Craters of the Moon centennial May 2, 2024

Buckle up, Earthlings, as you venture into an extraterrestrial realm right here on our planet! Surrounded by the rugged landscape of Idaho, Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve was born of the volcanic forces that shaped the region thousands of years ago. Visitors are greeted by vast lava fields, cinder cones, and spatter cones, spread across almost 54,000 acres. The Apollo 14 astronauts trained here, gaining insight into lunar conditions by exploring the volcanic geology of this surreal landscape.

© Alan Majchrowicz/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

May 2, 2018Mackerel forming a bait ball to avoid predators
May 2, 2019Making it work—in Norway
May 2, 2020Morocco in bloom
May 2, 2021Happy World Laughter Day
May 2, 2022Pamukkale, Turkey
May 2, 2023Jöriseen lakes in the Silvretta Alps, Switzerland
May 2, 2025Striated heron on a Victoria water lily, Pantanal, Brazil

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Jan 20, 2022Penguin Awareness Day
Jul 18, 2018Celebrate Mandela Day
Dec 17, 2018We have liftoff!
Jan 20, 2020A march toward a dream
Jan 16, 2019Up on the glacier
Dec 5, 2018’Chess on ice’
Jan 28, 2020US Coast Guard: Protecting us for 105 years
Aug 27, 2021Yabba-Dabba-Doo!
Oct 22, 2024Palazzo Zuccari, Rome
Dec 9, 2022Muskoxen in Dovre-Sunndalsfjella National Park, Norway
Aug 11, 2020Sea fireflies at the seashore
Apr 24, 2019Cool water in the Quinault
Jan 13, 2020Welcome to California
Aug 10, 2021Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch on the institution s 175th anniversary
Sep 17, 2019Constitution Day and Citizenship Day
Sep 13, 2019The moon rises for Mid-Autumn Festival
Dec 17, 2021Bournemouth beach huts
Aug 25, 2022National Park Service Founders Day
Apr 2, 2018Seven Magic Mountains art installation, Jean Dry Lake, Nevada
Dec 27, 2019 Winterpret on ice
Jun 26, 2019Get amped for Glastonbury
Jul 30, 2021Working for that cliffside view
Jul 29, 2019A picture-perfect day on Trillium
Jan 9, 2022Rice processing in Bangladesh
Nov 5, 2024US Election Day
Aug 4, 2019Pups of the prairie
Apr 4, 2020In the path of the pronghorn
Jul 25, 2022National Merry-Go-Round Day
Mar 26, 2022Spring awakens
Nov 14, 2025Manatee Awareness Month