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<table width=\"600px\">\n<tr><td>\n<center>\n<a href=\"https://xkcd.com/about/\">Randall Munroe</a> (<a href=\"https://xkcd.com/\">xkcd</a>)\n<br><br>\n<table><tbody><tr>\n<td width=\"466px\">\nThese are pictures I took by hanging cameras from kites, a hobby I've played with on and off over the years. \n\nTo get the camera to take pictures, I built a 555 timer circuit that, every 13 seconds, throws a relay wired to the camera's shutter button. I used a small delta kite (larger ones on the way) and a cheap $30 digital camera with a large SD card.\n<br><br>\nYes, the rig is still on breadboard and uses a band-aid as a structural component.  Sometimes these things happen.<br><br>\nI've checked FAA regulations, and it seems that as long as the kite is under five pounds I don't need to notify them before flights.\n\n</td>\n<td width=\"300px\">[[File:Kite Flying jury rig.jpeg]]</td></tr></tbody></table>\n\n<hr>\n\n2007-06-25<br><br>\nSince I moved to Boston a few weeks ago, I've had great chances to fly kites from the MIT athletic field. This time, friends Liz and Tucker helped out, and we managed a good flight (with higher ones planned).<br><br>\nThis flight was a struggle -- the wind wasn't great, but we left it up a long time and got a new record altitude -- about 260 meters in the highest shot before the battery diedThat's higher than the tallest skyscraper in Boston.  I'm hoping with some better wind or a larger kite we can get much higher.<br><br>\n\n<a href=\"https://imgs.xkcd.com/kite/2007-06-25/city_beautiful_huge.jpg\">\n<img border=\"0\" src=\"https://imgs.xkcd.com/kite/2007-06-25/city_beautiful.jpg\"></a>\n<br>\nThe Charles River, Northeast Boston, the ocean, islands, etc.<br><br>\n<a href=\"https://imgs.xkcd.com/kite/2007-06-25/mit_main_huge.jpg\">\n<img border=\"0\" src=\"https://imgs.xkcd.com/kite/2007-06-25/mit_main.jpg\"></a>\n<br>\nYou can see a lot of the MIT campus here, including both domes and the green building.\n<br><br>\n<a href=\"https://imgs.xkcd.com/kite/2007-06-25/skyscrapers_huge.jpg\">\n<img border=\"0\" src=\"https://imgs.xkcd.com/kite/2007-06-25/skyscrapers.jpg\">\n</a><br>\nThe Hancock and Prudential buildings.  Since we're level with the top of the Hancock, that means the kite's at about 240 meters.  Extra credit: calculate actual height taking into account curvature of Earth.\n<br><br>\n<img src=\"https://imgs.xkcd.com/kite/2007-06-25/rainbow.jpg\">\n<br>\nDistorted kite and sky.\n<br><br>\n\n<hr>\n\n2007-06-17<br><br>\n\nA couple weeks after my move to Boston, I've finally managed a serious flight with the camera for the first timeWe started at the MIT athletic field and let out the full 500 meters of line, and at its peak the kite was level with the top of the Prudential center, putting it at about 230 meters up. <br>\n\n\n<br><br>\n<img src=\"https://imgs.xkcd.com/kite/2007-06-17/downtown.jpg\"><br>\nView of downtown Boston from near the peak altitude.<br><br>\n<img src=\"https://imgs.xkcd.com/kite/2007-06-17/boathouse.jpg\"><br>\nA boathouse along the MIT shore.<br><br>\n<img src=\"https://imgs.xkcd.com/kite/2007-06-17/field_line.jpg\"><br>\nA view of the field we were flying fromThe string looks like it's going toward the building, but you're only seeing the very top bit of it -- it curves horizontally toward the middle of the field. A lot of the frames had heavy distortion due to how fast the camera was bouncing around (apparently it samples the CCD over a nontrivial span of time).<br><br>\n<img src=\"https://imgs.xkcd.com/kite/2007-06-17/boston_shore.jpg\"><br>\nA view of the Boston shoreline across the Charles.<br><br>\n<table><tbody><tr><td>\n<img src=\"https://imgs.xkcd.com/kite/yogi_doug_anna_400.jpg\">\n</td>\n<td>\n<img src=\"https://imgs.xkcd.com/kite/2007-06-17/derek_alice_randy_400.jpg\">\n</td></tr></tbody></table>\nFinal pictures from two flights.\n\n<br><br><br>\nFor low-resolution pictures from my test flights back in Virginia, click <a href=\"https://xkcd.com/kite/oldpictures.html\">here</a>.  See also: the <a href=\"https://xkcd.com/kite/kite_trick.jpg\">kite prank</a>.<br><br><br>\n\n<br></center></td></tr></tbody></table>\n"
| date      =
 
