February 9: Birthday of Wilson Bentley (1865)
Prayer Idea
Thank God for the changing of the seasons and the beauty found throughout the year.
History Note
On February 9, 1865, Wilson Alwyn Bentley was born in Jericho, Vermont. His mother taught him at home until age 14. He read the family’s collection of books, including an encyclopedia set.
Bentley began using his mother’s microscope to study drops of water, pieces of stone, bird feathers, and flower petals. But what especially fascinated him were snowflakes. He examined snowflakes under the microscope and tried to make drawings of them. When he discovered that it was possible to take photographs through a microscope, he persuaded his father to purchase the equipment he needed.
After much experimentation, Bentley took his first successful photographs of ice crystals in January of 1885, shortly before his 20th birthday. He continued to take photographs of snowflakes and conduct research on his own. Finally a university professor persuaded Bentley to publish his findings in 1898. This was the first of several articles he published in scientific journals.
Bentley never married. He took care of his mother after his father died and worked on the family farm with his brother. Though some members of his community thought him eccentric, he found great delight in studying snowflakes, raindrops, and dew. For 46 years, he kept using the same camera he obtained as a teenager.
A collection of Bentley’s photographs appeared in November of 1931 in the book Snow Crystals. Bentley died soon afterward, on December 23 of that year.
This photo shows Wilson Bentley with his camera equipment. Photo courtesy the NOAA.
Learn More
In 1904 Wilson Bentley offered some of his photographs to the Smithsonian Institution. This video shows some examples of his work.
Find more resources about Wilson Bentley at Homeschool History.
