Before they walked on the moon, they walked in Meteor Crater.
This geologic formation, about 30 miles east of Flagstaff, was pivotal to the United States’ efforts to learn about the Moon; the astronauts who first set foot on the Moon all trained and prepared at Meteor Crater. Today, scientists and students from NAU and other institutions go to the crater, which is the best-preserved meteor crater on the planet, to study the interactions between other celestial bodies and Earth. Nadine Barlow, chair of the Department of Physics & Astronomy, takes groups of students out to the crater to talk about its significance to science and Earth’s history.