| title    = Blue Eyes
 
| lappend  = blue_eyes.html
 
| extra    = yes
 
| before    = <center>[https://xkcd.com/about Randall Munroe] ([https://xkcd.com xkcd])</center
 
These are pictures I took by hanging cameras from kites, a hobby I've played with on and off over the years. To get the camera to take pictures, I built a 555 timer circuit that, every 13 seconds, throws a relay wired to the camera's shutter button. I used a small delta kite (larger ones on the way) and a cheap $30 digital camera with a large SD card.
 
 
 
Yes, the rig is still on breadboard and uses a band-aid as a structural component. Sometimes these things happen.
 
 
 
I've checked FAA regulations, and it seems that as long as the kite is under five pounds I don't need to notify them before flights.
 
 
 
[[File:Kite jury rig.jpeg]]
 
----
 
<center>2007-06-25
 
 
 
<big>Since I moved to Boston a few weeks ago, I've had great chances to fly kites from the MIT athletic field. This time, friends Liz and Tucker helped out, and we managed a good flight (with higher ones planned).
 
 
 
This flight was a struggle -- the wind wasn't great, but we left it up a long time and got a new record altitude -- about 260 meters in the highest shot before the battery died. That's higher than the tallest skyscraper in Boston. I'm hoping with some better wind or a larger kite we can get much higher.</big>
 
 
 
[[File:Boston cityscape kite flying.jpeg]]<br>
 
The Charles River, Northeast Boston, the ocean, islands, etc.
 
 
 
[[File:Kite flying MIT.jpeg]]<br>
 
 
 
 
 
<big>A group of people with assorted eye colors live on an island. They are all perfect logicians -- if a conclusion can be logically deduced, they will do it instantly. No one knows the color of their eyes. Every night at midnight, a ferry stops at the island.  Any islanders who have figured out the color of their own eyes then leave the island, and the rest stay.  Everyone can see everyone else at all times and keeps a count of the number of people they see with each eye color (excluding themselves), but they cannot otherwise communicate. Everyone on the island knows all the rules in this paragraph.
 
 
 
On this island there are 100 blue-eyed people, 100 brown-eyed people, and the Guru (she happens to have green eyes).  So any given blue-eyed person can see 100 people with brown eyes and 99 people with blue eyes (and one with green), but that does not tell him his own eye color; as far as he knows the totals could be 101 brown and 99 blueOr 100 brown, 99 blue, and he could have red eyes.
 
 
 
The Guru is allowed to speak once (let's say at noon), on one day in all their endless years on the islandStanding before the islanders, she says the following:
 
 
 
'''"I can see someone who has blue eyes."'''
 
 
 
Who leaves the island, and on what night?
 
 
 
 
 
There are no mirrors or reflecting surfaces, nothing dumb.  It is not a trick question, and the answer is logical. It doesn't depend on tricky wording or anyone lying or guessing, and it doesn't involve people doing something silly like creating a sign language or doing genetics.  The Guru is not making eye contact with anyone in particular; she's simply saying "I count at least one blue-eyed person on this island who isn't me."
 
 
 
And lastly, the answer is not "no one leaves."
 
