Praxis effect

The Praxis effect (also known as the Praxis explosion or Praxis ring) is a special effect commonly used in science-fiction movies and other visual media.

The effect is most commonly seen following the explosion of a large object: a 'ring' of matter expanding out from the destroyed object.cite book |title=Bad Astronomy: misconceptions and misuses revealed, from astrology to the moon landing 'hoax' |last=Plait |first=Philip |date=2002 |publisher=Wiley |location=New York |url=http://books.google.com.au/books?id=eInnwg77gbkC |format=Google Books |isbn=0471409766 |oclc=48885221 |pages=p. 254] The first acknowledged use of the effect was in ""; the over-mined Klingon moon of Praxis (after which the effect was named) explodes and throws a ring-like shockwave through space, precipitating the events of the film.

Astronomer Philip Plait has described the explosion and resultant shockwave as "the most dramatic effect ever filmed", but states that in reality it would be more likely for such an explosion to generate a spherical shockwave. He finds the effect to be more plausible when appearing in the Special Edition of "" during the explosion of the Death Star, as an explosion travelling from the core of the space station would reach the equatorial trench before the surface of the station and find no resistance at this point. [Plait, Philip, "Bad Astronomy", p. 255]

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