NASA Orbiter Discovers Moon’s Largest Newly Formed Crater

NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter identified McGetchin crater, the Moon’s largest known recent impact crater, a steep-sided formation about 728 feet (222 meters) wide and 141 feet (43 meters) deep—roughly three times larger than the previous recent-impact record-holder and wider than Rome’s Colosseum. An asteroid or comet fragment created the crater on the Moon’s near side between April 11 and May 22, 2024, in an event estimated to occur only once every 132 years. LRO captured the crater in May 2024, but the impact was not detected in real time and the discovery went unnoticed in the spacecraft’s data until August 2025, later being confirmed with higher-resolution observations. Named after lunar scientist Thomas McGetchin, the crater’s ejecta disturbed the surface across more than 100 kilometers, with dust and soil thrown at unexpectedly high angles. An unusually broad surrounding cold region may provide further clues about changes to the lunar surface, while the discovery could help scientists assess lunar hazards and plan NASA’s future astronaut base and expanded lunar activity.