Something a little different for this Collection…..one of Don Komarechka’s amazing snowflake photos.
As I commented on his share this morning, every time I see one of his incredible snowflake images, I keep thinking, “There’s no way he can top this one,” only to find that the snowflake the very next day somehow does. And I thanked him for helping me to maintain my sense of awe and amazement at the scope and grandeur (even on the micro scale) of our Universe.
Yes, the Universe is vast and beyond the true grasp of human minds on the cosmic scale, but it’s worth remembering that it is just as mind-blowing when you get smaller and smaller, too.
Originally shared by Don Komarechka
Snowflake-a-Day #17
Talking about symmetry, we find it in amazing fractal patterns inside of a snowflake. The balance of a snowflake is an interesting thing to think about, because nothing binds the growth of the six sides and six branches together. View large!
The joined side-branches of this snowflake help it resemble the kind that you have cut out of paper as a child, but the symmetry can be perplexing. Sure, a paper snowflake is bound to be symmetrical based on folds, but what about a natural snowflake formed in the sky? Nothing binds it together. Because of this, there are many asymmetric snowflakes where the branches don’t come together so well balanced… so what happens to bring them together and mimic each-other?
Equal conditions create equal branches. A snowflake that has equal temperature and humidity across the entire flake will allow for each branch to grow at the same rate. If a sudden shift in humidity causes branches to form, or side-branches, across the entire snowflake at once? You see the same shapes forming on all branches. Equal doesn’t need to mean consistent and stable, but it needs to affect the snowflake in the same way on all sides.
This becomes more difficult as the crystal grows, and the distance from one branch tip to the opposing branch tip becomes greater. At longer distances it becomes difficult to maintain perfect symmetry, and the farther you go from the center the more likely you are to encounter differences from one side to the other – even in laboratory conditions growing artificial snowflakes.
This one is real of course, as are all snowflakes in this series. I think the fact that this snowflake is a genuine creation of nature and physics in the skies above us is what makes it magical. The beauty we see within a snowflake is all in our head, but we’re “programmed” to understand symmetry, fractals, and balance as beautiful things. A snowflake such as this embodies those characteristics, and the world becomes a more beautiful place because of it. 🙂
For more musings on the science, philosophy and photography of snowflakes, grab a copy of my book Sky Crystals: https://www.skycrystals.ca/book/ – the book contains many snowflakes that have these kinds of features and outlines how they form, but a full third of the 304pg hardcover book is dedicated to the photographic techniques that lead to the creating of an image like this. It’s worth your time to read!