# How much to buy a piece of the moon? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 2, 2003, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-to-buy-a-piece-of-the-moon/192523 "2003-08-02T08:26:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2003, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-to-buy-a-piece-of-the-moon/192523/1 "2003-08-02T08:26:28Z")
On Conan, there was a guy who claims to own the moon and the planets of the solar system. He’s selling land. How much to buy an acre? And, can he do that? ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2003, 9:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-to-buy-a-piece-of-the-moon/192523/2 "2003-08-02T09:21:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by RandMcnally \* > And, can he do that? Of course he can but you’d be a fool to buy from him because I’ll give you twice the acres for the same price. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2003, 10:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-to-buy-a-piece-of-the-moon/192523/3 "2003-08-02T10:17:25Z")
If you can get there, you can just stake out whatever land you want, nobody will ever bother you. ---
**Author:** ![Odinoneeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/97f17d/32.png) [@Odinoneeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odinoneeye)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2003, 10:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-to-buy-a-piece-of-the-moon/192523/4 "2003-08-02T10:17:26Z")
I have a crater named after me on the moon already. It’s mine. He can’t have it. I’ll go on Conan too if I have to! ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2003, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-to-buy-a-piece-of-the-moon/192523/5 "2003-08-02T12:42:11Z")
There was a guy selling acres of land on the moon when I was in college. I bought one, for a dollar. Wonder if it is the same guy. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Yossarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/9de0a6/32.png) [@Yossarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yossarian)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2003, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-to-buy-a-piece-of-the-moon/192523/6 "2003-08-02T12:53:10Z")
Between $10,000 to $30,000/gram: [http://www.nature-source.com/nwa032.htm](http://www.nature-source.com/nwa032.htm) [http://209.238.151.128/nwa482sale.htm](http://209.238.151.128/nwa482sale.htm) [http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2185888686&category=3239](http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2185888686&category=3239) ---
**Author:** ![Gjorp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c4cdca/32.png) [@Gjorp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gjorp)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2003, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-to-buy-a-piece-of-the-moon/192523/7 "2003-08-02T12:56:52Z")
Don’t make fun of **RandMcnally**. I can’t remember his name, but I saw the same guy he’s talking about. His claim seemed to be a little more legitimate since he filed it with the UN. It’s a shame I can’t remember his name, I could probably dig up a little more on him. ---
**Author:** ![Gjorp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c4cdca/32.png) [@Gjorp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gjorp)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2003, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-to-buy-a-piece-of-the-moon/192523/8 "2003-08-02T13:08:39Z")
Okay, I basically guessed at the guy’s name and it turned out I was right. His name is **Dennis Hope**. These two sites say his claims are legit; [http://www.scifidimensions.com/Feb01/dennishope.htm](http://www.scifidimensions.com/Feb01/dennishope.htm) [http://www.clickstoday.com/clickstoday-17-20030725ThreeThingsYouCanLearnfromtheLunarRealEstateBoom.html](http://www.clickstoday.com/clickstoday-17-20030725ThreeThingsYouCanLearnfromtheLunarRealEstateBoom.html) And this site says his claims are bogus; [http://www.techtv.com/cybercrime/internetfraud/story/0,23008,3369944,00.html](http://www.techtv.com/cybercrime/internetfraud/story/0,23008,3369944,00.html) However, I don’t know anything about the credibility of any of these sites. ---
**Author:** ![Shade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@Shade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shade)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2003, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-to-buy-a-piece-of-the-moon/192523/9 "2003-08-02T14:04:00Z")
Does this pass the ‘yeah, right’ test? I mean, I don’t know what the legal situation is, but if NASA lands a probe on Joe Schmoe’s plot, and he tells them to pay $xxx rent, do you really think they will? What if NASA finds a way to make moon exploration profitable? IMHO whatever the law says, the ownership of the solar system will be whatever the major countries decide it is. If enough people buy from this guy it may become politic to recognise their claims and/or compensate them, but I don’t think we’re there yet. OTOH, it’s a sweet deal he’s got worked out. I wish I’d thought of it 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2003, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-to-buy-a-piece-of-the-moon/192523/10 "2003-08-02T15:16:11Z")
From **Gjorp’s** link: > [@](#): > > I was laughing hard until I realized that Mr. Hope had sold over 300 million acres of land to more than two million people. I got out my calculator and figured Mr. Hope’s income three times before I would accept that he had earned nearly $9 billion dollars! Do the math yourself: 300 million multiplied by $29.95 equals $8,985,000,000! And yet he continues on. Does money meaning nothing to this man!? ---
