Here's some cute information about types of fireworks effects. I never knew that!
1. Peony
This one is apparently the most common, so your chances of spotting it in the skies this weekend are pretty good. It’s “a spherical break of colored stars.”
2. Chrysanthemum
This is a variation of the Peony – the difference is that the stars leave a visible trail of sparks. To me, this looks like a fiber optic ball or those balls that you put your hand on to attract the current to at science museums and the life.
3. Willow
I love this one! It’s a lot like the Peony and its variations (the Chrysanthemum and the Dahlia), but it leaves trails of silver or gold stars that produce a weeping willow-ish outline.
4. Horsetail
It’s a
compact little burst that falls down down, well, like a horsetail. You might also hear this one referred to as a Waterfall Shell.
5. Fish
The shell bursts and then you see little squiggles of light squirming away from the main burst. The effect looks like fish swimming away. Or sperm. Whatever.
6. Spider
This one is fast-burning and bursts very hard, which makes the stars shoot out straight and flat. Basically, the look like lots of spider legs.
7. Palm
This one produces an effect that looks like a palm tree when it bursts (go figure). Some even have a thick tail that looks like a trunk.
8. Crossette
Take lots of tic-tac-toe boards and cross them over each other haphazardly. That’s kind of what the crossette looks like. It’s usually accompanied by a loud crackling noise.
9. Kamuro
Named after a Japanese hairstyle, this one has a dense burst that leaves a glittery trail.
10. Rings
I like these because they can be arranged to look like atoms, which is very
mental_floss-y. But typically you see rings within rings, like the ones in the picture.
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