What is it Wednesday: February 2, 2022

 

Can you identify what's in this photo?

 

 

Each Wednesday morning 

on Camp Lutherlyn's Facebook page

 the Lutherlyn Environmental Education Program posts a photo. 

 

 

Readers have all morning and afternoon 

to make their best guess about what the photo is. 

 

Around 6 pm LEEP provides the answer and a brief explanation.

 

 

Each week's What is it Wednesday post 

will also be posted on the Nature of Lutherlyn blog, 

 after it is posted on Facebook,

sometimes with additional bonus information. 

 

In addition to bringing you current editions of What is it Wednesday 

on the Nature of Lutherlyn blog, 

we will be reposting old editions,

creating a What is it Wednesday archive. 

 

This photo was posted as a What is it Wednesday on

February 2, 2022. 

 

 

 

And the answer is....

 

This amazing ice formation is hoar frost. 

Hoar frost forms when water vapor freezes as it comes into contact with a cold surface – water changes directly from the gas stage to the solid stage and forms a crystal. (Snowflakes form the same way, but in the air rather than on a surface.) 

If the air is still and there is enough moisture in the air that water vapor continues to come into contact with the initial frozen crystal, the crystals continue to grow larger. 

The formation of hoar frost – in particular especially large crystals like the ones seen here – require just the right conditions of moisture, cold, and stillness of air. The largest crystals in these photos were found near the bottom of a large hill, at the base of a short steep slope, and under some overhanging tree branches. Cold air would have settled there overnight (temperatures were in the single digits), been trapped there by the overhanging branches, and been protected from air currents by the tree branches and the slope of the hill. 

“Regular” frost occurs when water vapor in air which is above freezing temperatures freezes onto a surface whose temperature is below-freezing, like the ground or the roof of a building. (This is also a gas to solid change.)

Rime ice occurs when small liquid water droplets freeze on a surface. 

( This is a liquid to solid change.)

Wikipedia tells us that “The word "hoar" comes from an Old English adjective that means "showing signs of old age". In this context, it refers to the frost that makes trees and bushes look like white hair.”

Whether cold and frosty or glowing with the warmth of summer, there’s always a lot going on at Lutherlyn! Go to www.Lutherlyn.com to check out upcoming opportunities to visit Lutherlyn this winter or to register for Summer Camp! 

Like and follow Camp Lutherlyn on Facebook, to see What is it Wednesday posts when they come out and have the opportunity to share your guesses in the comments!