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It looks like something from another world – and mind-blowing to know there are scientists living and working inside this frozen capsule fully encased in several FEET of ice – or rime ice to be exact.

It’s the Mount Washington Observatory - located on the summit of Mount Washington. This Weather research and observation station is located at more than 6,000 feet - and very accustomed to rime ice. The observatory posted these photos on X of the observatory completely covered in Rime Ice. They explained that several days in the fog was the cause.

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Rime Ice occurs when ice crystals interlock and form on an object, sometimes fulling encasing it. For rime ice to form, the object AND the air around it has to be below freezing - and liquid water droplets are present. The water droplets freeze on impact with the object, creating their irregular shape.

You can find rime ice when foggy conditions are present. Rime ice can form on power lines and tree branches causing power outages - and it can also accumulate on roadways.

The Mount Washington Observatory’s high elevation means it can be socked in the clouds for days at a time, making it the ideal location for rime ice to form.

J​ennifer Gray is a weather and climate writer for weather.com. She has been covering some of the world's biggest weather and climate stories for the last two decades.