Opal is a hydrated silica which is a hardened gel of silica and water. It is deposited at low temperatures from silica-bearing waters and contains up to 10% water. Opal is amorphous, having no crystal structure. (The only other major amorphous gemstone is amber). It comes in massive, stalactitic and rounded forms. Opal can occur as a fissure – filling in rocks of any kind, but especially in areas of geysers and hot springs. It can also form during the weathering and decomposition of rocks. Opals remind me of the Aurora – Borealis. The Aurora Village in the town of Yellow Knife in Canada’s Northwest Territories is one of the best places in the world to see these amazing light displays in the sky. There are ten other spots to watch the Aurora Borealis.