the milky, glowing sheen that appears to float inside certain stones like moonstone.
From 'adularia' (the mineral) plus the suffix '-escence' (a soft glowing or developing quality). This describes the characteristic optical effect specific to adularia and similar feldspars.
Adularescence in moonstones is caused by light bouncing between microscopic layers of different mineral compositions—it's like a miniature optical illusion trapped in a stone, which is why ancient people thought moonstones held captured moonlight.
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