27/04/2026
People normally mistake satin spar gypsum for “selenite”. Selenite looks more like clear quartz than satin spar. Nevertheless, I like to call it “selenite” because it is so reminiscent of the moon! 🌙 It’s difficult to look at satin spar gypsum and not think of the 🌕 moon! Besides, words and names we made for things don’t really define what a thing is. If it reminds you of moon energy, then call it “moonlightstone” if you want to. 🤷🏻♀️
Another crystal that looks like both selenite (real selenite) and satin spar, is called optical transparent calcite, a.k.a: Viking Sunstone or Iceland Spar. It looks like the moon, is named after the Sun, and guided Viking sailors over the Nordic oceans once upon a long time ago. 🤍✨
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It was a full moon last night, which got us thinking about satin spar gypsum ⭐️
Think of 'satin spar' as a descriptive term for a fibrous form of gypsum (and also calcite and selenite) that has a silky lustre and a pearly white colour.
Crystalline gypsum has a hardness of just 2 on the Mohs scale, which makes it a handle-with-care specimen for collectors and gemmologists.
There's something otherworldly about this orb of photographed by Pat Daly, don't you think?
