frost fractals

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Sunday morning’s visual treat was to find our unheated solarium skylights covered over in the most beautiful and intricate frost patterns. I think this complexity is rare here on the west coast. It had been raining very heavily for several days, but cleared and became cold overnight. Notice some leaves trapped in the frost in the lower photos. The bottom photo (below) is taken of the roof glass on the outside, notice how thick the ice is. The sun’s rays quickly melted all away, a fleeting art installation.

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“Mathematicians explain that both ferns and frost are fractals — self-replicating patterns — which makes them no less mysterious.” from Frost Smitten

Dr. Universe explains why frost on a window looks like plant life (leaves, ferns and such).

With this display of Jack Frost’s art, the mountain tops white with snow and the forecast calling for more cold weather and possible flurries, I’m now feeling in the Christmas mood. Is it because the first half of my life was spent in places with real winters?

December 5, 2004 in Nature, Photoworks by Marja-Leena