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Paper: High Altitude Ballooning Using Amateur Equipment: A Primer
Volume: 516, Celebrating the 2017 Great American Eclipse: Lessons Learned from the Path of Totality
Page: 491
Authors: McCracken, M.; Critchlow, D.; Hill, Z.; Sencabaugh, M.; Robertson, J.; Gaither, B.; Oelgoetz, J.
Abstract: High Altitude Ballooning (HAB), has captured the imaginations of many an amateur astronomer and radio operator. During the 2017 solar eclipse the Austin Peay State University HAB group flew a combination of amateur and professional equipment to observe the eclipse from the upper atmosphere. Within this paper is an amateur guide to payload construction, fill, and retrieval, as well as a discussion of methods we used to stabilize the payload for better photos and video. We found that the use of a payload container with a wedge-shaped fin resulted in in a reduction of movement in flight, thus a more stable platform for photography.
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