A massive new impact crater on the moon, measuring roughly 728 feet across and up to 141 feet deep, formed when an asteroid or comet fragment struck the lunar surface in 2024, according to research published in the journal Science Advances and presented at the Lunar and Planetary Sciences Meeting. The feature, named the McGetchin crater after late former director of Houston’s Lunar and Planetary Institute Thomas McGetchin, is the solar system’s biggest known impact crater carved out in recent times, with scientists calculating that such a massive event occurs only once every 132 to 139 years.
How NASA’s LRO Spotted the 2024 Lunar Impact
NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter first captured imagery of the crater on the moon’s near side in May 2024, shortly after the impact occurred. The collision happened without real-time detection from telescopes on Earth or in space. Planetary scientist Mark Robinson of Houston-based spaceflight company Intuitive Machines reported that wide-angle images from the orbiter went unidentified in the data crush until August 2025. Following more detailed pictures last fall, researchers confirmed the discovery early this year.
The resulting hole is three times larger than the previous record-holder discovered by the LRO a decade ago. According to Mark Robinson, lead author of one of the studies, the impact churned the lunar surface for more than 100 kilometers. Dust and rocky soil were hurled away at a higher angle than expected, creating a bright blanket of ejecta extending hundreds of meters from the rim.
Did you know? While popular belief suggests that the Apollo astronauts’ dusty lunar footprints will last forever, the LRO’s crater discoveries show that the moon’s top 2 centimeters of soil are overturned by ejected material every 80,000 years, meaning those historical prints will be long gone within that timeframe, according to Mark Robinson.
Assessing Risks for Future Moon Bases
Understanding the frequency of such large impacts carries direct implications for NASA as the agency prepares to build a base for astronauts on the moon. A separate study identified a 7-kilometer-wide cold spot around the new crater, which co-author David Paige of the University of California, Los Angeles, likens to “gardening”—a process where impacts churn sediments and bring deep material to the surface.
The crater’s depth of about 43 meters on average and its steep edges suggest it formed in strong material like solidified lava, while its slightly elongated shape indicates the underlying ground is not uniform. Because bits of rock ejected from impacts can travel vast distances across the lunar surface, researchers warn that future lunar habitats must be engineered to withstand small particles striking at speeds of a kilometer per second. Engineers will use these findings to calculate risks and harden structures against flying debris.
Frequently Asked Questions
How big is the McGetchin crater on the moon?
The McGetchin crater is approximately 728 feet (225 meters) across and up to 141 feet (43 meters) deep, making it the largest impact crater formed on the moon in recent times.
When did the impact happen?
Researchers determined that the impact occurred in April or May 2024, though it went undetected by telescopes in real time until images from NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter were analyzed.
How often do impacts of this size occur on the moon?
Scientists estimate that a lunar impact of this scale is a statistically rare event occurring only once every 132 to 139 years.
What does this discovery mean for future astronauts?
Data from the impact helps researchers calculate the risk of ejected crater material striking planned lunar bases, allowing engineers to design and harden habitats against high-speed debris.
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