 
 
<font color="#BB3333">I've done my best to make the wording as precise and unambiguious as possible (after working through the explanation with many people), but if you're confused about anything, please let me know. A word of warning:  The answer is not simple. This is an exercise in serious logic, not a lateral thinking riddle. There is not a quick-and-easy answer, and really understanding it takes some effort.</font></big>
 
 
 
<center>[[File:hyphen.jpg|link=https://www.xkcd.com/]]</center>
 
 
 
<center><big>I didn't come up with the idea of this puzzle, but I've written and rewritten it over the the years to try to make a definitive version. The guy who told it to me originally was some dude on the street in Boston named Joel.</big></center>
 
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"\n<table width=\"600px\">\n<tbody><tr><td>\n<center>\n<a href=\"https://xkcd.com/about/\">Randall Munroe</a> (<a href=\"https://xkcd.com/\">xkcd</a>)\n<br><br>\n<table><tbody><tr>\n<td width=\"466px\">\nThese are pictures I took by hanging cameras from kites, a hobby I've played with on and off over the years. \n\nTo get the camera to take pictures, I built a 555 timer circuit that, every 13 seconds, throws a relay wired to the camera's shutter buttonI used a small delta kite (larger ones on the way) and a cheap $30 digital camera with a large SD card.\n<br><br>\nYes, the rig is still on breadboard and uses a band-aid as a structural component.  Sometimes these things happen.<br><br>\nI've checked FAA regulations, and it seems that as long as the kite is under five pounds I don't need to notify them before flights.\n\n</td>\n<td width=\"300px\"><img src=\"https://imgs.xkcd.com/kite/jury_rig.jpg\"></td></tr></tbody></table>\n\n<hr>\n\n2007-06-25<br><br>\nSince I moved to Boston a few weeks ago, I've had great chances to fly kites from the MIT athletic field.  This time, friends Liz and Tucker helped out, and we managed a good flight (with higher ones planned).<br><br>\nThis flight was a struggle -- the wind wasn't great, but we left it up a long time and got a new record altitude -- about 260 meters in the highest shot before the battery died. That's higher than the tallest skyscraper in Boston.  I'm hoping with some better wind or a larger kite we can get much higher.<br><br>\n\n<a href=\"https://imgs.xkcd.com/kite/2007-06-25/city_beautiful_huge.jpg\">\n<img border=\"0\" src=\"https://imgs.xkcd.com/kite/2007-06-25/city_beautiful.jpg\"></a>\n<br>\nThe Charles River, Northeast Boston, the ocean, islands, etc.<br><br>\n<a href=\"https://imgs.xkcd.com/kite/2007-06-25/mit_main_huge.jpg\">\n<img border=\"0\" src=\"https://imgs.xkcd.com/kite/2007-06-25/mit_main.jpg\"></a>\n<br>\nYou can see a lot of the MIT campus here, including both domes and the green building.\n<br><br>\n<a href=\"https://imgs.xkcd.com/kite/2007-06-25/skyscrapers_huge.jpg\">\n<img border=\"0\" src=\"https://imgs.xkcd.com/kite/2007-06-25/skyscrapers.jpg\">\n</a><br>\nThe Hancock and Prudential buildings.  Since we're level with the top of the Hancock, that means the kite's at about 240 meters.  Extra credit: calculate actual height taking into account curvature of Earth.\n<br><br>\n<img src=\"https://imgs.xkcd.com/kite/2007-06-25/rainbow.jpg\">\n<br>\nDistorted kite and sky.\n<br><br>\n\n<hr>\n\n2007-06-17<br><br>\n\nA couple weeks after my move to Boston, I've finally managed a serious flight with the camera for the first time.  We started at the MIT athletic field and let out the full 500 meters of line, and at its peak the kite was level with the top of the Prudential center, putting it at about 230 meters up. <br>\n\n\n<br><br>\n<img src=\"https://imgs.xkcd.com/kite/2007-06-17/downtown.jpg\"><br>\nView of downtown Boston from near the peak altitude.<br><br>\n<img src=\"https://imgs.xkcd.com/kite/2007-06-17/boathouse.jpg\"><br>\nA boathouse along the MIT shore.<br><br>\n<img src=\"https://imgs.xkcd.com/kite/2007-06-17/field_line.jpg\"><br>\nA view of the field we were flying from.  The string looks like it's going toward the building, but you're only seeing the very top bit of it -- it curves horizontally toward the middle of the field.  A lot of the frames had heavy distortion due to how fast the camera was bouncing around (apparently it samples the CCD over a nontrivial span of time).<br><br>\n<img src=\"https://imgs.xkcd.com/kite/2007-06-17/boston_shore.jpg\"><br>\nA view of the Boston shoreline across the Charles.<br><br>\n<table><tbody><tr><td>\n<img src=\"https://imgs.xkcd.com/kite/yogi_doug_anna_400.jpg\">\n</td>\n<td>\n<img src=\"https://imgs.xkcd.com/kite/2007-06-17/derek_alice_randy_400.jpg\">\n</td></tr></tbody></table>\nFinal pictures from two flights.\n\n<br><br><br>\nFor low-resolution pictures from my test flights back in Virginia, click <a href=\"https://xkcd.com/kite/oldpictures.html\">here</a>.  See also: the <a href=\"https://xkcd.com/kite/kite_trick.jpg\">kite prank</a>.<br><br><br>\n\n<br></center></td></tr></tbody></table>\n"
 
