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# Wilson Bentley Photomicrograph of Stellar Snowflake No. 990

Smithsonian Libraries and Archives

                    - Share IconShare Icon                       - 
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                      - Print
                      -     DetailsRelatedObject Details- Creator
- Bentley, W. A (Wilson Alwyn) 1865-1931
- SPI No. SPI_277
- Bentley No. 990
- Wilson A. Bentley first became fascinated with snow during his childhood on a Vermont farm, and he experimented for years with ways to view individual snowflakes in order to study their crystalline structure. He eventually attached a camera to his microscope, and in 1885 he successfully photographed the flakes. This photomicrograph and more than five thousand others supported the belief that no two snowflakes are alike, leading scientists to study his work and publish it in numerous scientific articles and magazines. In 1903 Bentley sent prints of his snowflakes to the Smithsonian, hoping they might be of interest to Secretary Samuel P. Langley.
- Cite as
- Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 31, Image No. SIA2013-09130
- Repository Loc.
- Smithsonian Institution Archives Capital Gallery, Suite 3000, MRC 507; 600 Maryland Avenue, SW; Washington, DC 20024-2520
- 1890
- Circa 1890
- Local number
- SIA RU000031 [SIA2013-09130]
- Restrictions & Rights
- No access restrictions. Many of SIA's holdings are located off-site, and advance notice is recommended to consult a collection. Please email the SIA Reference Team at osiaref@si.edu
- No Copyright - United States
- Type
- Black-and-white photographs
- Physical description
- Albumen prints; 3.5 x 3;
- Smithsonian Institution Archives
- Topic
- Snowflakes
- Photomicrography
- Record ID
- siris_arc_308076
- Metadata Usage (text)
- CC0
Related Content-                    Open Access Highlights                 
-                    Snowflake Bentley's Snow Crystals                 
-                    Winter Wonderland                 
  CC0Creative Commons - No Rights Reserved iconUsage Conditions Apply>download icon>          This image is in the public domain (free of copyright restrictions).  You can copy, modify, and distribute this work without contacting the Smithsonian.  For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Open Access page.        International media Interoperability FrameworkIIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.View manifestView in Mirador ViewerExpand to view image×                             Footer logo      
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