Why are sparklers called sparklers? Where do they come from? Why are lights called sparklers? Why Bengal.

The history of the origin of Bengal fire is rooted in ancient India. It was in Bengal, as historians testify, that in the 5th-6th c. n. e. during religious ceremonies in the temples on the altars, a fire of unusual brightness flared up and quickly burned out. At the same time, depending on the wishes of the clergy and the type of ceremony, “it smelled of evil” (the composition probably contained sulfur powder, which, when burned, forms sulphur dioxide), or “good breath” poured over the temple (probably in this case, instead of sulfur, rosin was used as part of the Bengal fire).

The high efficiency of the action due to the deification of fire and light by the peoples stimulated the rapid development of the use of fiery compounds, the improvement of their recipes by the clergy. By the beginning of the 8th century, the compositions of colored fire were already known - blue, green, yellow. There are ways to lengthen the burning time. To do this, the hollow dry stems of plants, tubes twisted from dried, wide leaves, were filled with the composition of the Bengal fire. These first Bengal candles not only gave a bright flame, their burning was also accompanied by a characteristic crackle.

In folk life Eastern Slavs around the same years, "fiery fun" took place, which were arranged using a club moss. Lycopodium or lycopodium, an evergreen herbaceous, moss-like plant creeping along the ground. Its mature dry spores, when ignited, give an instant lightning-like flash without smoke. The flame of a club moss is amazing, it's a lot of fun to look at him, especially when he is thrown at night or in the dark. To make a strong noise, dried and powdered birch leaves are mixed in.

It is in Europe (according to the Spanish researcher Bertrano Luengo - in Valencia) that Bengal torches and indoor compositions first appear. The next step on the way to today's Bengal candles familiar to us was the appearance of sparkling fire recipes in the 6th-7th centuries. The effect was achieved by adding iron scale, crushed cast iron, and later magnesium powder to the fiery Bengal fire compositions.

In this way, Bengal fire developed in two directions - as fiery and as sparkling. Fiery compositions are usually equipped in paper sleeves, sparkling ones are applied in several layers on wooden sticks or metal wire.
Russian pyrotechnician Professor Petrov recommended for the manufacture of fiery Bengal candles "sleeves from writing paper in 3 turns, 20 mm cross section and 35 cm long. 5 cm clay is placed in the sleeve and then filled with a fiery composition of Bengal fire, lightly tamping ... ” Such a candle burns together with the sleeve, so it is not possible to hold it in your hands. However, these candles fixed along the contour of the picture, due to an even, bright flame, they give a wonderful “fiery picture”. If, when making a sleeve, wind it on a wooden stick 5-7 cm long, then we will get a fiery Bengal candle, which is convenient to hold in your hands. Almost unchanged, these products have survived to this day. The main manufacturers of such candles are China, India, Japan.

The modern name of these products is triumphant candles. The products are practically smokeless and can be successfully used indoors. At the same time, both individual candles and combined table toys are produced. This is a table figure, composed of three or more candles, set in a stand and pulled together in a tense state of the upper part. When the product is ignited, the candles straighten out and form a multi-beam burning composition.

Quite popular, especially in Europe, Bengal torches. Products are produced different colors(red, green, blue, white, yellow), different sizes(length from 20 cm to 100 cm), for various purposes(street and low-smoke indoors). Bengal torches in the 18-19 centuries were an indispensable attribute of all fireworks performances. They were used to set fire to products and in all situations where it was necessary to suddenly illuminate with colored light. large area scene or scenery.

The history of the emergence of Bengal fire is rooted in ancient India. It was in Bengal, as historians testify, that in the 5th-6th c. n. e. during religious ceremonies in the temples on the altars, a fire of unusual brightness flared up and quickly burned out. At the same time, depending on the wishes of the clergy and the type of ceremony, “it smelled of evil” (probably the composition contained sulfur powder, which forms sulfur dioxide when burned), or “good breath” spilled over the temple (probably in this case, instead of sulfur, rosin was used as part of the Bengal fire ). The high efficiency of the action due to the deification of fire and light by the peoples stimulated the rapid development of the use of fiery compounds, the improvement of their recipes by the clergy. By the beginning of the 8th century, the compositions of colored fire were already known - blue, green, yellow. There are ways to lengthen the burning time. To do this, the hollow dry stems of plants, tubes twisted from dried, wide leaves, were filled with the composition of the Bengal fire. These first Bengal candles not only gave a bright flame, their burning was also accompanied by a characteristic crackle. In the folk life of the Eastern Slavs around the same years, “fiery fun” took place, which were arranged using a club moss. Lycopodium or lycopodium, an evergreen herbaceous, moss-like plant creeping along the ground. Its mature dry spores, when ignited, give an instant lightning-like flash without smoke. The flame of a club moss is amazing, it's a lot of fun to look at him, especially when he is thrown at night or in the dark. To make a strong noise, dried and powdered birch leaves are mixed in. The property of the powder of the moss is such that it ignites only when dispersed in the air above the flame; in other cases, it does not burn, even if a lighted wick is put into it or poured over burning coals.