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"Randall Munroe (xkcd)\n\n\nThese are pictures I took by hanging cameras from kites, a hobby I've played with on and off over the years. To get the camera to take pictures, I built a 555 timer circuit that, every 13 seconds, throws a relay wired to the camera's shutter button. I used a small delta kite (larger ones on the way) and a cheap $30 digital camera with a large SD card.\n\nYes, the rig is still on breadboard and uses a band-aid as a structural component. Sometimes these things happen.\n\nI've checked FAA regulations, and it seems that as long as the kite is under five pounds I don't need to notify them before flights.\t\n2007-06-25\n\nSince I moved to Boston a few weeks ago, I've had great chances to fly kites from the MIT athletic field. This time, friends Liz and Tucker helped out, and we managed a good flight (with higher ones planned).\n\nThis flight was a struggle -- the wind wasn't great, but we left it up a long time and got a new record altitude -- about 260 meters in the highest shot before the battery died. That's higher than the tallest skyscraper in Boston. I'm hoping with some better wind or a larger kite we can get much higher.\n\n\nThe Charles River, Northeast Boston, the ocean, islands, etc.\n\n\nYou can see a lot of the MIT campus here, including both domes and the green building.\n\n\nThe Hancock and Prudential buildings. Since we're level with the top of the Hancock, that means the kite's at about 240 meters. Extra credit: calculate actual height taking into account curvature of Earth.\n\n\nDistorted kite and sky.\n\n\n2007-06-17\n\nA couple weeks after my move to Boston, I've finally managed a serious flight with the camera for the first time. We started at the MIT athletic field and let out the full 500 meters of line, and at its peak the kite was level with the top of the Prudential center, putting it at about 230 meters up.\n\n\n\nView of downtown Boston from near the peak altitude.\n\n\nA boathouse along the MIT shore.\n\n\nA view of the field we were flying from. The string looks like it's going toward the building, but you're only seeing the very top bit of it -- it curves horizontally toward the middle of the field. A lot of the frames had heavy distortion due to how fast the camera was bouncing around (apparently it samples the CCD over a nontrivial span of time).\n\n\nA view of the Boston shoreline across the Charles.\n\n\n\t\nFinal pictures from two flights.\n\n\nFor low-resolution pictures from my test flights back in Virginia, click here. See also: the kite prank.\n\n\n\n"
 
