Morning Glory Sparklers

The "classic" type of sparkler consists of a thin metal rod approximately 20 cm (8 inches) long that has been dipped in a thick batter of pyrotechnic composition and allowed to dry. This composition is rich in a metallic fuel such as aluminium or iron, which when burned creates silver or gold coloured sparks, respectively. The fuel typically contains potassium nitrate or sometimes potassium chlorate as an oxidizer, sometimes with sulfur and carbon. Coloured flame can be achieved by addition of nitrates or chlorides of barium (light green), cooper(blue/green), or strontium (red).

A more modern type of sparkler, known as the "Morning Glory", consists of a long, thin paper tube filled with composition and attached to a wooden rod using brightly-coloured tissue paper and ribbon. Several different compositions can be packed into a single tube, resulting in a sparkler that changes colour.