![](http://www.alamy.com/thumbs/6/906677BC-0509-4396-8271-9810D7C6E1AA/2ADF6RY.jpg)
Double snowflake. Snowflakes are ice crystals that form in air that has a temperature near the freezing point of water. If the air is calm, then a sym
Double snowflake. Snowflakes are ice crystals that form in air that has a temperature near the freezing point of water. If the air is calm, then a symmetrical, hexagonal snowflake can form. It is also quite common for two snowflakes to form from the same centre, due to a process called crystal twinning. This leads to a snowflake with 12 sides. These snowflakes have formed mostly by faceting, a crystal growth mechanism that forms straight edges and the hexagonal shapes of a plate snowflake. The arms of a snowflake form due to instabilities that cause branching growth from a snowflake's corners.
Size: 2824px × 2624px
Photo credit: © KENNETH LIBBRECHT/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: 12-sided, branching, christmas, climate, cold, crystal, crystalline, dodecagon, dodecagonal, double, faceting, flake, freezing, frozen, hexagonal, ice, icy, meteorological, meteorology, pattern, patterns, plate, precipitation, seasonal, shape, single, snowflake, stellar, structure, symmetrical, symmetry, twelve-sided, twinning, unique, water, weather, winter, wintry, xmas