Adularescence

Adularescence is a big word that describes a very special effect that some minerals have. When we look at certain stones, like moonstone or labradorite, we might notice a beautiful, almost magical glow that seems to come from within the stone. This shimmering glow is called adularescence!

To better understand what causes this effect, let's imagine that we are playing with a flashlight. When we shine the light on a wall, we can see a bright spot where the light hits the wall. But if we tilt the flashlight just a little bit, the spot disappears and we see something different: a big patch of light that seems to move as we move the flashlight. This is what happens with adularescent minerals!

Adularescent minerals have tiny layers of minerals stacked inside them, like a sandwich. When light shines on these layers, it bounces around in between them and creates a special type of glow. This glow moves and changes as we move the mineral in our hand or the direction of the light source.

So, the next time you see a pretty moonstone or labradorite, take a closer look and see if you can spot the magical glow of adularescence!