Snowflakes: God's Stunning, Infinite Creation Caught on Camera

Teresa Neumann : Jan 11, 2009
Charlie English - The Guardian

"And thus it's unlikely that any two complex snow crystals, out of all those made over the entire history of the planet, have ever looked completely alike."

Several UK publications have posted articles on the remarkable photographs of scientist Kenneth Libbrecht, Professor of Physics at the California Institute of Technology, who has dedicated the last 11 years of his life to "catching" and photographing snowflakes with a photo-microscope. His new book, entitled simply, Snowflakes, is a showcase sampling the infinite designs. (Photo: Kenneth Libbrecht/Barcroft Media)

According to a report in The Guardian, most crystals have six-sided symmetry, though three—or 12—sided snow crystals also fall; one will never see a real snow crystal with four, five or eight sides. Notes reporter Charlie English: "The first man to capture snow crystals on camera was a Vermont farmer named Wilson Bentley, who was given a microscope as a teenager. Bentley was so enraptured by what he saw that he went on to devote his life to photographing thousands of snow crystals, and did much to persuade the world that they are all different."

Says Libbrecht, "Each snowfall is a photographic adventure because each brings different crystals. And it's true—no two are exactly alike."

A January 7th report in the Daily Mail, entitled Pictured: The Stunning Snowflakes That Look Like Diamonds in the Sky, elaborates. It says Libbrecht has identified 35 different types of formations including Stellar Dentrites—or "common snowflakes"—plate-like snow crystals that have six broad arms that form a star-like shape, and Fernlike Stellar Dentrites which are the largest snow crystals.

See some of Libbrecht's photographs by clicking on the link provided or logging on to CalTech's website. (Note: Check out the "Guide to Snowflakes" to get an idea of the many diverse shapes.)