On Jan. 15, 1885, one man sat outside his house in the freezing cold with some black cloth, a turkey feather and a camera, ready to be the first person to catch a snowflake on film. Wilson Bentley was obsessed with snow, so much so that he did very little with his life other than photograph snow; he’s most likely where the idea that no two snowflakes are alike came from. He’d catch flakes on the cloth, manipulate them into position with the feather and quickly put them under the camera shutter. He took dozens of pictures and found that snowflakes came in all shapes and sizes. Bentley called them “masterpieces of design” – they’re not designed, but they are still some of the most magical structures on Earth.

While snowflakes aren’t actually magic, their formation is fascinating and unique in the natural world. Water is a special substance because as a liquid, it’s denser than as a solid. That’s why ice floats – in liquid, water molecules are free to move around and get jumbled together. As the water freezes, the molecules move less, and they form a crystalline structure with a lot of space in between them. Most of the time, ice forms in the shape of whatever container the liquid water was in.

Snow is different. A snowflake forms in the atmosphere when the temperature is below freezing and there’s water in the air. A particle of dust or pollen catches this water vapor out of the air, which freeze in the formations of tiny hexagons around the particle called diamond dust. The corners of these hexagons then catch more water vapor, and the ‘arms’ of the snowflake start to form randomly, and will vary depending on temperature, humidity and a number of other factors. That’s why snowflakes all look so different; they all form under slightly different conditions.

Here are some ways you can take a closer look at snowflakes. Try to find two that look alike!

If you want to just examine the snow as it falls, you’ll need a piece of frozen black velvet or construction paper and a magnifying glass. Take everything outside and catch snowflakes; the black background makes them easier to see, and if the material is frozen, the snowflakes won’t melt on contact. Use the magnifying glass to take a closer look.

For preserving snowflakes, you’ll need a piece of glass and a can of hairspray, kept cold in the freezer until ready for use. When it’s snowing and you’re ready to keep some flakes, spray the glass with the hairspray and hold it out to catch snowflakes. When you have enough, bring the glass inside and allow it to thaw at room temperature.

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