A sky lantern (traditional Chinese: 天燈; simplified Chinese: 天灯; pinyin: tiāndēng), also known as Kǒngmíng lantern (traditional Chinese: 孔明燈; simplified Chinese: 孔明灯), or Chinese lantern, is a small balloon made of paper, with an opening at the bottom where a small fire is suspended.
Sky lanterns have been made for centuries in cultures around the world, to be launched for play or as part of long-established festivities. The name sky lantern is a translation of the Chinese name but they have also been referred to as sky candles or fire balloons.
