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The shapes of the paper snowflakes you may have cut out as a kid actually exist in nature.
If a snowstorm comes under just the right conditions, giant, picture-perfect snowflakes can form.
Kenneth Libbrecht, a physics professor at Caltech, has studied snow crystal formation for years.
Since he can't see many snowflakes in Southern California, Libbrecht travels to ideal locations like Northern Ontario to photograph them in the wild. He even grows his own in the lab.
Libbrecht has compiled a guide to different snowflake shapes, of which there are over 120.
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Giant, gorgeous snowflakes, Libbrecht told Tech Insider, are most often classified as "stellar dentrites." The ideal conditions to see these are when it's particularly cold out: around 5 degrees Fahrenheit.
"I'm always looking for these conditions where the clouds are really low, almost like fog, and the crystals are forming very close to the ground — that's when you get the really nice ones," he said. "And you want a light snowfall; wind is not very good. Cold, calm and low clouds — that’s the recipe. And you don't get that very often."Image may be NSFW.
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If you're lucky enough to get the perfect snowfall this winter, head outside with a magnifying glass. You'd be amazed what nature can make.
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