🌙 Origins: Crystallized Tears of the Moon
Also known as Moonstone Gypsum or Fibrous Gypsum, Selenite takes its name from Selene, the Greek goddess of the Moon. Formed over 500 million years ago, this translucent crystal grew alongside the earliest evaporated seabeds—an ancient relic of light and salt.
🔬 Scientific Snapshot
- Name: Transparent variety of Gypsum (CaSO₄·2H₂O)
- Texture: Silky smooth, thanks to its natural fibrous structure
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Special Traits:
- Emits a pale blue glow under UV light—like aurora fragments
- Naturally forms rose-like crystal clusters, known as Desert Roses
💡 Fascinating Facts
- Soft as a Whisper: Mohs hardness 2 – can be scratched with a fingernail; dissolves in water!
- Gothic Glow: In medieval Europe, Selenite thin sheets were used as church “glass,” casting ethereal halos when lit
- Cosmic Cousin: Similar evaporite crystals were found on Mars—suggesting ancient Martian oceans!
🌍 Enchanting Global Origins
- Naica Mine, Mexico: Home to giant sword-like Selenite crystals over 12 meters long—a real-life crystal palace
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Moroccan Desert: Famous for sunset-hued pink-orange Selenite—nature’s filter magic
⚠️ In 2023, UNESCO listed the Naica Selenite caves as a fragile geological heritage site
🔎 How to Identify Authentic Selenite
- Light Test: Look for feather-like fibrous patterns when held to light
- Taste Test (not museum-recommended!): Slightly sweet (calcium sulfate)
- Hardness Test: A copper coin (Mohs 3) will leave a mark on real Selenite
📜 Selenite’s Hidden History
- Ancient Egypt: Selenite scarabs found in King Tutankhamun’s tomb, believed to guide souls across the underworld
- Renaissance: Da Vinci ground Selenite into pigment, giving his works their iconic hazy glow
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Victorian Era: Nobles carried “Wish Stones” of Selenite to court moon-blessed love
