Science of Snow Sparkles

Science of Snow Sparkles, this is the one thing I love most about winter. When the sun comes out and you have a sea of sparkles glistening in the morning light. It is like a sea of diamonds that one cannot touch, you can only admire it from a far.

Snow sparkle is possible on a sunny day when there are flat ice crystals on the top of the snow’s surface, As the sun comes down and hits those ice crystals, they act like mirrors. So what you’re seeing is individual ice crystals that the sun is reflecting off of.

The usual white sparkle is caused by light reflecting off of the top of the ice crystals. But, when the light bounces off of the bottom surface of the crystal, color can be created. As you see in these two photos. Just amazing to me, this light that I see lifts my spirits and always brings a smile to my face.

Science of Snow Sparkles

by Sandra J

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