Ambient · sky lanterns
Lanterns Clock
Paper lanterns rising through a night sky over still water, each drifting at its own pace. Warm light against a cool background.
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Press F for full screen. Motion pauses automatically if your system asks for reduced motion.
The scene
Lanterns and the Festivals That Fly Them
Where They Come From
Sky lanterns are flown at festivals across Asia, including Yi Peng in northern Thailand and the Pingxi festival in Taiwan. The lantern carries a small flame, the air inside warms, and the whole thing lifts.
Rising, Not Falling
Every other particle scene here falls: rain, snow, blossom, leaves. This one goes the other way, which changes the feel of the room more than you would expect.
Warm Against Cool
The amber light sits against a deep blue sky, and the water at the bottom picks up a little of it. That contrast is what makes the scene read as warm despite being mostly dark.
Where It Works
An evening room, a restaurant or lobby display, or any time you want something celebratory that is not tied to one particular holiday.
Under the hood
How This Scene Is Built
Each lantern is a single rounded shape with a warm gradient and a glow, rising on its own timing from its own starting point. Nothing is downloaded and nothing is simulated beyond that.
The pause button holds the lanterns where they are, mid-rise. As everywhere else on the site, the animation also stops by itself if your system is set to reduce motion.
Answers
Lanterns Background Questions
Is this tied to a specific festival?
No. Sky lanterns are flown at several festivals across different countries and calendars, so the scene is not dated to any of them.
How many lanterns are there?
Sixteen in the full-screen version, each with its own size, speed and starting point, so they never rise in formation.