The Moon is a big place, and one that a lot of us will be visiting beforelong.

One of its most notable---and numerous---features are its lovely craters. Hundreds upon hundreds of fascinating holes in the ground. And as it turns out, pretty much all of them have names!

Thinking from the Chamber of Commerce point of view....quite a few of these craters have, um, interesting names that give them novelty value as awesome places to say “I’ve been there”.

So, without further ado, here’s the top five most interesting craters tourists will be hopefully-not-dying to visit, just to get that ‘Wall Drug’ or ‘Mystery Spot’ bumper sticker onto a different planet:

(To visit these yourselves, check out Google Earth and its Moon globe tab!)

5) Hell

“To Hell and back!” What fun tourist destination beats Hell itself? To be able to say you made the trip and came back in one piece would be quite the feather in your cap. Imagine the postcards!

Hell (crater)

Fun fact: Hell crater is, of course, named after a priest.

4) Hendrix

“Are you... experienced?” After visiting this crater, yes, you would be. Screw the Valleys of Neptune---this is your ultimate Hendrix place to be.

Hendrix (crater)

3) Picard

I feel a Trekkie convention coming on. If you live long and prosper, you might just be able to red-shirt it up with fellow space nerds at an appropiately-named place...in space! How great is that?

Picard (crater)

Fun fact: Judging by that photo, it looks like the Russians already made an attempt in the 70’s...hmm...

2) Baco

This one’s begging for a revolution. Why, you ask? Because it’s technically named after Sir Francis Bacon...

Francis Bacon...

Bacon...

BACON! On the Moon! The universe is just!

...But, wait: it was named by a German, so somehow, instead of being the glory that BACON on the MOON would be, it is instead just “Baco”.

Anyone up for a petition to name it back to “Bacon”? :D ;)

Baco (crater)

In the meantime, though, we’ll just have to settle for...

1) Beer

Ah, yes. It might take a special brew, but this is the ultimate place to open a galactipub and settle down as the new Beervana for the universe.

I think a hoppy brew would be most appropiate...given the, ah, low gravity of the area. “Hoppin’ with Hops”, hitting the lunar Country music charts 2035.

On tap: Blue Moon, Caldera, and...? :)

Beer (crater)

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Have any lunar craters you think will make popular tourist destinations? Add ‘em in the comments below! :) Or Tweet them to us at @mymoonlpi :)

by: Nick A.

Friday Aug-10-2012