The Daily Croissant

Elbaite - Mawi pegmatite, Laghman Province, Afghanistan

A beautiful bi-colored grouping of transparent gem elbaite crystals measuring 4.6 x 1.4 x 0.9 cm in size overall. Complete all around; the crystals are double terminated and very clean and free of damage. Great color with a light pink grading into a rich green. The crystals are transparent throughout. Weighs 11 grams.

Credit: Cesar Cantu from Monterrey, Mexico, and the Chilidog Observatory

The Seagull is near Sirius, the main star in the constellation Canis Major. The region also includes NGC 2327 – a compact, dusty emission region with an embedded massive star that forms the bird’s head and IC 2177 – forming the sweeping arc of the seagull’s wings. The image is dominated by the reddish glow of atomic hydrogen and is about 3,800 light-years away.