Cannon (nonfiction)

Illustration of an "eruptor," a proto-cannon, from the 14th century Ming Dynasty book Huolongjing. The cannon was capable of firing proto-shells, cast-iron bombs filled with gunpowder.

A cannon (plural: cannon or cannons) is any piece of artillery that uses gunpowder or other usually explosive-based propellants to launch a projectile.

Cannon vary in calibre, range, mobility, rate of fire, angle of fire, and firepower; different forms of cannon combine and balance these attributes in varying degrees, depending on their intended use on the battlefield.

The word cannon is derived from several languages, in which the original definition can usually be translated as tube, cane, or reed.

In the modern era, the term cannon has fallen into decline, replaced by "guns" or "artillery" if not a more specific term such as "mortar" or "howitzer", except for in the field of aerial warfare, where it is often used as shorthand for autocannon.

In the News

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  Figure in Three Artillerymen thought to be Roger Zelazny in disguise.

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  Writer-Sorceror Roger Zelazny involved with Rosewater cannon trade, says media futures analyst.

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  Artist-Engineers researching smokeless rose water (nonfiction).

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  Manufacturer distill Mil-spec rose water for advanced Rosewater cannon.

Fiction cross-reference

• Rosewater cannon

Nonfiction cross-reference

• Rose water (nonfiction)
• War (nonfiction)
• Weapon (nonfiction)

External links:

• Cannon @ Wikipedia