Up, up, and away for Hot Air Balloon Day Jun 5, 2018

Really, there’s only one way to celebrate Hot Air Balloon Day properly. But if you can’t catch a ride in a basket under a giant balloon today, know that the idea dates back at least to 3rd-century China, where paper lanterns were used as military signals. Fast forward to 18th-century France, where two paper-making brothers, the Montgolfiers, launched unmanned hot air balloons. Then, to great fanfare, they tried sending up a sheep, duck, and chicken, and finally, Étienne Montgolfier took a ride. Designs have improved since then, resulting in the standard hot air balloon seen here.

© Taliesin Black-Brown and Ben Cowan/Nimia

palette

Today in History

Jun 5, 2019Happy trees = Clean air
Jun 5, 2020By the light of the fireflies
Jun 5, 2021Bird s-eye view on World Environment Day
Jun 5, 2022World Environment Day
Jun 5, 2023World Environment Day
Jun 5, 2024World Environment Day
Jun 5, 2025World Environment Day

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Oct 11, 2022Tortula moss, Netherlands
Jul 22, 2020Wildebeest on the move
Jul 2, 2021A meerkat stands alone
Jul 24, 2024Cousins Day
Apr 13, 2021Ruins of a royal temple
Oct 19, 2025Apples ready for harvest in Minnesota
Sep 4, 2018What the hay?
May 13, 2020Of moose and Maine
Nov 6, 2020Life in the slow lane
Aug 11, 2025Village of Santa Maddalena, Dolomites, Italy
Jun 27, 2019The roots of invention
Jul 3, 2019Keep calm and drive on (slowly)
Nov 9, 2019We heart Berlin
May 7, 2021Deep in the North Woods wetlands
Feb 17, 2019Flock online for the Great Backyard Bird Count
Aug 24, 2020Go with the rainbow flow
Aug 22, 2025Rolling hills of the Palouse, Washington
Oct 12, 2022Fossil Day
Aug 6, 2025Kalalau Beach on the Nā Pali Coast, Kauai, Hawaii
Jul 16, 2022American goldfinch
Jun 15, 2023Nature Photography Day
Jul 24, 2023Cousins Day
Jan 8, 2018Gardens by the Bay nature park, Singapore
Jul 27, 2025Barracudas at Shark Reef, Ras Mohammed National Park, Sinai Peninsula, Egypt
Jul 26, 2018Exploring the wilder side of New York
May 19, 2022Glass footbridge in Zhangjiajie, China
Oct 11, 2020A monastery in the mountain
Jun 7, 2023Chaco Culture National Historical Park, New Mexico
Aug 18, 2021Pearl of the Adriatic
Mar 14, 2022Pi Day