NASA spacecraft discovers a huge new crater on the moon

NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter discovered a new crater on the moon that is larger than the Roman Colosseum, formed by an impact two years ago. The crater, which is about 728 feet (222 meters) wide and up to 141 feet (43 meters) deep, is the largest known impact crater in the solar system in recent times. The impact was initially undetected and was identified by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter in May 2024. The crater is believed to have been caused by a comet or asteroid collision, and the object was estimated to be three to six stories high. The discovery is significant because such events are rare, occurring only once every 132 years, and it provides valuable data for future lunar missions. The crater was named after Thomas McGetchin, a former director of the Lunar and Planetary Institute.

• "A new 222-m diameter lunar crater." Science Advances (2026). doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aeh7812
• "New lunar crater reveals extensive distal regolith modification." Science Advances 12(38) (2026). doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aeh9568

The crater is believed to have been created in the spring of 2024 from a comet or asteroid collision. The LRO's wide-angle images were not identified in the crush of data until August 2025. The spacecraft gathered more detailed pictures last fall, followed by confirmation of the discovery early this year. The crater is three times bigger than the previous record-holder found by the LRO a decade ago. The impact churned the lunar surface for more than 66 miles (100 kilometers), and dust and rocky soil were hurled away at a higher angle than expected. The next step is to calculate the risk of ejected crater material striking NASA's planned moon base, which will help engineers harden structures to prevent damage. The discovery highlights the importance of studying lunar impacts and their effects on the moon's surface.

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