Today's image is titled Letting go was photographed by Angela Richardson.
New Year's dreams took flight into the heavens above Madison yesterday, each Khom loy, or floating lantern, filled with hopes and wishes for the next twelve months.
"To celebrate the start of 2009 we lit paper lanterns and launched them into the night sky," notes Richardson in the caption to this photo. "As a lantern fills with hot air, one must take care to make sure that its walls don't catch fire. The lanterns are very delicate and fragile -- just like a wish in its nascent state. When enough hot air has accumulated within, all one has to do is let go of the lantern and away it soars. It's a joyful sight."
Here is a brief video clip showing the Khom loy launch.