Subscribe Now! National Geographic Magazine $15
Home
Animals
Daily News
Green Guide
History
Kids
Maps
Music
Photography
Science & Space
Travel & Cultures
Video
National Geographic Magazine
National Geographic Channel
Magazines
Shop
Subscriptions
TV & Film
Travel With Us
Our Mission
Visit our Online Shops
Books & Atlases
Clothing & Accessories
DVDs
Maps
Catalog Quick Shop

Sign up for free

Newsletters

Once a month
get new photos
and expert tips.

Sign up

Sectored Plate Snowflake
Photo: Sectored plate snowflake
WALLPAPER
A snowflake's shape depends on the temperature at which it forms. This type of snowflake, called a sectored plate, forms when the temperate dips below about 5 degrees Fahrenheit (-15 degrees Celsius).
Photograph by Kenneth Libbrecht

Related Photo Galleries
Photo: Ceiling of an ice cave in Bavaria, Germany

Patterns in Nature: Snow and Ice

Photo: Peary Arctic expedition

Photo Gallery: North Pole Expeditions

Photo: Light reflecting on a rock wall in Utah

Patterns in Nature: Enigmatic Earth

Image: See all science and space photo galleries

Special Advertising Section
Photo: Isla Espiritu

Interactive Map

Find unusual vacation spots and journey through Mexico.
Photo: Caernarfon Castle in Wales

Photo Contest

Download a game widget and enter to win!

Photo Tip of the Week

Under the Weather

Check the weather forecast in the local media as soon as you arrive somewhere so you can make plans for sunny, cloudy, or rainy days.

More Photo Tips

Wild at Heart
Photo: Wild at Heart book cover

Explore the wild with award-winning photographer Chris Johns.

Buy Book

Photography Guides
Photo: Ultimate Field Guide book cover

Guides by National Geographic photographers.

Buy Guides