Catherine Wheel (firework)
The Catherine wheel or pinwheel is a type of firework consisting either of a powder-filled spiral tube, or an angled rocket mounted with a pin through its center. When ignited, the energy of the fireworks not only create sparks and flame, but cause the wheel to quickly rotate, making the display much more spectacular. The physics of the process are those of an aeolipile. The firework is named after Saint Catherine of Alexandria who, according to Christian tradition, was condemned to death by “breaking on the wheel”. When she touched the wheel it miraculously fell to pieces. The largest Catherine wheel ever made was designed by the Lily Fireworks Factory of Mqabba, Malta. The Catherine wheel had a diameter of , and was lit on 18 June 2011, the eve of the annual feast of ''Our Lady of the Lilies''. In Malta, Catherine wheels are a traditional fixture during every village 'festa'. Some villages even hold competitions on the eve of the parish feast, while others display the va ...
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Firework Display (competition) Gozo, Malta 05
Fireworks are a class of low explosive pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. They are most commonly used in fireworks displays (also called a fireworks show or pyrotechnics), combining a large number of devices in an outdoor setting. Such displays are the focal point of many cultural and religious celebrations. Fireworks take many forms to produce four primary effects: noise, light, smoke, and floating materials ( confetti most notably). They may be designed to burn with colored flames and sparks including red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple and silver. They are generally classified by where they perform, either 'ground' or 'aerial'. Aerial fireworks may have their own propulsion ( skyrocket) or be shot into the air by a mortar (aerial shell A shell, in a military context, is a projectile whose payload contains an explosive, incendiary, or other chemical filling. Originally it was called a bombshell, but "shell" has come to b ...
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