Microscope slides and coverslips can be purchased online. The superglue must the liquid type. Gel superglue will not work for this. The small paintbrush is optional, but it does make it easier to manipulate the snowflakes without breaking them. Go snowflake hunting during a light snowfall; you are more likely to find unbroken, larger specimens as opposed to snowflakes ravaged in a snowstorm.
Chill them in the freezer for 30 minutes. Chill the super glue right in its original container. Avoid chilling the super glue for more than 30 minutes as it will freeze and then you will have to wait for it to thaw again.
Choose the snowflakes you would like to preserve and use the paintbrush to sweep away the ones you don’t want. Try to use larger snowflakes as specimens since the detail is more pronounced.
Handle the glass slides near the edges and avoid touching the surfaces directly. Handling the face of the slides too much could cause the glass to warm up. If the snowflakes are melting, the day may be too warm. Days that are well below freezing are better for preserving the snowflakes. [4] X Research source
Handle the thin cover-slips carefully as they have sharp edges and are fragile.
Note that it can take up to a week for the superglue to dry in the freezer. To be safe, leave them in for the whole week. [5] X Research source Tell your family to be careful when they open the freezer to not break your slides. Once the glue has dried, you can remove the slides from the freezer and examine the snowflakes under a microscope!
Microscope slides can easily be purchased online. A light snowfall on a cold day are the best conditions to preserve a snowflake.
You can also place the slide and the spray in the freezer for 30 minutes.
If you spray too much on the slide, put that slide aside and try again with a new one.
You can use a toothpick to reposition the snowflake on the slide as you’d like. [8] X Research source
Let the adhesive dry in the cold.
Your snowflake will now be preserved forever. The slide is delicate so be careful not to break it.
