Massive Cosmic Impact Crater Discovered on the Moon by NASA Spacecraft
NASA's LRO spacecraft discovered a massive 222-meter-wide crater on the Moon, formed in May 2024 by an asteroid or comet impact that eluded all Earth telescopes.
A rare and powerful cosmic event occurred on the Moon right under the noses of Earth's scientists without anyone noticing in real time. A NASA spacecraft, the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), discovered a fresh and massive impact crater—larger than Rome's famous Colosseum—formed by the colossal collision of an asteroid fragment or comet. Named Thomas McGetchin, the crater is considered the largest formed in the solar system in modern times, with scientists defining it as a rare statistical event that occurs only once every 132 years.
Discovery and Dimensions of the Crater
The new crater, carved into the Moon's near side, features exceptionally steep walls measuring approximately 222 meters wide and up to 43 meters deep—three times the size of the previous impact record measured about a decade ago. The massive impact occurred in May 2024, but completely eluded every telescope on Earth or in space. It was not until August 2025 that wide-angle images were identified within the influx of data from the LRO spacecraft, and detailed images gathered later definitively confirmed the scale of the discovery, which was published in two studies in the scientific journal Science Advances.
Cosmic Gardening and Future Lunar Bases
The blast's sheer force shook the lunar surface within a radius of over 100 kilometers. Dust, rocks, and soil were ejected in all directions at a much sharper and higher angle than expected. A separate study identified a "cold zone" about seven kilometers wide around the crater, indicating the loosening of the upper soil layer. Researchers compared the process to "cosmic gardening"—a churning of surface layers that brings deeply buried materials up to the surface.
"The new data is a true treasure for understanding modern lunar impacts and preparing for future exploration," researchers noted following the publication in Science Advances.
NASA views the new data as a true treasure trove. As the U.S. space agency prepares to establish a permanent astronaut base on the Moon, engineers will use the impact data to precisely calculate the risk of debris hits ejected forcefully from new craters. These insights will help reinforce and protect future structures to ensure the safety of research crews inhabiting the base.
