This is the first candle ever flown to the stratosphere!  A group of new Earth to Sky Calculus students launched it on Jan. 19, 2026, onboard a cosmic ray research balloon. The Cosmic Candle is a great Valentine's gift with a romantic message and a lovely aroma of vanilla and lavender. 
 
At the apex of the flight, the candle floated 105,109 feet above the Sierra Nevada mountains of central California. After the balloon exploded, as planned, it parachuted back to Earth, landing in the Buttermilks, a popular climbing and bouldering area near Bishop, California. The Cosmic Candle had a wild ride, and the students got great data for their cosmic ray monitoring program.