NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter discovered a fresh impact crater on the Moon measuring approximately 7,222 meters wide and 43 meters deep, forming the largest recently carved impact crater known in the solar system. According to researchers, the impact occurred two years ago on the Moon’s Earth-facing side, though it went undetected by ground-based or space telescopes at the time.
Discovery of the Colosseum-Sized Lunar Crater
The steep-sided depression exceeds the dimensions of the Roman Colosseum and was carved by an asteroid or comet fragment. According to findings published in Science Advances, researchers noted that an impact of this scale represents a statistically rare event that occurs roughly once every 132 years. LRO’s wide-angle imagery captured the site in May 2024, but the data remained hidden within heavy processing backlogs until August 2025. Additional high-resolution photography gathered last autumn confirmed the discovery early this year.
Scale and Significance for Lunar Exploration
According to Mark Robinson, principal investigator for the LRO cameras and an employee at Intuitive Machines and lead author of one of the studies, the impact violently displaced lunar surface material across more than 66 miles. Dust and rocky regolith ejected at steeper angles than expected. Researchers emphasize that capturing such a fresh, massive event provides crucial baseline data as NASA prepares crewed lunar outposts.
Did you know?
Although the Moon features ancient craters stretching over 1,500 miles wide, spotting a fresh excavation of this magnitude gives scientists unprecedented insight into active impact rates.
Frequently Asked Questions
How wide is the newly discovered lunar crater?
According to research published in Science Advances, the crater measures approximately 7,222 meters wide and 43 meters deep.
When did the impact occur?
NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter data indicates the impact took place two years ago, though it was not confirmed until early this year following detailed image analysis.
Who was the crater named after?
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