Balloon-carried light effect

Long-exposure image of a balloon-carried light effect consisting of a bracelet equipped with red LEDs carried by multiple gas-filled balloons

A balloon-carried light effect is a special effect carried by a balloon, which can be fixed with a rope to the ground or free-flying. They have at times been misidentified as UFOs by members of the public.

Uses

Long-exposure image of a balloon-carried light effect consisting of a blue blinking LED carried by multiple balloons

Balloon-carried light effects can be used without safety concerns at events with a lot of people, because unlike fireworks they do not require the use of flammable substances. The brightness is much lower when non-dangerous light sources such as lightsticks or battery-powered lamps are used.

Balloon-carried light effects do not supplant fireworks but can supplement them, thanks to their long lighting time (if lightsticks or battery powered lamps are used) and inherent safety.

To realise a balloon-carried light effect, one or more balloons capable of carrying a lightstick or a small battery powered lamp are needed; it is also possible to insert one or two small lightsticks into a transparent balloon.

It is also possible for larger balloon-carried light effects to use tethered balloons; moreover, these can contain an electric cable power supply. These "artificial moons" may be used for floodlighting.

Open-air concert use

Balloon-carried light effects are sometimes used at open-air concerts and similar events. For film and event use, balloons are offered in suspended air-filled and tethered floating helium-filled varieties. For outdoor use, the latter uses a 2-metre (6 ft 7 in) balloon with 4 × 1,000 Watt halogen tungsten lights inside. These rise to a height of about 10 metres (33 ft) and can withstand only calm winds.

Aside from open-air concert use, other uses include fixed (i.e., pole) balloonsspread like an umbrella^{[ clarify ]} with their upper halves made of reflective material and their lower halves semi-opaque, smallish construction sites on highways, and accident or other emergency sites.

See also

• St. Elmo's fire