Pine Needles in Ice

August 30, 2008

083008

Provided by: David Harrington, University of Hawaii, Institute for Astronomy
Summary Author: David Harrington

The photo above shows needles from a white pine tree encased in ice. Freezing rain in northern Michigan, in mid February 2008, made a mess of the roads but the icy glaze resulted in a showy landscape. Though the rain froze on contact, it melted slightly as the day went on, giving texture and clarity to the ice. The pine needles are perhaps 4 in (2 cm) in length. I had the flash on and there was nothing in the mid-background, hence the black background.