the 1967 outer space treaty forbids any nation from trying to own the moon. 

 it was the 60’s. the height of the cold war.

 they made a treaty not to own the moon.

at the united nations convention of the law of the sea in 1982

it was agreed that the moon, like the high seas,

is considered “res communis” roughly translated to “common to all mankind.”

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credits: mental floss magazine