The short version: selenite is a translucent variety of gypsum (hydrous calcium sulfate) with a soft satin sheen along its fibers, named for the Greek moon goddess Selene.
What it is: very soft (Mohs 2 — a fingernail will scratch it) and water-soluble. It forms in long, luminous fibrous crystals; “satin spar” is the silky banded form often carved into wands, plates, and bowls.
How people use it: as a dry plate to rest other stones on, as carved bowls and lamps for the way light glows through it, and as wands on a desk or altar.
Care: keep it dry — water dulls and dissolves it — and store it away from harder stones.
Shop our selenite collection or visit a Sedona shop.