Unlike club moss, a fresh composition of a sparkler flares up instantly from any source of flame. It is for this reason that its use is much easier. Therefore, practically since the opening of trade routes between Europe and India, sparklers have come to Europe. In Europe, Bengal fire immediately became the subject of entertainment. With its help, using compositions of colored fire, fiery pictures were drawn, scenes and decorations were decorated and illuminated. It is in Europe (according to the Spanish researcher Bertrano Luengo - in Valencia) that Bengal torches and indoor compositions first appear. The next step on the way to today's Bengal candles familiar to us was the appearance of sparkling fire recipes in the 6th-7th centuries. The effect was achieved by adding iron scale, crushed cast iron, and later magnesium powder to the fiery Bengal fire compositions. Thus, Bengal fire developed in two directions - as fiery and as sparkling. Fiery compositions are usually equipped in paper sleeves, sparkling compositions are applied in several layers on wooden sticks or metal wire.

Russian pyrotechnician Professor Petrov recommended for the manufacture of fiery Bengal candles “sleeves of writing paper in 3 turns, 20 mm in cross section and 35 cm in length. 5 cm clay is placed in the sleeve and then filled with a fiery composition of Bengal fire, lightly tamping ... ” Such a candle burns together with the sleeve, so it is not possible to hold it in your hands. However, these candles, fixed along the contour of the picture, due to the even, bright flame, give a wonderful “fiery picture”. If, when making a sleeve, wind it on a wooden stick 5-7 cm long, then we will get a fiery Bengal candle, which is convenient to hold in your hands. Almost unchanged, these products have survived to this day. The main manufacturers of such candles are China, India, Japan. The modern name of these products is triumphant candles. The products are practically smokeless and can be successfully used indoors. At the same time, both individual candles and combined table toys are produced. This is a table figure, made up of three or more candles, installed in a stand and pulled together in a tense state of the upper part. When the product is ignited, the candles straighten out and form a multi-beam burning composition.

For as long as I can remember, as a child, my parents used to buy New Year sparklers. I do the same for my children now. I wonder why they have such a name?
Bengal lights! This is probably the safest entertainment in new year holidays for all generations. But where did those lights come from?

Bengal lights got their name thanks to the ancient Indian masters who lived in Bengal. They invented a mixture of substances, which, when burned, is accompanied by the scattering of sparkling sparks, which can be either white or colored. Bengal lights have spread widely around the world and have become an integral part of any holiday.

In ancient India, in temples during religious ceremonies, a fire of unusual brightness flared up and quickly went out, and various smells could spread throughout the temple. It all depended on the type of ceremony:

Pleasant aromas - "good breath" (most likely, rosin was present in the Bengal fire)

Disgusting smells - "the smell of evil" (sulfur was present in the mixture).

Flaming compositions were often used by the clergy in various ceremonies, and this contributed to the improvement of their composition and the extension of the burning time. Soon the compositions of colored fire became known: yellow, blue, green. And then the first sparklers appeared, which were bamboo tubes filled with the composition of sparklers. When burned, they formed sheaves of sparks and made a crackling sound. Such lights were often used to transmit signals over long distances.

In the future, after the opening of trade routes between India and Europe, sparklers immediately became entertainment for many.

