Fireworks 101

Aerial Firework:

These items are chain-fused fireworks that propel a series of aerial shells, comets or mines into the air from collectively attached tubes to produce various colors, noises, and effects. Aerial Fireworks come in a large variety of effects and sizes and are the most beautiful of show pieces of the consumer fireworks (a show in a box). They are also called "Cakes" or "Repeaters."

Artillery Shell:

A cartridge containing pyrotechnic composition, a burst charge, and an internal time fuse, that is launched into the air from a mortar creating a beautiful burst of firework display.

Barrage:

A rapidly fired sequence of firework effects.

Beehive:

A visual effect of color stars that actively are swarming around which illuminates into a visual Beehive appearance.

Brocade:

A large spherical break of stars that produce very long lasting trails dripping down, usually silver or gold.

Bottle Rocket:

A small rocket that shoots into the air with a variety of effects.

Break:

A term used when the shell bursts or opens up that in turn produces the effects and colors.

Cake:

Is also known as an Aerial Firework or Repeater and come in a variety of sizes and shapes.

Chrysanthemum:

a dense spherical burst of stars, in which the stars leave a burning trail of particles as they expand outward. This is a very
well known type of firework shell break.

Comet:

A star or fiery ball which emits a thick trail of sparks on the way up, following the star or ball and eventually burns out or fades away. These are sometimes added to a shell basically chasing the shell up until it breaks.

Cone:

A cone shaped fountain.

Crackle:

A rapidly popping or banging noise one after another.

Crossette:

A shell that when breaking splits across from each other usually in the shape of a plus sign moving outward.

Dragon Eggs:

A cluster of crackling sparks in the air.

Dahlia:

A floral break much like a peony but with bigger and longer lasting stars.

Diadem:

A large chrysanthemum with the willow effect.

Falling Leaf:

This effect is when stars fall down rocking back and forth method as a leaf falling down from a tree.ect when stars fall slowly down in a rocking back and forth method as a leaf falling down out of a tree

Fire Cracker:

A firework consisting of a small explosive charge and fuse in a heavy paper casing, producing a loud bang. These are sold individually or in rolls and bricks.

Finale:

A rapidly fired sequence of aerial fireworks, typically fired at the end of a display. Individual fireworks sometimes have a speed up ending such as a 25 shot cake shooting up 20 shots at a normal pace with the last 5 shots being fired rapidly.

Flying Fish:

This effect is when little specs of light (sometimes colored) swarm around in the air and propel themselves outward as a school of fish would when startled.

Fountain:

A device that projects a spray of sparks. These come in a variety of effects, colors, sounds, shapes and sizes.

Girandola:

Special wheel which rises rapidly in the air while emitting a spray of sparks and, sometimes, a whistle. Some may end with breaks and or effects.

Glitter:

Bright twinkling points of color within a firework.

Go Getters:

Color stars that expand outward and appear self propelled sometimes having an unusual noise accompanying them.

Layer Effect:

Effects that are fired at different levels. Example colored mines firing from the ground with crackling at the tips of the mine and larger breaks bursting above.

Mine:

Multiple pyrotechnic effects that are ignited and dispersed into the air leaving a visual trail from the ground to the sky. These are found in preloaded tubes, reloadable tubes and cakes.

Missile:

A rocket shaped item. When ignited it is launched like a missile into the air. Some missiles have colored stars, reports or whistles. They come singular or in multi shot cakes.

Mortar:

A tube used to launch Artillery shells and mines into the air.

Mortar Rack:

Sturdy wooden or metal frames used to support mortars in an upright position. These come in a variety of tube count and structural designs.

Palm Tree:

This effect looks like the large leaves hanging down from a Palm Tree.

Peony:

A flower like effect that is spherical shaped, the stars do not leave trails as they expand outward.

Pistil:

A small color or effect in the center of a display.

Report:

A loud bang sound.

Rocket:

A tube or cylinder with a cone shaped front attached to a guiding stick. Some rockets are designed to produce a variety of effects like some color, whistle, report, or other minor effect at the highest point of the flight path.

Roman Candle:

A cylindrical firework that projects a series of colored balls of fire into the air.

Salute:

Loud report and white flash.

Scrambling Comet:

Similar to a ground comet, these comets are contained in a shell and when the shell breaks the comets take off and fly in different directions.

Snake:

A pellet that when lit produces an ash in a long snake like effect.

Step Cake:

This type of cake shoots rapidly back and forth from right to left. These cakes have many tubes giving a full fan of effects into the air. The shots start on one side and then step up to the center and back down to the other side.

Strobe:

Bright flashing stars that flash on and off during its performance.

Tail:

A trail of color or effects that follows the shell as it leaves the ground to the sky.

Wheel:

A circular firework that spins round and round emitting an assortment of colored sparks, noises and effects. This item is usually fastened to a post or tree by the use of a nail.

Willow:

A large round break that look like many fine branches hanging down from a willow tree.