A ballistic tracer platform for use with a shotgun shell to provide an aiming and training aid for shotgun shooting sports, which also can be used for military and police applications. The ballistic tracer platform emits light after ignition of the shell, providing the shooter with a consistent reference to make corrections to his aiming point and shooting techniques. The tracer platform can be used in ordinary shotgun shells. The tracer platform comprises a translucent, resilient, elastic, cylindrical container in which the reactants, a fluorescent colored dye and oxalate solution and an activator, are held, separated from each other prior to ignition by encasing one or both in its own glass bulb or tube. The blast from ignition of the shell causes the glass bulb(s) or tube(s) to break. The resulting chemiluminescent reaction between the reactants results in emission of light which is visible to the shooter.