The history of the emergence of Bengal fire is rooted in ancient India. it was in Bengal in the 5th-6th century. n. e. during religious ceremonies in the temples on the altars, a fire of unusual brightness flared up and quickly burned out. at the same time, depending on the wishes of the clergy and the type of ceremony, “it smelled of evil” (probably the composition contained sulfur powder, which forms sulfur dioxide when burned), or “good breath” poured over the temple (probably in this case, instead of sulfur, rosin was used as part of the Bengal fire ). high efficiency actions due to the deification of fire and light by the peoples stimulated the rapid development of the use of fiery compounds, the improvement of their recipes by the clergy. by the beginning of the 8th century, the compositions of colored fire were already known - blue, green, yellow. there were ways to lengthen the burning time. for this, hollow dry stems of plants, tubes twisted from dried, wide leaves, were filled with the composition of Bengal fire. these first Bengal candles not only gave a bright flame, their burning was also accompanied by a characteristic crackle. in the folk life of the Eastern Slavs around the same years, “fiery fun” took place, which were arranged using a club moss. club moss or lycopodium, an evergreen herbaceous, moss-like plant creeping along the ground. its mature dry spores, when ignited, give an instant lightning-like flash without smoke. The flame of the club moss is amazing, it's a lot of fun to look at him, especially when he is thrown at night or in the dark. to make a strong noise, dried and powdered birch leaves are mixed in. the property of the moss powder is such that it ignites only when dispersed in the air above the flame; in other cases, it does not burn, even if a lighted wick is put into it or poured over burning coals. unlike the club moss, the fresh composition of the sparkler flares up instantly from any source of flame. it is for this reason that its use is much easier. therefore, practically since the opening of trade routes between Europe and India, sparklers have come to Europe. in Europe, sparklers immediately became the subject of entertainment. with its help, using compositions of colored fire, fiery pictures were drawn, scenes and decorations were decorated and illuminated. it is in Europe (according to the Spanish researcher Bertrano Luengo - in Valencia) that Bengal torches and indoor compositions first appear. the next step on the way to today's Bengal candles familiar to us was the appearance of sparkling fire recipes in the 6th-7th centuries. the effect was achieved by adding iron scale, crushed cast iron, and later magnesium powder to the fiery compositions of the Bengal fire. thus, Bengal fire developed in two directions - as fiery and as sparkling. fiery compositions are usually equipped in paper sleeves, sparkling ones are applied in several layers on wooden sticks or metal wire. Bengal torches are quite popular, especially in Europe. products are produced in different colors (red, green, blue, white, yellow), different sizes (length from 20 cm to 100 cm), different purposes (street and low-smoke indoors). Bengal torches in the 18-19 centuries were an indispensable attribute of all fireworks performances. they were used to set fire to products and in all situations where it was necessary to suddenly illuminate a large area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe stage or scenery with colored light. Russian pyrotechnician Professor Petrov recommended for the manufacture of fiery Bengal candles “sleeves of writing paper in 3 turns, 20 mm in cross section and 35 cm in length. 5 cm clay is placed in the sleeve and then filled with a fiery composition of Bengal fire, lightly tamping ... ”such a candle burns out along with the sleeve, so it is not possible to hold it in your hands. however, these candles, fixed along the contour of the picture, due to the even, bright flame, give a wonderful “fiery picture”.

Burning bengal fire

Bengal lights are an indispensable attribute of the New Year. But why are sparklers so called? What are sparklers made of, what is their composition and how to make them at home? You will find answers to these and other questions in this article.

All sparklers are composed of fuel, an oxidizing agent, metal powder (for sparks), combustible glue and a rod for the entire mass. Most often, the composition of sparklers is as follows:

• aluminum or magnesium powder is used as fuel,
• barium nitrate (barium nitrate) is used as an oxidizing agent,
• as a binder, dextrin or starch is used,
• oxidized iron and steel filings are used to generate sparks,
• metal wire is used as the basis for the combustible mixture.

Why are sparklers so called?

I am sure many of you have wondered why sparklers are called so. Why Bengali? The name comes from the province of Bengal, which is located in India.

In this province, for the first time, a similar composition was used as an alarm. After that, the name Bengal fire went, i.e. fire from Bengal.

How to make sparklers at home

In the book of G.A. Platov "Pyrotechnician. The art of making fireworks” describes several compositions for self-manufacturing sparklers. As you can see below, the main components do not change, only the fuel changes:

1. 50% - barium nitrate
2. 30% - steel or iron blued sawdust
3. 13% - dextrin
4. 7% - aluminum powder or magnesium powder or aluminum-magnesium powder (PAM) No. 4.

Barium nitrate can most often be purchased only in specialized chemical stores, so below is the option of making your own sparklers without using barium nitrate.

Attention! The composition for self-made sparklers, which is proposed below, contains sulfur, so their use indoors is prohibited!

To make 15 sparklers you will need:

• 10 g cast iron or steel filings (the color of the sparks depends on the metal)
• 10 g of aluminum powder (50% potassium nitrate, 35% aluminum powder and 15% sulfur must be mixed together and rubbed thoroughly)
• 4 grams of dextrin (dextrin is obtained from starch by baking it at 200 degrees for 90 minutes, for example in the oven)
• Steel wire with a diameter of 1 mm.

Stages of home production:

1. At the beginning of the manufacture of home sparklers, it is necessary to cut the steel wire into segments desired length. On one side of the wire, you need to make a hook (it is needed to hang sparklers for drying).
   

   The use of copper and aluminum wire is prohibited, because the combustion temperature exceeds 1000 degrees and the wire will melt.

2. We mix all the components by adding a little water or alcohol to bring the consistency of the mixture to a more or less thick state (like condensed milk).
3. Dip pieces of steel wire into the resulting mixture and dry for about 15-20 minutes, repeat the procedure 5-6 times.
   

   For these purposes, a test tube is well suited, but if you do not have one, then you can apply the composition to the wire with a brush.

As you can see, making sparklers at home is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance, but it is important to remember the safety rules when using fire indoors and outdoors.

How to light sparklers

Some manufacturers apply a special flammable head (almost like a match head) to the end of a Bengal candle to make it easier to ignite.

To quickly light a Bengal fire, it is better to use another, already lit, because. combustion temperature exceeds 1000 degrees.

You should not try to light Bengal candles from a cigarette in your mouth - this can lead to bad consequences.