A number of airborne objects have been identified and shot down over the past two weeks, including a Chinese spy balloon and three U.F.O.s in the United States, and about half a dozen Russian balloons in Ukraine. These encounters have raised questions about just what else might be in the sky.
At any given time, thousands of balloons are floating overhead, along with other objects ranging from the mysterious to the mundane. Here’s a look at some of them.
Note: Illustrations are shown using a different scale than the altitude measurements.
A graphic showing objects found in the sky between about 120,000 and 100,000 feet above sea level, including illustrations of a scientific research balloon and several weather balloons.
120,000 feet above sea level (23 miles)
Scientific research balloon
Up to about 120,000 feet
High-altitude balloons allow scientists to test new instruments and get a closer look at the sky. Some balloons can stay in the air for weeks or even months.
“The Pumpkin”
NASA super
pressure balloon.
Weather balloon
Up to about 115,000 feet
Every day, weather stations worldwide release balloons to observe the sky. After a weather balloon floats high enough to pop, its instruments fall to the earth gently with help from a parachute. If you find a fallen instrument package in the United States, you can mail it back to the U.S. National Weather Service for reuse.
120,000 feet above sea level
(23 miles)
“The Pumpkin”
NASA super
pressure balloon.
Scientific research balloon
Up to about 120,000 feet
High-altitude balloons allow scientists to test new instruments and get a closer look at the sky. Some balloons can stay in the air for weeks or even months.
Weather balloon
Up to about 115,000 feet
Every day, weather stations worldwide release balloons to observe the sky. After a weather balloon floats high enough to pop, its instruments fall to the earth gently with help from a parachute. If you find a fallen instrument package in the United States, you can mail it back to the U.S. National Weather Service for reuse.
A graphic showing objects found in the sky between about 100,000 and 80,000 feet above sea level, including an illustration of a U.F.O.
A graphic showing objects found in the sky between about 80,000 and 60,000 feet above sea level, including illustrations of the Chinese spy balloon and a U.S. spy plane.
U-2 spy plane
Above 70,000 feet
The U.S. military used U-2 spy planes to study the Chinese spy balloon and take high-resolution images of its equipment.
Chinese spy balloon
About 60,000 to 65,000 feet
The balloon spent five days above the continental United States, traveling in a diagonal southeastern route from Idaho to the Carolinas.
About the size
of three buses
U-2 spy plane
Above 70,000 feet
The U.S. military used U-2 spy planes to study the Chinese spy balloon and take high-resolution images of its equipment.
Chinese spy balloon
About 60,000 to 65,000 feet
The balloon spent five days above the continental United States, traveling in a diagonal southeastern route from Idaho to the Carolinas.
About the size of three buses
A graphic showing objects found in the sky between about 60,000 and 50,000 feet above sea level, including illustrations of U.S. fighter jets.
F-22 Raptor
About 58,000 feet
According to Pentagon officials, the Chinese spy balloon was shot down by an F-22 fighter jet firing a Sidewinder air-to-air missile. Over the next week, F-22s also shot down an unidentified flying object over Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, and another over the Yukon Territory of Canada.
F-16 Fighting Falcon
Above 50,000 feet
Eight days after the Chinese spy balloon was downed, an F-16 fighter jet shot down an unidentified flying object over Lake Huron, near Michigan.
F-22 Raptor
About 58,000 feet
According to Pentagon officials, the Chinese spy balloon was shot down by an F-22 fighter jet firing a Sidewinder air-to-air missile. Over the next week, F-22s also shot down an unidentified flying object over Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, and another over the Yukon Territory of Canada.
F-16 Fighting Falcon
Above 50,000 feet
Eight days after the Chinese spy balloon was downed, an F-16 fighter jet shot down an unidentified flying object over Lake Huron, near Michigan.
A graphic showing objects found in the sky up to about 50,000 above sea level, including illustrations of a party balloon, Boeing 747 and migrating birds.
About the size of
a small car
Alaska and Yukon U.F.O.s
About 40,000 feet
A recovery effort is underway to retrieve the debris from unidentified objects shot down in recent weeks, including these two objects.
Smaller than the
spy balloon
Commercial air traffic
About 30,000 feet
White House officials said that the U.F.O.s shot down last weekend posed a potential risk to civilian air traffic.
Toy helium balloons
Up to about 26,000 feet
Lake Huron U.F.O.
About 20,000 feet
On Feb. 12, a U.F.O. was shot down over Lake Huron. U.S. officials said the object had an octagonal structure with strings hanging off.
Helicopter
Up to about 15,000 feet
About 6,280 feet
Mount Washington, N.H.
Migrating birds
Often seen at up to about 7,000 feet
(some species fly much higher)
Empire State Building
1,454 feet from ground
to tip of antenna
Great Pyramid of Giza
Originally about 482 feet
above the ground
Alaska and Yukon U.F.O.s
About 40,000 feet
A recovery effort is underway to retrieve the debris from unidentified objects shot down in recent weeks, including these two objects.
About the size of
a small car
Smaller than the
spy balloon
Commercial air traffic
About 30,000 feet
White House officials said that the U.F.O.s shot down last weekend posed a potential risk to civilian air traffic.
About 29,000 feet
Mount Everest
Toy helium balloons
Up to about 26,000 feet
Lake Huron U.F.O.
About 20,000 feet
On Feb. 12, a U.F.O. was shot down over Lake Huron. U.S. officials said the object had an octagonal structure with strings hanging off.
Helicopter
Up to about 15,000 feet
About 6,280 feet
Mount Washington, N.H.
Migrating birds
Often seen at up to about 7,000 feet
(some species fly much higher)
Empire State Building
1,454 feet from ground
to tip of antenna
Great Pyramid of Giza
Originally about 482 feet
above the ground
