If you haven’t had a chance to peruse the Bentley snowflake archives, I would advise it! Wilson Bentley, a cloud physicist, obtained the first photomicrograph ever taken of an ice crystal in 1885 and went on to chronicle thousands of photos of individual ice crystals over the course of his lifetime. The scientist spoke to his passion for capturing the illusive crystals, “Under the microscope, I found that snowflakes were miracles of beauty; and it seemed a shame that this beauty should not be seen and appreciated by others. Every crystal was a masterpiece of design and no one design was ever repeated. When a snowflake melted, that design was forever lost. Just that much beauty was gone, without leaving any record behind.” So whether or not you are lucky enough to see ice crystals in person this holiday – Bentley has collected thousands for us! Happy holidays!

– Julie Rose