Hobbies And Interests
Things You'll Need
Instructions
Collecting and Viewing Multiple Snowflakes
Cut a piece of black cardboard, construction paper or velvet into rectangles about the size of microscope slides, usually 1 inch wide by 3 inches long.
Place one or more pieces of the paper or fabric into a freezer for a half-hour or so.
Move the microscope to a cold place such as near an open window, or bring it outside if it is resistant to moisture caused by falling snow.
Place the chilled pieces of paper or fabric on an outside windowsill or other surface where snowflakes land and where you can easily pick it up.
Place the paper or velvet onto the microscope viewing shelf, under the lens. Do not use a cover sheet.
Set your microscope to low power and look inside the eyepiece. Focus the eyepiece as necessary to obtain the sharpest view.
Remove the paper or fabric once the flakes start to melt.
Remove the slide and wipe any moisture off of your microscope viewing tray with a soft, dry lint-free cloth.
Viewing a Single Flake
Collect snow flakes onto a black background according to Steps 1, 2 and 4 of Section 1. If you do not intend to view the flakes together, you do not have to cut the black background material and you can even use Styrofoam to collect the flakes. Bring your microscope outside if it is resistant to moisture, or place it near an open window.
Use a small artist's paint brush to pick up a single flake. You might need to twirl the bristles of the brush together and slip the brush under a flake to pick it up. Quickly place the brush onto the center of a microscope slide.
Press the brush flat against the glass of the microscope slide to release the snowflake onto the slide.
Quickly look through the viewfinder and focus your eyepiece so that you can see the snowflake in full detail before it melts.
Remove the slide. Wipe any moisture off of your microscope viewing tray with a soft, dry lint-free cloth.