Science tells us that hot water turns into a cloud of ice crystals when tossed at subzero temperatures, but Ontario based photographer Michael Davies managed capture this phenomenon on camera. This past Sunday, just 20km south of the Arctic Circle, Davies took these incredible photos of his friend Markus hurling hot tea in -40°C weather.

“Prepared with multiple thermoses filled with tea, we began tossing the water and shooting,” Davies told Huff Post. “Nothing of this shot was to chance, I followed the temperature, watched for calm wind, and planned the shot and set it up. Even the sun in the middle of the spray was something I was hoping for, even though it’s impossible to control.”

More info: michaelhdavies.com | Flickr (h/t: huffpost, colossal)

“Prepared with multiple thermoses filled with tea, we began tossing the water and shooting”

“Nothing of this shot was to chance, I followed the temperature, watched for calm wind, and planned the shot and set it up.”

“Even the sun in the middle of the spray was something I was hoping for, even though it’s impossible to control”