08 December 2016

Ice Flowers




Date of Issue : 20 September 2016

The Australian Antarctic Territory (AAT)  issued a beautiful set of 4 stamps featuring Ice Flowers on 20th September 2016.



The ice flowers or ice ferns represented on these stamps are the names given to the intricate ice patterns that form on glass at AAT stations throughout the winter months. 



These icy wonders are created when humid air meets a sub-zero glass pane or window. As winter temperatures frequently fall below -40 ° C, they are a common occurrence in Australia’s stations. The icy patterns seem to grow like plants and resemble ferns or flowers, hence their name. Dust and other matter present on the glass can change the way these formations occur. For instance, droplets of water melted by the sun on the inside of a double-glazed window can be transformed into flowery marvels by ice forming overnight.



- Suresh R. - Bangalore


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