NASA discovers massive new lunar crater 222 meters wide
NASA has identified a newly formed lunar crater 222 meters in diameter, a rare event that occurs only once every century or more.
Key Takeaways
AIThe US space agency NASA has announced the discovery of a massive, newly formed crater on the surface of the Moon—a rare event that occurs only once every century or more—following a powerful impact two years ago.
NASA explained that the crater, named "McGetchin," measures about 222 meters in diameter and is believed to have formed in spring 2024 after the Moon was struck by a comet or asteroid.
Researchers estimated that the object responsible for the crater was roughly the size of a three- to six-story building. The agency noted that impacts of this scale on the lunar surface are extremely rare.
Discovery through Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter images
NASA added that the crater was only recently identified when researcher Robert Wagner spotted it while analyzing new images captured by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO). In the images, the crater appears as a large bright spot surrounded by a dark halo.
According to NASA, this is the largest newly formed crater discovered in the solar system to date.