NASA finds giant new crater on Moon

• NASA scientists discovered a massive new crater on the Moon.
• The McGetchin crater is 222 metres wide and 43 metres deep.
• Researchers will study the impact to plan future lunar missions.

The Moon has a new, giant scar. NASA scientists have confirmed the discovery of a massive crater, the result of a recent, violent impact from an asteroid or comet fragment. This is more than just a new pockmark on the lunar surface.

A 'Once-in-a-Century' Discovery

During a routine scan of lunar maps, a researcher noticed something out of the ordinary: a bright spot surrounded by a dark halo that wasn't there before. This led to the identification of a brand-new impact crater, now named McGetchin, after pioneering lunar scientist Tom McGetchin. The impact itself is believed to have happened sometime between April and May 2024, but the crater was only discovered in late 2025 by comparing images from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO). Scientists estimate an impact of this size occurs only about once a century, making this a remarkable and rare find.

How Big Is the New Crater?

The McGetchin crater is immense. It measures approximately 728 feet (222 meters) across—roughly the length of two football fields—and is about 141 feet (43 meters) deep. To put that in perspective, you could fit three school buses stacked vertically inside it. The impact was caused by an object estimated to be the size of a three-to-six-story building. Because the Moon has no atmosphere to burn up or slow down incoming objects, this space rock would have hit the surface at full speed, creating the largest newly formed crater ever documented in our solar system.

The Cosmic Crime Scene

The discovery has provided scientists with a pristine cosmic crime scene. The impact was so powerful it threw rock and dust—known as ejecta—across the lunar surface. One of the most fascinating findings is a vast 'cold spot' surrounding the crater. An area stretching roughly 7 kilometers (about 4.3 miles) wide is now about 16 degrees Fahrenheit cooler than its surroundings during the lunar night. Scientists believe the impact wave 'fluffed up' the top layer of lunar soil, or regolith, making it less dense and less able to hold onto heat, much like tilling a garden.

Why This Discovery Matters

Finding a fresh crater of this magnitude is a goldmine for planetary science. Most of the Moon's craters are ancient, worn down by billions of years of space weathering. McGetchin, by contrast, is brand new, giving researchers a clean look at the physics of impact events. Studying the ejecta pattern and the changes to the surrounding surface helps scientists refine their models of crater formation. This knowledge is crucial not just for understanding lunar history, but also for planning future missions. Knowing how impacts physically alter the terrain is vital for the safety of rovers and future human habitats on the Moon.

A Constantly Changing Moon

This event is a powerful reminder that our solar system is a dynamic and active place. While we may think of the Moon as static and unchanging, it is constantly being bombarded by space debris of all sizes. NASA's LRO mission, which has been orbiting the Moon for over 17 years, has identified thousands of new, smaller craters. However, witnessing the aftermath of such a large, recent impact is exceptionally lucky. It allows scientists to study a geological process in near real-time that usually unfolds over millennia, offering invaluable data on the forces that continue to shape the worlds around us.