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"<center>\n<table width=\"600px\">\n<tbody><tr><td>\n<center>\n<a href=\"https://xkcd.com/about/\">Randall Munroe</a> (<a href=\"https://xkcd.com/\">xkcd</a>)\n<br><br>\n<table><tbody><tr>\n<td width=\"466px\">\nThese are pictures I took by hanging cameras from kites, a hobby I've played with on and off over the years.  \n\nTo get the camera to take pictures, I built a 555 timer circuit that, every 13 seconds, throws a relay wired to the camera's shutter button.  I used a small delta kite (larger ones on the way) and a cheap $30 digital camera with a large SD card.\n<br><br>\nYes, the rig is still on breadboard and uses a band-aid as a structural component.  Sometimes these things happen.<br><br>\nI've checked FAA regulations, and it seems that as long as the kite is under five pounds I don't need to notify them before flights.\n\n</td>\n<td width=\"300px\"><img src=\"https://imgs.xkcd.com/kite/jury_rig.jpg\"></td></tr></tbody></table>\n\n<hr>\n\n2007-06-25<br><br>\nSince I moved to Boston a few weeks ago, I've had great chances to fly kites from the MIT athletic field.  This time, friends Liz and Tucker helped out, and we managed a good flight (with higher ones planned).<br><br>\nThis flight was a struggle -- the wind wasn't great, but we left it up a long time and got a new record altitude -- about 260 meters in the highest shot before the battery died.  That's higher than the tallest skyscraper in Boston.  I'm hoping with some better wind or a larger kite we can get much higher.<br><br>\n\n<a href=\"https://imgs.xkcd.com/kite/2007-06-25/city_beautiful_huge.jpg\">\n<img border=\"0\" src=\"https://imgs.xkcd.com/kite/2007-06-25/city_beautiful.jpg\"></a>\n<br>\nThe Charles River, Northeast Boston, the ocean, islands, etc.<br><br>\n<a href=\"https://imgs.xkcd.com/kite/2007-06-25/mit_main_huge.jpg\">\n<img border=\"0\" src=\"https://imgs.xkcd.com/kite/2007-06-25/mit_main.jpg\"></a>\n<br>\nYou can see a lot of the MIT campus here, including both domes and the green building.\n<br><br>\n<a href=\"https://imgs.xkcd.com/kite/2007-06-25/skyscrapers_huge.jpg\">\n<img border=\"0\" src=\"https://imgs.xkcd.com/kite/2007-06-25/skyscrapers.jpg\">\n</a><br>\nThe Hancock and Prudential buildings.  Since we're level with the top of the Hancock, that means the kite's at about 240 meters.  Extra credit: calculate actual height taking into account curvature of Earth.\n<br><br>\n<img src=\"https://imgs.xkcd.com/kite/2007-06-25/rainbow.jpg\">\n<br>\nDistorted kite and sky.\n<br><br>\n\n<hr>\n\n2007-06-17<br><br>\n\nA couple weeks after my move to Boston, I've finally managed a serious flight with the camera for the first time.  We started at the MIT athletic field and let out the full 500 meters of line, and at its peak the kite was level with the top of the Prudential center, putting it at about 230 meters up. <br>\n\n\n<br><br>\n<img src=\"https://imgs.xkcd.com/kite/2007-06-17/downtown.jpg\"><br>\nView of downtown Boston from near the peak altitude.<br><br>\n<img src=\"https://imgs.xkcd.com/kite/2007-06-17/boathouse.jpg\"><br>\nA boathouse along the MIT shore.<br><br>\n<img src=\"https://imgs.xkcd.com/kite/2007-06-17/field_line.jpg\"><br>\nA view of the field we were flying from.  The string looks like it's going toward the building, but you're only seeing the very top bit of it -- it curves horizontally toward the middle of the field.  A lot of the frames had heavy distortion due to how fast the camera was bouncing around (apparently it samples the CCD over a nontrivial span of time).<br><br>\n<img src=\"https://imgs.xkcd.com/kite/2007-06-17/boston_shore.jpg\"><br>\nA view of the Boston shoreline across the Charles.<br><br>\n<table><tbody><tr><td>\n<img src=\"https://imgs.xkcd.com/kite/yogi_doug_anna_400.jpg\">\n</td>\n<td>\n<img src=\"https://imgs.xkcd.com/kite/2007-06-17/derek_alice_randy_400.jpg\">\n</td></tr></tbody></table>\nFinal pictures from two flights.\n\n<br><br><br>\nFor low-resolution pictures from my test flights back in Virginia, click <a href=\"https://xkcd.com/kite/oldpictures.html\">here</a>.  See also: the <a href=\"https://xkcd.com/kite/kite_trick.jpg\">kite prank</a>.<br><br><br>\n\n<br></center></td></tr></tbody></table>\n</center>"
 
