Due to the way they are formed, almost all snowflakes are unique. And now, thanks to a dedicated photo enthusiast named Alexey Kljatov and his macro photography skills, you can now appreciate the sublime beauty of these ice crystals up close.
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© Flickr / Alexey Kljatov
Snowflake macro: leaves of ice.
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© Flickr / Alexey Kljatov
Snowflake macro: ice dust.
Snowflakes start as supercooled cloud droplets that freeze in subzero temperatures.
Snowflake macro: snowfall.
As a snowflake moves through different temperatures and humidity regimes, it can take on fairly complex and even somewhat bizarre shapes.
Snowflake macro: gardener's dream.
Snowflake macro: collage.
While the existence of two identical snowflakes is highly unlikely, it is not impossible.
Snowflake macro: capped column.
Snowflake macro: satellites.
These types of snowflakes, hollow columns, are one of the more unusual kinds. In 1988, scientists were able to identify two virtually identical snowflakes of this very type.
Snowflake macro: ice rainbow.
