Fireworks Definitions
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.