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"Randall Munroe (xkcd)\n\n\nThese are pictures I took by hanging cameras from kites, a hobby I've played with on and off over the years. To get the camera to take pictures, I built a 555 timer circuit that, every 13 seconds, throws a relay wired to the camera's shutter button. I used a small delta kite (larger ones on the way) and a cheap $30 digital camera with a large SD card.\n\nYes, the rig is still on breadboard and uses a band-aid as a structural component. Sometimes these things happen.\n\nI've checked FAA regulations, and it seems that as long as the kite is under five pounds I don't need to notify them before flights.\t\n2007-06-25\n\nSince I moved to Boston a few weeks ago, I've had great chances to fly kites from the MIT athletic field. This time, friends Liz and Tucker helped out, and we managed a good flight (with higher ones planned).\n\nThis flight was a struggle -- the wind wasn't great, but we left it up a long time and got a new record altitude -- about 260 meters in the highest shot before the battery died. That's higher than the tallest skyscraper in Boston. I'm hoping with some better wind or a larger kite we can get much higher.\n\n\nThe Charles River, Northeast Boston, the ocean, islands, etc.\n\n\nYou can see a lot of the MIT campus here, including both domes and the green building.\n\n\nThe Hancock and Prudential buildings. Since we're level with the top of the Hancock, that means the kite's at about 240 meters. Extra credit: calculate actual height taking into account curvature of Earth.\n\n\nDistorted kite and sky.\n\n\n2007-06-17\n\nA couple weeks after my move to Boston, I've finally managed a serious flight with the camera for the first time. We started at the MIT athletic field and let out the full 500 meters of line, and at its peak the kite was level with the top of the Prudential center, putting it at about 230 meters up.\n\n\n\nView of downtown Boston from near the peak altitude.\n\n\nA boathouse along the MIT shore.\n\n\nA view of the field we were flying from. The string looks like it's going toward the building, but you're only seeing the very top bit of it -- it curves horizontally toward the middle of the field. A lot of the frames had heavy distortion due to how fast the camera was bouncing around (apparently it samples the CCD over a nontrivial span of time).\n\n\nA view of the Boston shoreline across the Charles.\n\n\n\t\nFinal pictures from two flights.\n\n\nFor low-resolution pictures from my test flights back in Virginia, click here. See also: the kite prank.\n\n\n\n"
 
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"\n\n\n\nRandall Munroe (xkcd)\n\n\n\nThese are pictures I took by hanging cameras from kites, a hobby I've played with on and off over the years.  \n\nTo get the camera to take pictures, I built a 555 timer circuit that, every 13 seconds, throws a relay wired to the camera's shutter button.  I used a small delta kite (larger ones on the way) and a cheap $30 digital camera with a large SD card.\n\nYes, the rig is still on breadboard and uses a band-aid as a structural component.  Sometimes these things happen.\nI've checked FAA regulations, and it seems that as long as the kite is under five pounds I don't need to notify them before flights.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n2007-06-25\nSince I moved to Boston a few weeks ago, I've had great chances to fly kites from the MIT athletic field.  This time, friends Liz and Tucker helped out, and we managed a good flight (with higher ones planned).\nThis flight was a struggle -- the wind wasn't great, but we left it up a long time and got a new record altitude -- about 260 meters in the highest shot before the battery died.  That's higher than the tallest skyscraper in Boston.  I'm hoping with some better wind or a larger kite we can get much higher.\n\n\n\n\nThe Charles River, Northeast Boston, the ocean, islands, etc.\n\n\n\nYou can see a lot of the MIT campus here, including both domes and the green building.\n\n\n\n\nThe Hancock and Prudential buildings.  Since we're level with the top of the Hancock, that means the kite's at about 240 meters.  Extra credit: calculate actual height taking into account curvature of Earth.\n\n\n\nDistorted kite and sky.\n\n\n\n\n2007-06-17\n\nA couple weeks after my move to Boston, I've finally managed a serious flight with the camera for the first time.  We started at the MIT athletic field and let out the full 500 meters of line, and at its peak the kite was level with the top of the Prudential center, putting it at about 230 meters up. \n\n\n\n\nView of downtown Boston from near the peak altitude.\n\nA boathouse along the MIT shore.\n\nA view of the field we were flying from.  The string looks like it's going toward the building, but you're only seeing the very top bit of it -- it curves horizontally toward the middle of the field.  A lot of the frames had heavy distortion due to how fast the camera was bouncing around (apparently it samples the CCD over a nontrivial span of time).\n\nA view of the Boston shoreline across the Charles.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFinal pictures from two flights.\n\n\nFor low-resolution pictures from my test flights back in Virginia, click here.  See also: the kite prank.\n\n\n"
 
