Crystal Pillar

"A crystal that causes the Lunar Cry by producing a strong energy field between the planet and the moon. It's believed to have originated in the moon. The Crystal Pillar responds to a specific location on the planet, and sends a strong directional signal. More research is required to analyze this process in detail."

- FFVIII Info Corner (about the Crystal Pillar).

The Crystal Pillar (クリスタルの柱, Kurisutaru no Hashira) is a gigantic pillar-shaped crystal and an object in Final Fantasy VIII that originates from the moon, and is believed to have fallen on the planet due to the phenomenon known as the Lunar Cry.

History
It is unclear how old the Crystal Pillar is. The Crystal Pillar has the power to trigger the Lunar Cry, because of the energy field it creates between the planet and the moon. The pillar was discovered by the Estharians, who set up the Centra Excavation Site to unearth it. The pillar was placed inside a mobile fortress known as the Lunatic Pandora to be moved to their scientifically-advanced home country of Esthar for research purposes.

Sorceress Adel's plan was to turn the Lunatic Pandora into a weapon to win the Sorceress War and to gain absolute power over the world. The only known instance of Esthar having used Lunatic Pandora to trigger a Lunar Cry thatwas on the Trabia mountains, leaving a deep crater that is visible during the game as well as making it impossible to cross the mountains to Esthar on Garden.

After Laguna became the rightful new leader of Esthar, Lunatic Pandora was deemed too dangerous and was subsequently sunk in the ocean. During the Garden War (also known as the Battle of Gardens), Sorceress Ultimecia (while possessing Rinoa), tells Seifer to acquire it and have the Crystal Pillar to be restored by the Galbadians who were unknowingly serving her. Upon the crystal's complete restoration, it was then used to initiate a Lunar Cry over Esthar to assist in Sorceress Ultimecia's own dangerous schemes.

Trivia

 * Another large crystal structure that was also called the "Crystal Pillar" but with opposing function and properties and it was primarily featured in Final Fantasy XIII, Final Fantasy XIII-2, and Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII.