Balloon Ascension Day Jan 9, 2024

Up, up, and away! Today is Balloon Ascension Day, celebrating the anniversary of the first manned balloon flight in North America. French aeronaut Jean-Pierre Blanchard"s flight took him from Philadelphia to Deptford, New Jersey, back in 1793. Interest in ballooning took off from there and today, hot air balloon festivals take place across the country, including Albuquerque, where today"s sunrise image was taken. Every year, hundreds of thousands of people attend the nine-day Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta—the largest hot air balloon festival in the world—to see skilled pilots expertly maneuver their baskets through balloon-filled skies.

© Jennifer MacCornack/Shutterstock

palette

Today in History

Jan 9, 2018Great Fountain Geyser, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
Jan 9, 2019What, no escalator?
Jan 9, 2020Into the woods
Jan 9, 2021The stylish Spanish shawl
Jan 9, 2022Rice processing in Bangladesh
Jan 9, 2023Wind Cave National Park celebrates 120 years
Jan 9, 2025Remembering Jimmy Carter
Jan 9, 2026Muir Woods National Monument anniversary

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Apr 29, 2024Fujian Tulou, China
Aug 24, 2020Go with the rainbow flow
Dec 12, 2018The story of the poinsettia
Jan 14, 2020Going head-to-head with winter
Apr 20, 2018No, it s not a leaf. Happy Look-alike Day
Dec 22, 2025The Nutcracker performed by the Turkish State Opera and Ballet in Türkiye
Aug 27, 2020Rocks on the move
Dec 17, 2018We have liftoff!
Aug 25, 2021Happy anniversary to the National Park Service!
Apr 7, 2025Happy International Beaver Day!
Dec 12, 2024Poinsettia Day
Jun 10, 2025Everglades National Park, Florida
Nov 20, 2025World Childrens Day
Feb 18, 2018Great horned owl near Lake Tohopekaliga, Florida
Oct 2, 2018North Cascades National Park at 50
Jul 20, 2025Moon Day
Oct 16, 2021Unearthing a queen s lost tale
Nov 15, 2021Manatee Awareness Month
Aug 23, 2022Menton, France
Apr 26, 2021Cheese! We ll go somewhere where there s cheese!
Jun 25, 2024Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada
Jul 21, 2021An octagonal architectural treasure
Mar 31, 2018Cherry blossoms at the National Mall, Washington, DC
Oct 15, 2025National Mushroom Day
Jan 7, 2019An avian predator built for the snow
May 11, 2024World Migratory Bird Day
Oct 1, 2022Yosemite National Park turns 132
Jun 4, 2023Waiānapanapa State Park, Maui, Hawaii
May 23, 2018Everybody loves World Turtle Day
Mar 23, 2020A peak in the clouds