The christmas snowflake. I took this image on Christmas Eve. Very rare find to have the X design. What likely happened here was the crystal formed as a split star. That is, the arms grow on two or more layers, separated from each other by a column. In this case, it was likely a two tiered crystal where the 2 missing arms grew on the other end of the column. Split stars can grow in any combination: 5 arms one one, 1 on the other, 2/4, 3/3. In this case the arm containing the other two branches broke off somewhere in the cloud leaving behind the X. It was quite windy this day so collisions would have been frequent. A rare form, I've been doing this since 2013 and have only ever found this one. Sometimes an X can form from two crossed needles, but it is rare to find an X with the arms fleshed out, and even more rare it happened on X-Mas eve.

[MikeNArk]

This is a very interesting design and very timely, arriving Xmas Eve. Since I've been viewing your images, this is a new one for me. The capture of this snowflake image seems to have a more metallic, pewter look. Impressive! I appreciate your narrative explanations of how these modified occur.

[Tonytee]

My word! What a terrific image. I am in awe. Many thanks for posting.

Tony

[aitrus3]

This is a very interesting design and very timely, arriving Xmas Eve. Since I've been viewing your images, this is a new one for me. The capture of this snowflake image seems to have a more metallic, pewter look. Impressive! I appreciate your narrative explanations of how these modified occur.

Thanks Mike Yeah, the look just has to do with the lighting really but I do try to get this style more than the more see-through style and lighting from this angle can help reveal thin film interference if there is any. The surface of this one is also a bit more smooth than the others as well, less bubble structure and crucially, no rime. When this crystal hit the fabric I stopped looking and went immediately to the camera with it; I was looking for a very long time for an X.

My word! What a terrific image. I am in awe. Many thanks for posting.

Tony

Thanks TT! glad you like it. I love working with the crystals. They're so fascinating and each one is so unique.