Lunar Crater National Natural Landmark facts for kids
The Lunar Crater National Natural Landmark is a really cool place in central Nevada. It's a special area that looks a bit like the Moon! That's why it's called "Lunar Crater." It's located about 70 miles (110 km) east of a town called Tonopah, in Nye County. In 1973, it was named a National Natural Landmark because of its unique volcanic features.
What is Lunar Crater?
Lunar Crater is a big, round hole in the ground. It's about 400 acres (1.6 square kilometers) wide. Scientists believe it was made by several huge volcanic explosions! It's a special type of volcano called a "maar." A maar is a wide, flat-bottomed volcanic crater. It forms when hot magma (melted rock underground) meets groundwater. This causes a massive steam explosion. Lunar Crater is one of two maars in this area. This whole region is known as the Lunar Crater volcanic field.
Astronauts Train for the Moon
Did you know that astronauts trained at Lunar Crater? In September 1972, NASA used this crater to help their Apollo astronauts learn about volcanoes. They needed to recognize volcanic features they might see on the Moon. This training was especially important for the Apollo 17 mission.
The astronauts practiced their skills with special vehicles called "rovers." They drove around the crater, just like they would on the Moon! Astronauts who trained here included Apollo 16's John Young and Charlie Duke. Also, Apollo 17's Gene Cernan and Jack Schmitt used this training for their moonwalks. Famous geologist William R. Muehlberger was one of their teachers.
