Asteroid Carves 'Once-in-a-Century' Moon Crater, NASA Finds

NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) has detected a colossal new crater on the Moon, the largest impact feature ever identified in the solar system. Dubbed McGetchin crater in memory of deceased lunar researcher Tom McGetchin, the crater measures 728 feet (222 meters) in width and plunges 141 feet (43 meters) deep. Experts estimate such a colossal impact occurs on the lunar surface at most once every 100 to 132 years.

The crater emerged between April 11 and May 22, 2024, following a comet fragment or asteroid roughly the size of a three- to six-story building crashing into the Moon's eastern edge. This discovery, published in the journal Science Advances on September 16, 2026, was detected by NASA when an image processing specialist noticed a distinctive bright patch amidst a dark halo in data from the LROC on October 2025.

Upon closer examination, the feature grew apparent, surpassing the previous record-holder by a factor of three. The collision ejected rock and dust over a 66-mile (100-kilometer) radius, with a surrounding cold spot that registered temperatures 14 to 16 degrees Fahrenheit (8 to 9 Kelvin) lower than the surrounding terrain due to the impact's disruptive effects on lunar soil.

This discovery is significant as it informs future lunar missions, highlighting the Moon's dynamic nature and the need to consider soil properties for surface equipment design. The crater's formation during the LRO's operational lifetime offers a unique opportunity for researchers to study surface alterations promptly.