Record-Breaking Moon Crater Detected by NASA
TL;DR
NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has identified a new, record-setting crater on the Moon’s near side named McGetchin, formed in 2024 by an asteroid or comet impact. About 728 feet across and up to 141 feet deep, it’s the largest known recent lunar crater, roughly three times bigger than the prior record, carving a 66-mile trail and creating a 4-mile-wide cold spot that signals regolith loosening. The discovery went undetected by telescopes until 2025 and is considered a statistically rare event (~once every 132 years). Findings published in Science Advances will help inform future Moon-base planning and how to mitigate ejecta threats.
- NASA spacecraft discovers huge new crater on the moon New York Post
- NASA spacecraft discovers a huge new crater on the moon AP News
- NASA’s Moon Orbiter Spots New, ‘Once-in-Century’ Moon Crater NASA Science (.gov)
- NASA spacecraft discovers moon crater bigger than Roman Colosseum CBS News
- Asteroid the size of six-storey building crashed into moon in 'once-in-a-lifetime' moment, says NASA Sky News
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