Questions
The honest answers.
Naming a crater is a keepsake and a gesture, not a legal claim on the Moon, and nobody can sell you an official International Astronomical Union designation. Everything else about how this works is below.
Is this an official IAU naming?
No, and we will never claim otherwise. Official lunar nomenclature is decided by the International Astronomical Union and cannot be bought by anyone. Your dedication is recorded permanently in our own public registry, printed on your certificate, and tied to a real crater with real coordinates. It is a keepsake and a gesture, not a legal claim on the Moon.
Why only twelve craters a day?
There are 1,615 named craters in our catalogue and each one is dedicated once, permanently. Releasing twelve a day keeps the choice small enough to actually think about, and means the person who comes after you is never offered something already taken.
What is actually in the box?
A printed certificate of dedication with your crater, its coordinates and its diameter, the Field Notes journal, two large coloring pages, the high desert star chart, a sticker, a gift tag and a note card, in a black keepsake box.
How much is shipping and how fast is it?
Standard USPS shipping is free and dispatches within three business days. Expedited USPS Priority Mail Express is $27.99 and dispatches the next business day. We ship within the United States only for now.
Can I keep my dedication private?
Yes. Your crater always gets its own permanent registry page with its coordinates and history, but the dedication name and message only appear there if you ask us to show them. Nothing is published without your say so, and every entry is read by a human before it goes up.
Can I return it?
Each set is personalised with a crater that is then retired from the catalogue, so we cannot accept change-of-mind returns. If your order arrives damaged or is lost in transit, tell us within 30 days of delivery and we will replace it or refund it in full.
Who is behind this?
The Joshua Tree Crater Company is a small outfit in the California high desert, part of ExplOrbit. We started it because looking up should be free, and because the things people can name are the things people end up caring about.
