Rockets are among the most popular type of fireworks, and it’s not hard to see why! They’re big, loud and exciting, which is everything you want from a good fireworks display.

Rockets are real crowd-pleasers and something you must include if you have a display coming up. However, to help you pick out the right ones for your event, here’s a quick guide to the big daddy of all fireworks – the roaring rocket.

The basics – what are rockets?

Just in case you’ve never seen one – or maybe didn’t know what you were looking at – a rocket is a firework that is propelled up into the air, bursting into a variety of effects. Most burst into a shower of colourful displays and finish with a satisfying bang.

These fireworks are powered rather than projected into the air when the rocket fuel inside them burns and produces exhaust gases. This is forced out of a part of the rocket called the choke and creates thrust, forcing the rocket into the air at a terrific speed – which is what makes these particular fireworks so exciting to watch.

Types of rockets and fantastic effects

You might think that there is just one type of rocket, but you’d be mistaken. There are actually quite a few commonly used in fireworks displays. Some produce coloured smoke as they roar hundreds of feet into the sky, whilst others produce a huge noise at the end. Other rockets are quieter but explode into a shower of colourful sparks and stars at the end, whilst some produce different sound effects such a whistles, bangs and crackles.

You can also choose from:

• ‘Mega Loud’ rockets (not for the faint-hearted!)
• Atomic rockets – thunderous fireworks finishing with two display effects
• Nautilus rockets – ideal for smaller displays as they have a shorter viewing distance

Thinking of setting off rockets yourself?

You can buy rockets and set them off yourself, or you can call in a professional fireworks display organiser and tell them to include lots of the loudest rockets they can get their hands on – it’s up to you!

However, if you go for multiple rockets and plan to set them off together for an amazing effect, remember that synchronisation is incredibly important. If you don’t know what you’re doing and get your timing exactly right, your rockets won’t produce the desired effect and you will have wasted your money. For a professional display using lots of different rockets, it definitely is a good idea to call in the experts.

One thing is for sure though – no display would be complete without at least one rocket roaring up to the sky. This is especially the case if children are attending your display, as they love the roar and bang of these popular fireworks. Rockets can be really loud though, so if you have anyone attending who is sensitive to the noise you can simply opt for a rocket with slightly quieter effects.