Moonstone (gemstone)

Not to be confused with Moon rock.
For other uses, see Moonstone (disambiguation).
Moonstone
General
CategoryAnorthoclase variety
Formula
(repeating unit)		(Na,K)AlSi3O8
Crystal systemMonoclinic
Identification
ColorCan be numerous colors, including blue, grey, white, pink, peach, green and brown, as well as colorless
Cleavageperfect
Fractureuneven to conchoidal
Mohs scale hardness6.0
LusterOpalescent
Streakwhite
Specific gravity2.54–2.66
Optical propertiesfor orthoclase and sanidine, biaxial (–); for oligoclase, biaxial +/–
Refractive index1.518–1.547
Birefringence0.005–0.01
Dispersion0.012
A small rough moonstone sample

Moonstone is a sodium potassium aluminium silicate ((Na,K)AlSi3O8) of the feldspar group that displays a pearly and opalescent schiller.[1][2] An alternative name for moonstone is hecatolite[2] (from goddess Hecate).

Etymology

The name moonstone derives from the stone's characteristic visual effect, called adularescence (or schiller), which produces a milky, bluish interior light. This effect is caused by light diffraction through alternating layers of orthoclase and albite within the stone. The diffracted light varies from white to blue, depending on the thinness of the albite layers.[1] More technically, this micro-structure consists of regular exsolution layers (lamellae) of different alkali feldspars (orthoclase and sodium-rich plagioclase).

Polished moonstones often display chatoyancy ("cat's eye" effect), where a luminous streak appears through the stone. Asterism is rare and produces four-legged stars.[1]

Geology

Moonstone cabochon

The most common moonstone is of the orthoclase feldspar mineral adularia, named for an early mining site near Mt. Adular in Switzerland, now the town of St. Gotthard.[1][better source needed] A solid solution of the plagioclase feldspar oligoclase +/− the potassium feldspar orthoclase also produces moonstone specimens.

Deposits of moonstone occur in Armenia (mainly from Lake Sevan), Australia, the Austrian Alps, Mexico, Madagascar, Myanmar, Norway, Poland, India, Sri Lanka, and the United States.[2][3] Historically, the most valuable, transparent moonstones with strong blue sheen came from Myanmar.[1] Today, most commercial moonstones come from Sri Lanka.[3]

In culture

Moonstone has been used in jewellery for millennia, including ancient civilizations. The Romans admired moonstone, as they believed it was derived from solidified rays of the Moon.[4] Both the Romans and Greeks associated moonstone with their lunar deities. In more recent history, moonstone became popular during the Art Nouveau period; French goldsmith René Lalique and many others created a large quantity of jewellery using this stone.[5]

The moonstone is the Florida State Gemstone; it was designated as such in 1970 to commemorate the Moon landings, which took off from Kennedy Space Center. However, it does not naturally occur in the state.[6]

In Thailand, moonstone is known as Mukdahan, the same name as the northeastern province next to the river Mekong, Mukdahan. The name of the province comes from a folklore that a magical gemstone looked like a pearl floating above the Mekong in the area where the province is now located.[7]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Moonstone Gemological Information International Gem Society, Retrieved 01-05-15
  2. ^ a b c "Moonstone". Mindat.org. Retrieved 2022-02-06.
  3. ^ a b "Moonstone" Encyclopædia Britannica, 2011. Web. 20 Jan. 2011.
  4. ^ "Moonstone" American Gem Trade Association. Retrieved 21 January 2011.
  5. ^ "Moonstone" International Colored Gemstone Association. Retrieved 26 April 2012.
  6. ^ "Moonstone – Florida State Symbols". Florida Division of Historical Resource. Retrieved 1 Sep 2011.
  7. ^ ""มุกดาหาร" เมืองสำราญชายฝั่งโขง" [“Mukdahan” joyfully town on the Mekong coast]. ASTV Manager (in Thai). 2024-11-04. Retrieved 2005-02-16.
  • Media related to Moonstone at Wikimedia Commons

Read other articles:

Keuskupan Málaga

Keuskupan MálagaDioecesis MalacitanusDiócesis de MálagaKatolik Katedral MálagaLokasiNegaraSpanyolProvinsi gerejawiGranadaStatistikLuas7.283 km2 (2.812 sq mi)Populasi- Total- Katolik(per 2004)1.443.3531,371,185 (95.0%)InformasiDenominasiKatolik RomaRitusRitus LatinPendirian4 Agustus 1486KatedralBasilika Katedral Bunda Inkarnasi di MálagaKepemimpinan kiniPausFransiskusUskupAntonio Dorado SotoUskup agungFrancisco Javier Martínez FernándezEmeritusRamón B...

