I spotted some sort of balloon floating directly over Perth airport just now

10 days ago by Agent641 to c/perth

On closeup it definitely seems to have some sort of payload hanging from it, and its getting knocked around by the wind quite a bit, It doesn't appear to be falling though, just drifting west

dgriffith 8 points 10 days ago

Could be a sounding balloon to measure the upper atmosphere, meteorological folk often release them.

https://www.bom.gov.au/...

Poking around on the BoM website shows the met station at Perth airport released one around midday today.

https://www.bom.gov.au/...

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Agent641 5 points 10 days ago

Ah that looks like it. I spotted it about 12:45 I think. I just assumed they wouldn't launch balloons at the airport or wouldn't like them flying over, what with all the planes that might suck it into their engine.

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Swedneck 1 point 10 days ago

i'd apply that logic in reverse, if something is in the air near an airport you can assume it's got official approval unless there's also people freaking out about it

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Gorgritch_umie_killa 0 points 9 days ago

Oof, that relies on group dynamics. Watch out for the sheeple effect.

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No1 5 points 10 days ago

I recommend posting a 3 hour shaky video about it on youtube discussing which galaxy it came from and what type of aliens might be inside it.

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Gorgritch_umie_killa 2 points 9 days ago

Doesn't have to be aliens, it could be 'Big Wing', big foots' cousin.

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Gorgritch_umie_killa 3 points 10 days ago

Wow! Good eyes!

Maybe a kids science experiment that drifted away?

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pulsewidth 3 points 10 days ago

Could be a skydiver, no? Hard to tell how big it is.

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Agent641 1 point 10 days ago

I don't think it's a skydiver, it doesn't look canopy shaped, it looks balloon shaped. Also it didn't fall, it just drifted. Besides, skydivers famously try to avoid international airports

It's hard to say how big it is, or how high. Weather balloons can be huge, and flying at 12km+ altitude it can look like a much smaller balloon flying much lower.

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