Above: A hexagonal (six-sided) snow crystal, classified as a stellar dendrite. This crystal was photographed with an Olympus TG-6 camera after it landed on the sleeve of the authors fleece jacket ...

By the time the large crystal (which we call a snowflake) has left the cloud, Libbrecht estimates that it will have abosrbed the water from about 100,000 nearby droplets.

In 1925, Bentley shared why he was so intrigued by these snow crystals. He said that every snowflake is a work of art none of them are the same as the others. This means that all snow crystals ...

Each snow crystal forms when water vapor in the clouds condenses into ice. The molecules of H 2 O join together in a hexagonal lattice, and those molecules begin to clump together. The small core of a ...

In 1885, American farmer Wilson Bentley attached a camera to his microscope and took what is believed to be the very first photo of a snowflake.

To capture and inspect snow crystals up close, he uses a high-quality, low-power photo-microscope that he designed himself. (A key feature is the Styrofoam encasement for protection in cold climates.) ...

The largest, most photogenic dendritic snow crystals grow best at around 5 degrees Fahrenheit, said Libbrecht, while needle and column shapes are more common around 21 degrees Fahrenheit.

Sparkling snow, glistening icicles and crystal-like iced puddles make you stop in your tracks and pull out your camera to capture nature’s art. Before you snap, take a few minutes to make your ...

Austria may be known for its glittering snow-topped Alps – but, as the warmer months draw in, there’s another sparkling sight to behold. Enter Swarovski Crystal Worlds in Tyrol, Western ...