Macrophotograph of a snow crystal showing characteristic hexagonal symmetry. Each crystal is made up from water molecules, arranged with 2 hydrogen at

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Macrophotograph of a snow crystal showing characteristic hexagonal symmetry. Each crystal is made up from water molecules, arranged with 2 hydrogen atoms making an angle of 105 degrees with 1 oxygen atom. The fixed shape of the water molecule means they can assume a stable crystal arrangement only when arranged as a 6-branched figure. Despite essential hexagonal similarity no two snowflakes are identical because their growth from cloud, through sky, to the ground is influenced by temperature, humidity, air currents etc. & these conditions are never identical for two snowflakes. Magnification: x5 (35mm size).

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Size: 4757px × 3750px
Photo credit: © CLAUDE NURIDSANY & MARIE PERENNOU/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: climate, cold, crystal, frozen, macrophoto, macrophotograph, meteorology, snow, snowflake, weather, winter