Viewing snowflake under microscope?

[Rachel]

We are supposed to get snow today and I’m curious if anyone has figured out a method to view a snowflake under the microscope at home. I assume they will melt pretty quickly. I thought about putting the slides in the freezer before catching a flake but think the light of the microscope will melt the snowflake right away even if the slide is cold. If it’s bright enough outside we may be able to use the microscope without the light but it’s looking like it will be cloudy all day. Has anyone tried this and been successful?

[Jackie]

Yes. You need to actually use all the equipment outside, and let it all sit out there for at least an hour before catching your first snowflake so that it can be down to outside temps. You can catch the snowflakes directly on the slides, or you can catch them on something else (dark fabric or construction paper works, remember to leave it outside as well) and hen shake the most interesting ones onto slides.

[Rachel]

Yes. You need to actually use all the equipment outside, and let it all sit out there for at least an hour before catching your first snowflake so that it can be down to outside temps. You can catch the snowflakes directly on the slides, or you can catch them on something else (dark fabric or construction paper works, remember to leave it outside as well) and hen shake the most interesting ones onto slides.

Thanks! It hasn’t started snowing yet so hopefully we will still get a chance today.

[2_girls_mommy]

Oh that's fun. I remember catching them on black felt and looking at them with a magnifying glass when dds were little. I never thought about taking the microscope out to do it now that we have one! Thanks for the idea. 

[Chris in VA]

You can shine a flashlight sideways onto the snowflake, in case you can't get it on the slide. 

 

We did this to view salt crystals with our little Tasco when dd was in first or second grade.