Moon’s Freshest Crater McGetchin Sets Solar-System Record
A routine Lunar map check uncovered a new 222‑metre crater named McGetchin, formed between 11 April and 22 May 2024 inside the Crisium basin on the Moon’s eastern near side. At 43 metres deep, it stands as the largest newly formed crater found anywhere in the solar system. A seven‑kilometre cold spot and an 8–9 kelvin nighttime cooling anomaly accompany the feature, consistent with impact decompaction. The event is estimated to have released about 6.5×10^10 kilojoules, far surpassing previous records. Observations come from NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) and Diviner thermal data, with implications for dating the youngest craters; researchers also call for in‑situ follow‑ups to better understand the cold spots and ejecta dynamics.
