Re: [Adastra] Adastra Digest, Vol 46, Issue 7

[Patrick Roper]

They were Penny Green's selfsame ice mushrooms the picture of which we
forwarded to Kaddy.

 

This is what she said "I have been sent some other pictures of similar
formations protruding out of bird baths.  I am now coming to the conclusion
that the strange mushroom shapes are called 'ice candles'. A surface freezes
over but has a certain amount of water trapped underneath. If the frozen
surface cracks at all and a small hole appears, water from below is squeezed
up through the hole and then freezes on impact with the cold air. This
continues to happen at the weak point on the frozen surface until the icy
deposit becomes the shape of a candle. They can grow 15cm long! They are
very uncommon and require specific conditions so it's amazing that there
were several on the ground and a picture was taken!"

 

Patrick

 

 

From: adastra-boun...@lists.sxbrc.org.uk
[mailto:adastra-boun...@lists.sxbrc.org.uk] On Behalf Of davemo...@aol.com
Sent: 10 March 2010 18:30
To: adastra@lists.sxbrc.org.uk
Subject: Re: [Adastra] Adastra Digest, Vol 46, Issue 7

 

I saw a photo of some ice mushrooms on TV about a week ago.

I think it was Caddy doing the weather forcast, and she was asking what they
were.

Dave