NASA’s Moon Orbiter Spots New, ‘Once-in-Century’ Moon Crater
Published · Updated
Cited: NASA Science (.gov), CBS News, Space Daily
TL;DR
NASA’s LRO discovered a 728-foot-wide crater on the Moon, formed by a rare impact in 2024—the largest newly formed crater ever seen in the solar system.
Why now
As NASA prepares to return astronauts to the Moon, understanding the frequency and effects of large impacts is critical for designing safe habitats and operations.
Agree / conflict
Scientists agree that this is a statistically rare event, but the exact recurrence interval (132 years on average) is a model estimate, not a precise prediction.
Takeaway
The Moon is still being actively reshaped by impacts, and this discovery provides a unique benchmark for studying surface evolution and planning future missions.
NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has spotted a massive new crater on the Moon, formed by an asteroid or comet impact in spring 2024. Named McGetchin, the crater is 728 feet wide and 141 feet deep—the largest newly formed crater ever observed in the solar system. The discovery, published in Science Advances, came from a routine image comparison by scientist Robert Wagner, who noticed a bright halo of ejected material on a global Moon map.
The impact occurred between April 11 and May 22, 2024, when a fragment the size of a three- to six-story building struck the lunar surface. Such events are estimated to happen only once every 132 years. The crash also created a 4-mile-wide cold spot where the surface is 16°F cooler at night due to loosened regolith. This finding helps scientists understand how impacts modify the Moon’s topsoil, which is crucial for planning future astronaut missions and building infrastructure.
FAQ
How was the crater discovered?
It was found by Robert Wagner while comparing global Moon maps from LRO’s Wide-Angle Camera. A bright spot with a dark halo indicated fresh ejecta from a new impact.
Why is it called a 'once-in-century' event?
Crater production models suggest an impact of this size occurs on the Moon only once every 132 years on average.
What is the cold spot around the crater?
The impact loosened the regolith, making it less dense and therefore cooler at night. The cold spot is about 7 kilometers wide and 8–9 Kelvin colder than surrounding terrain.
How does this affect future Moon missions?
Understanding how impacts modify the surface helps engineers design safer habitats and rovers. The loosened regolith could affect wheel traction and foundation stability.
Could the impact have been observed from Earth?
No, it escaped real-time detection by telescopes on Earth and in space. The crater was only identified later through orbital image comparisons.
Sources
Canonical URL: /trend/2026/nasa-s-moon-orbiter-spots-new-once-in-century-moon-crater-asteroid-impact
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