NASA discovers massive new lunar crater formed by asteroid impact

NASA scientists have discovered a massive new crater on the Moon, identified as the largest recently formed impact crater in the solar system. Named the McGetchin crater after the late lunar scientist Thomas McGetchin, the feature measures approximately 222 meters wide and 43 meters deep.

The impact, caused by an asteroid or comet fragment roughly the size of a three-to-six-story building, occurred on the Moon’s near side between April 11 and May 22, 2024. Despite the scale of the event, it went undetected by Earth-based and space telescopes in real time.

The discovery was made by researcher Robert Wagner while performing a routine analysis of data from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO). The crater was first identified in August 2025 through wide-angle imagery and subsequently confirmed with high-resolution photos.

Research published in Science Advances indicates that such significant impacts are rare, occurring approximately once every 132 years. The collision significantly altered the lunar surface, displacing dust and rock over a wide area and creating a 6.4-kilometer-wide cold spot due to the loosening of the lunar regolith. These findings provide critical data for NASA as it prepares for future crewed lunar missions.