Rare lunar impact creates largest newly discovered crater in solar system
WASHINGTON, Sept 17 — A researcher at Nasa has found a massive, recently-formed crater on the Moon, a r...
NASA researcher Robert Wagner has discovered a massive, recently-formed crater on the Moon, a rare event that occurs "once in a century or even longer," according to scientists. Dubbed "McGetchin," the crater measures 730 feet (222 meters) in diameter, making it the largest newly discovered crater in the solar system. It is believed to have been formed by a comet or asteroid impact in spring 2024, with the object responsible estimated to be the size of a building three-to-six stories high.
The discovery was made through a new scan of the Moon's surface by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), which has been studying the Moon since 2009. The crater appears as a "large bright spot circled by a dark halo" in LRO images.
Although the Moon is known for its numerous craters, many of which are larger than McGetchin, studying the formation of a crater in real-time provides valuable insights into the Moon's geology. This understanding could help prepare future crewed missions to the Moon, currently planned by both the United States and China.
Unlike Earth, the Moon lacks an atmosphere, so space debris does not slow down or burn up before colliding with the surface. The study of this newly discovered crater, published in the journal Science Advances, emphasizes the importance of monitoring lunar impacts to better understand our celestial neighbor and plan future lunar missions.
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