Lost Weather Balloon Launched in Midwest Later Found in New York State

While the news of high-altitude wayward balloons is still fresh in the minds of many Americans, one lost floating inflatable recently turned up here in New York state.

However, this balloon was not launched with any intention to spy on residents. University researchers had launched the special sounding balloon back in April to take pictures and measure atmospheric readings during the recent total solar eclipse.

See Also: Aurora Northern Lights May Soon Return Above New York State

After an extensive search, scientists and researchers had even lost hope and called off the hunt for the lost hydrogen-filled balloon.

Balloon Launched in Indiana Found in New York 

WOIO is reporting that a weather balloon launched April 8 in Indiana, and later lost off Lake Erie, was found several states over in New York.

The device was launched by Purdue University Fort Wayne's College of Engineering, Technology, and Computer Science, and a non-profit group called NearSpace Education, to take pictures, readings, and data from the total solar eclipse that day.

The Journal Gazette reports the balloon was discovered by residents in the Buffalo area, who were returning from a fishing trip when they saw the balloon floating in the water.

Weather balloons are used in high-altitude capacities to carry instruments up to the Earth's stratosphere that "send back information on atmospheric pressure, temperature, humidity and wind speed" by means of an expendable measuring device called a radiosonde, according to Wikipedia.

See Also: Police Say Paraglider Slammed Into Tree in Orange County, New York

A few TV stations in Cleveland, Ohio had reported upon and also aided in the search once the balloon was reported missing. Purdue had said that the balloon's GPS tracker told them that very strong winds had carried the balloon way off the coast and out of their reach.

See Also: Bright Object Seen Breaking Apart High Above Parts of New York