Snowflakes

“Snowflakes” was programmed in extended ALGOL, read into a Burroughs B5500, and plotted on a CalComp 565 plotter. The snowflake crystal as it appears in nature is hexagonal, delicate, and has twelve degrees of symmetry. By calculating the coordinates of the points for one-half of one branch of the snow flake and making the proper reflections and rotations, intricate snowflake designs were approximated, and randomly placed.”

Sumner .67 . Virginia [Source: Computers and Automation '67]