With the moon showcasing its beauty to us every night, many have dreamed of owning a piece of it. And the internet is crawling with pages offering to buy property on Earth’s satellite or a unique gemstone straight from the source. But how legit are these pages, how can you make sure you really get the right stuff – and is it even legal? Let’s take a look at these deals and opportunities how to get your hands on a tangible piece of the universe. Whether you’re curious about the authenticity of moon rocks, the reality of lunar property sales, or the nuances of purchasing meteorites, this article will provide you with everything you need to know.
Can you buy stones from the moon?
If you want to buy a stony treasure from our trabant, you will most likely find two terms: lunar (or moon) rocks and lunar (or moon) meteorites. The first one you CANNOT buy, the second one you can!
Lunar Meteorites vs Lunar Rocks
The primary difference between lunar rocks and lunar meteorites lies in their origins:
🌑 Lunar rocks are found directly on the Moon’s surface and were collected by astronauts during lunar missions or retrieved by unmanned spacecraft from the Moon.
These rocks have not been exposed to the Earth’s atmosphere or biosphere. Controlled and documented retrieval allows for precise contextual information about their location and geological setting on the Moon. However, lunar rocks are NOT purchasable.
☄️ Lunar meteorites originated from the Moon but were ejected into space by impacts from meteoroids. Some of these fragments eventually fell to Earth as meteorites.
These rocks have experienced additional processes such as ejection from the Moon’s surface, travel through space, and entry through Earth’s atmosphere. This can alter their properties compared to lunar rocks.
They are found on Earth, often in deserts or Antarctica, where they stand out against the terrestrial environment. The exact location on the Moon where they originated is typically unknown. And lucky for you, fragments of these meteorites ARE purchasable.
How to buy a legit lunar meteorite
To ensure you’re purchasing a piece of stone that is actually from the Moon and not found by some scammed in their backyard, there are a few things to research and consider. You can buy small pieces for only around 10€ (and 0.10g) or spend a few thousand Euro.
- Go to reputable specialized dealers: An example would be The Meteorite Exchange (not sponsored). Look or their reviews, testimonials or recommendations from other collectors.
- Authentication and certification: Ensure that the meteorite comes with a certificate of authenticity from a recognized authority or laboratory. The COA should include detailed information about the meteorite’s classification, origin, and analysis. Also check for info about the meteorite’s discovery, classification, and previous ownership.
- Expert analysis: Preferably, the meteorite should be analyced and classified by experts from institutions like NASA, the Smithsonian Institution, or other recognized scientific organizations.
How do we know a meteorite came from the Moon?
Scientists determine the origin of a meteorite through a combination of chemical, isotopic, and mineralogical analyses. Lunar meteorites have a unique composition that matches the samples brought back by the Apollo missions, particularly in terms of their oxygen isotopic ratios, which differ from Earth rocks. Additionally, these meteorites often contain specific minerals that are characteristic of lunar geology, such as armalcolite which was first found on the moon. They can also find high-calcium pyroxene and highly calcic plagioclase feldspar, since the moon is known for its lack of volatile elements. Those can easily become gaseous and are not retained well by the Moon due to its formation process, low gravity, lack of a protective magnetic field, extreme surface temperature variations, and geological inactivity.
The presence of solar wind-implanted noble gases, which are found on the Moon’s surface but not in Earth rocks, further supports lunar origin. Lastly, lunar meteorites often show evidence of space weathering, such as micrometeorite impacts, which can be observed under a microscope.
Can you buy property on the moon?
Another popular and perhaps tempting offer that you might find is the “option” to buy property or land on the moon. Many companies have offers of that sort, with prices as low as 164USD per acre. The question now is: Which of these companies are actually legit so you can truly legally own real estate on the moon?
The short yet maybe disappointing answer: None of these companies actually sell property on the moon. If you’d actually complete a transaction and spend money, all you acquired is basically a certificate from that company – basically a novelty deed, which can be a fun gimmick. Which is not a genuine, legally binding property that is issued by official authorities and recorded in the land register.
The reason is simply because not only you are not able to own the moon, none of the nations can claim ownership of it (or any other object in space). The legal framework regarding the purchase of property on the moon is primarily governed by international space law, particularly the Outer Space Treaty of 1967 and the Moon Agreement of 1984.
Outer Space Treaty (1967)
Formally known as the “Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies”. Article II states: Outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, is not subject to national appropriation by claim of sovereignty, by means of use or occupation, or by any other means.
Moon Agreement (1984)
Formally known as the “Agreement Governing the Activities of States on the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies”. The agreement states that the moon and its resources are considered the common heritage of mankind, meaning they cannot be owned by any one entity or individual. It further states that the exploitation of lunar resources should be regulated by an international regime to ensure the equitable sharing of benefits.
With these two frameworks in place, no nation can claim sovereignty over the moon and private entities and individuals also cannot claim ownership.
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