Watching or actually using fireworks are two of the most popular things to do on Independence Day parties. There is no complete July 4th celebration without the fireworks as you can lose the food, the booze and the body bumping but still feel the spirit of the occasion with a good fireworks display to liven up the evening. But whether you're watching or you're setting them off yourself, it's cool to know the kinds of effects that the fireworks you're watching use to awe everyone who beholds them.

Here are some of the more common effects seen in fireworks everywhere:

l Peony- This is a very common effect that looks like a spherical break of colored stars.

l Chrysanthemum- This is very similar to a peony except that stars leave visible trails of sparks

l Dahlia- This is very similar to the peony except it has fewer and larger stars

l Palm- A shell that contains relatively few but large comet stars arranged to burst in large arms or tendrils producing a palm tree-like effect. It also features a thick rising tail which simulates the trunk of the tree.

l Crossette- This firework contains very large stars that break apart into smaller stars with a loud crackling sound and a very cool crisscrossing grid-like effect. These are usually seen in gold and silver but other colors are now popular as well.

l Spider- This is a shell containing a fast burning tailed or charcoal star that is burst very hard to make the stars travel in a straight and flat trajectory, much like the legs of a spider.

l Multi-break shells- This is a large shell that contains many various shells (of all shapes and sizes) inside. This kind is also called the bouquet shell and is very popular in Japan.

l Time Rain- This is an effect created by slow-burning stars that leave a trail of large glittering sparks behind them which makes a sizzling noise. It burns away gradually, giving the illusion of 'rain'.

These are only a few of the several kinds and shapes of explosives that you see on the 4th of July or New Years Day. You can try to explore the other fireworks effects and even hold photography contests as to who captures the best-looking firework effect on camera.