SOME people think even E.T. the Extraterrestrial would have been stunned if he had watched the spectacular fireworks that lit up the sky over Victoria Harbour on the second night of the Year of the Rooster.
But, have you ever wondered what goes into producing such visual miracles? Mr Michael Morris, one of the 30 pyrotechnicians from Pyro Spectaculars, the United States company that was commissioned to choreograph the display, unlocked the mystery to Young Post before the event.
''The shape of each rocket determines the pattern of its effect in the sky,'' Mr Morris, 29, said.
Round shells make defined rotund patterns resembling flowers such as chrysanthemums, peonies and double petals.
Cylindrical-shaped shells, on the other hand, produce asymmetrical forms with its usual accompaniment of bright colours.
''The size of the firework, however, depends on whether the rocket is hard or soft.'' Hard shells make large and powerful patterns while softer cases and those with less explosives inside, like the willow shells, explain their weaker appearance.
What usually captivates spectators in a fireworks show is the kaleidoscope of colours that light up the sky.