts tells the story well.
The colorful fabric shapes at festivals are still worked the same way as the plain ones, by a person, a burner and a careful read of the wind.
Ways to celebrate
- Watch a sunrise for balloons if your area has launches.
- Read about early balloon flights at your local library.
- Make a small paper balloon model with a child.
- Look for a balloon festival or tethered ride nearby.
Dates
| Year | Date |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Friday, January 9 |
| 2027 | Saturday, January 9 |
| 2028 | Sunday, January 9 |
| 2029 | Tuesday, January 9 |
| 2030 | Wednesday, January 9 |
All national days on January 9
Also on January 9
- National Apricot Day
- National Cassoulet Day
- National Static Electricity Day
- National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day
- National Word Nerd Day
Categories: History days