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Latest revision as of 15:17, 6 December 2025

\n</tbody>
\n
\n<a href=\"https://xkcd.com/about/\">Randall Munroe</a> (<a href=\"https://xkcd.com/\">xkcd</a>)\n

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\nThese are pictures I took by hanging cameras from kites, a hobby I've played with on and off over the years. \n\nTo get the camera to take pictures, I built a 555 timer circuit that, every 13 seconds, throws a relay wired to the camera's shutter button. I used a small delta kite (larger ones on the way) and a cheap $30 digital camera with a large SD card.\n

\nYes, the rig is still on breadboard and uses a band-aid as a structural component. Sometimes these things happen.

\nI've checked FAA regulations, and it seems that as long as the kite is under five pounds I don't need to notify them before flights.\n\n
Kite Flying jury rig.jpeg
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\n\n2007-06-25

\nSince I moved to Boston a few weeks ago, I've had great chances to fly kites from the MIT athletic field. This time, friends Liz and Tucker helped out, and we managed a good flight (with higher ones planned).

\nThis flight was a struggle -- the wind wasn't great, but we left it up a long time and got a new record altitude -- about 260 meters in the highest shot before the battery died. That's higher than the tallest skyscraper in Boston. I'm hoping with some better wind or a larger kite we can get much higher.

\n\n<a href=\"https://imgs.xkcd.com/kite/2007-06-25/city_beautiful_huge.jpg\">\n<img border=\"0\" src=\"https://imgs.xkcd.com/kite/2007-06-25/city_beautiful.jpg\"></a>\n
\nThe Charles River, Northeast Boston, the ocean, islands, etc.

\n<a href=\"https://imgs.xkcd.com/kite/2007-06-25/mit_main_huge.jpg\">\n<img border=\"0\" src=\"https://imgs.xkcd.com/kite/2007-06-25/mit_main.jpg\"></a>\n
\nYou can see a lot of the MIT campus here, including both domes and the green building.\n

\n<a href=\"https://imgs.xkcd.com/kite/2007-06-25/skyscrapers_huge.jpg\">\n<img border=\"0\" src=\"https://imgs.xkcd.com/kite/2007-06-25/skyscrapers.jpg\">\n</a>
\nThe Hancock and Prudential buildings. Since we're level with the top of the Hancock, that means the kite's at about 240 meters. Extra credit: calculate actual height taking into account curvature of Earth.\n

\n<img src=\"https://imgs.xkcd.com/kite/2007-06-25/rainbow.jpg\">\n
\nDistorted kite and sky.\n

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\n\n2007-06-17

\n\nA couple weeks after my move to Boston, I've finally managed a serious flight with the camera for the first time. We started at the MIT athletic field and let out the full 500 meters of line, and at its peak the kite was level with the top of the Prudential center, putting it at about 230 meters up.
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\n<img src=\"https://imgs.xkcd.com/kite/2007-06-17/downtown.jpg\">
\nView of downtown Boston from near the peak altitude.

\n<img src=\"https://imgs.xkcd.com/kite/2007-06-17/boathouse.jpg\">
\nA boathouse along the MIT shore.

\n<img src=\"https://imgs.xkcd.com/kite/2007-06-17/field_line.jpg\">
\nA view of the field we were flying from. The string looks like it's going toward the building, but you're only seeing the very top bit of it -- it curves horizontally toward the middle of the field. A lot of the frames had heavy distortion due to how fast the camera was bouncing around (apparently it samples the CCD over a nontrivial span of time).

\n<img src=\"https://imgs.xkcd.com/kite/2007-06-17/boston_shore.jpg\">
\nA view of the Boston shoreline across the Charles.

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\n<img src=\"https://imgs.xkcd.com/kite/yogi_doug_anna_400.jpg\">\n\n<img src=\"https://imgs.xkcd.com/kite/2007-06-17/derek_alice_randy_400.jpg\">\n
\nFinal pictures from two flights.\n\n


\nFor low-resolution pictures from my test flights back in Virginia, click <a href=\"https://xkcd.com/kite/oldpictures.html\">here</a>. See also: the <a href=\"https://xkcd.com/kite/kite_trick.jpg\">kite prank</a>.


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