 

 

Guichen Bay

Bay in Limestone Coast, South AustraliaGuichen BayThe Robe ObeliskGuichen BayLocation in South AustraliaLocationLimestone Coast, South AustraliaCoordinates37°7′14″S 139°45′58″E / 37.12056°S 139.76611°E / -37.12056; 139.76611[1]TypeBayBasin countriesAustraliaMax. length6 km (3.7 mi)[2]Max. width3.4 km (2.1 mi)[2]Max. depth11.3 m (37 ft)[2]SettlementsRobe Guichen Bay, (locally /ˈɡiːʃən/ ...

 

 

The Underneath (novel)

2008 children's book by Kathi Appelt The Underneath AuthorKathi AppeltIllustratorDavid SmallCover artistDavid BlaneCountryUnited StatesLanguageEnglishGenreChildren's literatureFantasyPublisherAtheneum Books for Young ReadersPublication date2008Pages313ISBN978-1-4169-5058-5OCLC166386966LC ClassPZ7.A6455 Un 2008 The Underneath is a children's book by Kathi Appelt. It tells the story of an abandoned cat who goes to live with a maltreated hound dog underneath a crooked old house in a ba...

Friedberg (Assia)

Questa voce sull'argomento centri abitati dell'Assia è solo un abbozzo. Contribuisci a migliorarla secondo le convenzioni di Wikipedia. Questa voce o sezione sull'argomento centri abitati della Germania non cita le fonti necessarie o quelle presenti sono insufficienti. Puoi migliorare questa voce aggiungendo citazioni da fonti attendibili secondo le linee guida sull'uso delle fonti. FriedbergcittàFriedberg (Hessen) Friedberg – Veduta LocalizzazioneStato Germania Land A...

 

 

Бисексуальность

Флаг гордости бисексуалов Бисексуальность      Сексуальные ориентации Бисексуальность Пансексуальность Полисексуальность Моносексуальность Сексуальные идентичности Би-любопытство Гетерогибкость и гомогибкость Сексуальная текучесть Исследования Шк...

 

 

アプリケーションソフトウェア

「アプリケーション」はこの項目へ転送されています。英語の意味については「wikt:応用」、「wikt:application」をご覧ください。 この記事には複数の問題があります。改善やノートページでの議論にご協力ください。 出典がまったく示されていないか不十分です。内容に関する文献や情報源が必要です。（2018年4月） 古い情報を更新する必要があります。（2021年3月）出...

ماسوح (عمان)

ماسوح  - منطقة سكنية -  تقسيم إداري البلد الأردن  المحافظة محافظة العاصمة لواء لواء ناعور قضاء قضاء أم البساتين السكان التعداد السكاني 643 نسمة (إحصاء 2015)   • الذكور 424   • الإناث 219   • عدد الأسر 109 معلومات أخرى التوقيت ت ع م+02:00  تعديل مصدري - تعديل   ماس...

 

 

Raden Rauf

Raden Rauf adalah seorang selebriti internet asal Indonesia yang aktif di media sosial seperti Instagram, Twitter dan YouTube. Pria yang akrab disapa Om Aup ini merupakan influencer yang aktif menyuguhkan konten seputar percintaan dengan pembawaan komedi. Raden Rauf terkenal dengan aneka tips dan nasihatnya mengenai percintaan pembentukan sikap sosial remaja.[1] Ia terkenal dengan konten tanya jawab atau Q & A Insta Story di Instagramnya.[2]. Referensi ^ Martiana, Veni; Pr...

 

 

سمير أبو النيل (فيلم)

سمير أبو النيلملصق الفيلممعلومات عامةالصنف الفني فيلم كوميدي[1] تاريخ الصدور 24 أبريل 2013مدة العرض 105 دقيقةاللغة الأصلية لغة عربيةالبلد  مصرالطاقمالمخرج عمرو عرفةالكاتب أيمن بهجت قمرالبطولة أحمد مكينيكول سابامحمد لطفيإدواردالتصوير محسن أحمدالتركيب معتز الكاتبصنا�...

Multiculturalism without Culture

2007 book by Anne Phillips Multiculturalism without Culture AuthorAnne PhillipsCountryUnited KingdomLanguageEnglishSubjectMulticulturalism, feminism, political philosophyGenreNon-fictionPublisherPrinceton University PressPublication dateMay 21, 2007Media typeHardbackPages216 ppISBN978-0-691-12944-0 (hardback)OCLC71275406Dewey Decimal305.4809182/1 22LC ClassHQ1161 .P452 2007 Multiculturalism without Culture is a book written by Anne Phillips.[1][2] The topic of multic...

 

 

Active volcano

Geological feature World map of active volcanoes and plate boundaries Kīlauea's lava entering the sea Lava flows at Holuhraun, Iceland, September 2014 An active volcano is a volcano that has erupted during the Holocene (the current geologic epoch that began approximately 11,700 years ago), is currently erupting, or has the potential to erupt in the future.[1] A volcano that is not currently erupting but could erupt in the future is known as a dormant volcano.[1] Volcanoes tha...

