2025 Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta - Tuesday Morning

Yesterday we undertook to document a pre-dawn balloon launch here at the 53rd annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta but, frankly, in the absence of sun - - the video was less than compelling. All except today’s opening 'silhouette' were shot in sunlight. These balloons are colorful and practically explode in chromatic brilliance when thusly exposed.

Speaking of the opening 'silhouette', the pre-dawn winds, today, were 'light' but from the west sending the initial departures toward the sun thereby providing only monochromatic silhouettes as the balloons sailed away.

Sunrise changed everything. We literally turned 180 degrees and with the sun at our back, and were rewarded with the full spectrum of nearly fluorescent color we had expected. The opening half of this video reveals this low sun-angle color as well as highlighting many of the unique 'shapes' into which balloons have morphed. The second half of our video was a surprise and bonus. As the last of the balloons departed we sat in our lawn chairs and contemplated what we might do the remainder of the day (turns out, we spent most of the afternoon preparing this video). But as we sat and relaxed we noticed an increasing number of balloons to our west . . . . apparently at some altitude the balloonists found an easterly air flow that allowed them to navigate to the west, thereafter, to return easterly to the Balloon Fiesta field (following the same low-level westerly air current that had initially carted them into 'silhouette' - - but now, in full solar illumination. So, the 2nd portion of the video is the 'lazy sky' - - filled with returning balloons - - but so silently, so still . . . . slipping downwardly, ever closer until they literally bombarded us on all sides - - sending us scampering to avoid being their 'bulls-eye' target.

This video is long. But if you can find a large screen to appreciate the color and content of this video . . . . or if you've not been here and it's on your 'bucket list', you may want to sit through the entire 40 minutes.