$1000 space programs

[Johnno]

This was taken by a camera suspended on a helium filled weather balloon.

http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/balloon-in-space/ordinary-guys-send-picture+taking-balloon-2227-miles-high-293245.php

Behold the view from 117,597 feet, taken on August 11, 2007 by a camera hanging from a helium balloon launched by a group of guys in Alberta, Canada. Called the SABLE-3 (Southern Alberta Balloon Launch Experiment #3), the balloon's small payload box was packed with a Byonics MicroTrak 300 APRS tracking device, a Nikon Coolpix P2 digital camera set to snap one picture per minute, and filled with enough helium to take it to the edge of the earth's atmosphere.

There's a few more around, I first came across it from this amazing engineering students site on Flickr. She's also done some high speed time lapse photography using electronic equipment she's created herself. Even rigged up a wireless antenna for her modem using a tripod and a wok!

More links here

http://www.hobbyspace.com/NearSpace/index.html