Snow crystals
Date
1885
Creator
Unknown, Engraver
After
James Glaisher (1809 - 1903, British) , Meteorologist
Object type
Library reference
12908
Material
Technique
Dimensions
height (page): 190mm
width (page): 125mm
width (page): 125mm
Subject
Description
Study of the structure of 14 snow crystal specimens.
Written in the associated text: ‘When sufficiently cooled the molecules [of water] are brought within the play of the crystallizing force, and they then arrange themselves in forms of indescribable beauty. When snow is produced in calm air, the icy particles build themselves into beautiful stellar shapes, each star possessing six rays […] no words of mine could convey so vivid an impression of their beauty as the annexed drawings of a few of them, executed at Greenwich by Mr. Glaisher.’
Unnumbered plate from John Tyndall’s The forms of water, in clouds & rivers, ice & glaciers (London: Kegan Paul, 1885). From chapter 9, ‘Architecture of Snow’.
John Tyndall (1820-1893), British physicist and mountaineer, was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1852.
‘Mr Glaisher’ likely refers to James Glaisher (1809-1903), British astronomer and meteorologist, who was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1849.
Written in the associated text: ‘When sufficiently cooled the molecules [of water] are brought within the play of the crystallizing force, and they then arrange themselves in forms of indescribable beauty. When snow is produced in calm air, the icy particles build themselves into beautiful stellar shapes, each star possessing six rays […] no words of mine could convey so vivid an impression of their beauty as the annexed drawings of a few of them, executed at Greenwich by Mr. Glaisher.’
Unnumbered plate from John Tyndall’s The forms of water, in clouds & rivers, ice & glaciers (London: Kegan Paul, 1885). From chapter 9, ‘Architecture of Snow’.
John Tyndall (1820-1893), British physicist and mountaineer, was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1852.
‘Mr Glaisher’ likely refers to James Glaisher (1809-1903), British astronomer and meteorologist, who was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1849.
Object history
This copy of Tyndall's Forms of water was donated to the Royal Society by Walter Thompson Welford FRS (1916 – 1990), British physicist.
Associated place