On the topic of split stars, here is one crystal, 2 shots. One of each side. I photographed 016 first, then flipped it over and got 015. Edited 015 first though. Easy to see the split star, the arms are grouped in 2 sets of 3. On 016, there was also a lot of spikes growing up off the face of the crystal, making it really hard to edit. This is why there is so much blur. Also with 015, in the centre there is a U shape, that is actually a little sail growing perpendicular to the crystal.

[MikeNArk]

It's interesting to look at the crystal from both sides. This ones shape is not as symmetrical as some others. Bright and sharp on some parts and flat on other parts. Great captures. As a side question, do you work with these snowflakes in a cold environment to maintain integrity of the crystals?

[angkymac]

As always, I don't know what I'm looking at, but it is certainly interesting architecture that cold water creates!
Angky.

[aitrus3]

It's interesting to look at the crystal from both sides. This ones shape is not as symmetrical as some others. Bright and sharp on some parts and flat on other parts. Great captures. As a side question, do you work with these snowflakes in a cold environment to maintain integrity of the crystals?

I'm either outside on my covered deck or in the garden shed, where it is the same temp as outside. It's still a challenge because they do still melt at warmer temps (-1 to -4C) and they sublimate at the cooler temps. Sublimate means to skip the water stage and simply evaporate. One year I tried to save a crystal from the morning until after i got home from work. I set it it our freezer where it couldn't melt but when I got home, it was still gone. Simply evaporated.

Working with them quickly is necessary but if i were indoors doing this, I couldn't work fast enough.