**Author:** ![Schnitte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/schnitte/32/9033_2.png) [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2003, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-to-buy-a-piece-of-the-moon/192523/11 "2003-08-02T16:18:41Z")
Also from **Gjorp** ’s links: > [@](#): > > In 1980, Dennis Hope sent letters to the United Nations, the United States government and the government of the former Soviet Union, informing them that he was officially claiming ownership of all planetary and lunar surfaces (aside from the Earth) in our solar system. He even gave them the opportunity to respond if they had objections, and as crazy as it sounds, he hasn’t heard a word from any of them since. Now isn’t _that_ surprising? Sounds crazy, but they just didn’t answer! Forget about anything you ever heard about Carter’s presidency. His one fatal flaw was that he simply forgot dropping Hope some lines. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2003, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-to-buy-a-piece-of-the-moon/192523/12 "2003-08-02T17:44:35Z")
And remember these are links that - as crazy as it sounds - **Gjorp** says _support_ the guy. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2003, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-to-buy-a-piece-of-the-moon/192523/13 "2003-08-02T19:04:51Z")
I don’t think he has a chance. Can he sell you a piece of the moon? Sure. Can you enforce your ownership of that purchase? Never. In essence people ‘buying’ a piece of the moon are just giving their money away (see below…bolding mine). > [@](#): > > Article 11 > > 1. The moon and its natural resources are the **common heritage of mankind** , which finds its expression in the provisions of this Agreement and in particular in paragraph 5 or this article. > > \*\*2. The moon is not subject to national appropriation by any claim of sovereignty, by means of use or occupation, or by any other means. \*\* > > **3. Neither the surface nor the subsurface of the moon, nor any part thereof or natural resources in place, shall become property of any State, international intergovernmental or non-governmental organization, national organization or non-governmental entity or of any natural person.** The placement of personnel, space vehicles, equipment, facilities, stations and installations on or below the surface of the moon, including structures connected with its surface or subsurface, shall not create a right of ownership over the surface or the subsurface of the moon or any areas thereof. The foregoing provisions are without prejudice to the international regime referred to in paragraph 5 of this article. > > SOURCE: [AGREEMENT GOVERNING THE ACTIVITIES OF STATES ON THE MOON AND OTHER CELESTIAL BODIES (1979)](http://www.fastlight.demon.co.uk/jg/lunartreaty.html) ENTERED INTO FORCE: 11 July 1984 ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2003, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-to-buy-a-piece-of-the-moon/192523/14 "2003-08-02T19:37:40Z")
I should add the following to note that this guy can’t sell land on other planets either (at least not in a way that is enforceable). From the same link I provided above: > [@](#): > > Article 1 > > 1. The provisions of this Agreement relating to the moon shall also apply to other celestial bodies within the solar system, other than the earth, except in so far as specific legal norms enter into force with respect to any of these celestial bodies. > > 2. For the purposes of this Agreement reference to the moon shall include orbits around or other trajectories to or around it. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2003, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-to-buy-a-piece-of-the-moon/192523/15 "2003-08-02T19:55:14Z")
This guy’s gotten a good thrashing at [Bad Astronomy](http://www.badastronomy.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=3139). The gist of it is that he’s based his claim of ownership on a 150 year old US law, which is meaningless in relation to the Moon. So he’s a scammer, pure and simple. ---
**Author:** ![Nanoda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Nanoda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanoda)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2003, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-to-buy-a-piece-of-the-moon/192523/16 "2003-08-02T20:00:07Z")
If anyone’s still considering it, please read [this](http://home.columbus.rr.com/starfaq/), especially section 9. (A link I got from [here](http://www.badastronomy.com/newsletter/issue31.html), so you can count on it being legit. ;)) As for Mr. Hope, pul-_leeze_. Upon preview, **Tuckerfan** ’s got a link that covers it. ---
**Author:** ![ClayC852](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7cd45c/32.png) [@ClayC852](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ClayC852)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-to-buy-a-piece-of-the-moon/192523/17 "2003-08-03T00:14:49Z")
I wonder if we ever contact aliens on one of Hope’s interstellar estates, he’ll tell them “Excuse me sir, but I’m gonna have to ask you to vacate my property or I’ll call the police.” What a dummy. ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-to-buy-a-piece-of-the-moon/192523/18 "2003-08-03T02:17:28Z")
Wouldn’t the price of anything lunar depend alot on whether it was to be picked up versus delivered?