 

 

Herbert Yardley

American cryptologist (1889–1958) Herbert YardleyHerbert O. YardleyBornHerbert Osborn YardleyApril 13, 1889Worthington, IndianaDiedAugust 7, 1958(1958-08-07) (aged 69)Washington, D.C.Scientific careerFieldsCryptology Herbert Osborn Yardley (April 13, 1889 – August 7, 1958) was an American cryptologist. He founded and led the cryptographic organization the Black Chamber. Under Yardley, the cryptanalysts of The American Black Chamber broke Japanese diplomatic codes and were able to fur...

Jerry Reinsdorf

American sports executive Jerry ReinsdorfReinsdorf in 2011BornJerry Michael Reinsdorf (1936-02-25) February 25, 1936 (age 88)New York City, U.S.EducationGeorge Washington University (BA)Northwestern University (JD)Known forOwner of Chicago White Sox and Chicago BullsSpouse Martyl Rifkin ​ ​(m. 1956; died 2021)​Children4Awards 6× NBA champion (as owner) 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998 with Bulls 1× World Series champion (as owner) ...

 

 

Bleak House (1985 TV serial)

This article is about the 1985 adaptation. For the 1959 adaptation, see Bleak House (1959 TV serial). For the 2005 adaptation, see Bleak House (2005 TV serial). This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.Find sources: Bleak House 1985 TV serial – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (May 2020) (Learn how ...

 

 

مارك ألماني

مارك ألمانيDeutsche Markمعلومات عامةالبلد  ألمانياتاريخ الإصدار 1948عوض فرنك ساري رايخ مارك مارك ألماني شرقي عوضه يورو رمز العملة DEMرمز الأيزو 4217 DEMالمصرف المركزي بنك المركزي الألمانيسعر الصرف 0٫51129 يورو (2002) تعديل - تعديل مصدري - تعديل ويكي بيانات كان المَرْك[1] أو المارك الأ...

Daftar Wali Kota Pekalongan

Walikota Pekalonganꦮꦭꦶꦏꦸꦛꦥꦼꦏꦭꦺꦴꦔꦤ꧀Walikutha PekalonganLogo Kota PekalonganPetahanaAchmad Afzan Arslan Djunaidsejak 26 Februari 2021KediamanRumah Dinas Wali Kota Pekalongan Jl. Perintis Kemerdekaan Kota PekalonganMasa jabatan5 tahunDibentuk1929 (sebagai Pekalongan Burgemeester)Pejabat pertamaHJ. Kuneman (Burgemeester)Situs webpekalongankota.go.id Berikut adalah Daftar Walikota Pekalongan, Jawa Tengah dari masa ke masa: Burgemeester Pekalongan No Foto Wali Kot...

 

 

Albert François Deriot

 Albert François Deriot Naissance 17 janvier 1766Clairvaux-les-Lacs (Jura) Décès 30 janvier 1836 (à 70 ans)Clairvaux-les-Lacs Origine France Allégeance Empire français Arme Infanterie Grade Général de division Années de service 1784 – 1815 Distinctions Baron de l'Empire Commandeur de la Légion d'honneur Hommages nom gravé sous l'arc de triomphe de l'Étoile, 21e colonne. Autres fonctions Maire de Clairvaux-les-Lacs modifier  Albert-François Deriot, né le 17...

 

 

思い、思われ、ふり、ふられ

思い、思われ、ふり、ふられ ジャンル 少女漫画、恋愛漫画、学園漫画、群像劇 漫画 作者 咲坂伊緒 出版社 集英社 掲載誌 別冊マーガレット レーベル マーガレットコミックス 発表号 2015年7月号[1] - 2019年6月号[2] 発表期間 2015年6月13日 - 2019年5月13日 巻数 全12巻 話数 全48話 映画：実写 原作 咲坂伊緒 監督 三木孝浩 脚本 三木孝浩、米内山陽子 音楽 伊藤ゴロ�...

Bosnia and Herzegovina at the 2020 Summer Paralympics

Sporting event delegationBosnia and Herzegovina at the2020 Summer ParalympicsFlag of Bosnia and HerzegovinaIPC codeBIHNPCParalympic Committee of Bosnia and Herzegovinain Tokyo, JapanAugust 24, 2021 (2021-08-24) – September 5, 2021 (2021-09-05)Competitors16 in 4 sportsMedals Gold 0 Silver 0 Bronze 1 Total 1 Summer Paralympics appearances (overview)19962000200420082012201620202024Other related appearances Yugoslavia (1972–2000) Bosnia and Herzegovina ...

 

 

Valyrian languages

Fictional languages in Game of Thrones ValyrianCreated byDavid J. Peterson, George R. R. MartinDateFrom 2012Setting and usage A Song of Ice and Fire novels (1996–) Game of Thrones TV series (2011–2019) House of the Dragon TV series (2022– ) PurposeConstructed languages Artistic languagesFictional languagesValyrianSourcesA priori languageLanguage codesISO 639-3–GlottologNoneIETFart-x-valyrianThis article contains IPA phonetic symbols. Without proper rendering support, you may see ...