NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has revealed a huge new crater on the moon created by what scientists describe as a “once-in-a-century” impact. Named McGetchin crater, the feature is 728 feet (222 meters) wide and 141 feet (43 meters) deep. Scientists say it is the largest newly formed crater yet discovered anywhere in the solar system.

Researchers, who published a paper about their discovery in Science Advances , narrowed the impact down to sometime between April 11 and May 22, 2024.

Rare Impact Changes Lunar Surface

Scientists believe a comet or asteroid roughly the size of a three- to six-storey building slammed into the moon, creating a crater spanning about two American football fields.

With no atmosphere to burn up or slow incoming objects, the moon is continually bombarded by space debris. NASA says LRO scientists have identified at least 1,000 new impact craters during the spacecraft’s more than 17 years in lunar orbit. However, an impact on McGetchin’s scale is estimated to occur only about once every century or longer.

Discovery Began With A Routine Check

The crater was spotted almost by accident on Oct. 24, 2025, by Robert Wagner, an image-processing specialist at Intuitive Machines, who works with data from the LRO’s cameras. He was comparing global lunar maps assembled from images when an unusually prominent bright feature surrounded by a dark halo appeared. “I just stopped, dropped everything, and started looking into what that spot was,” said Wagner. “It was by far the most obvious impact debris pattern I’ve ever seen in one of these images.”

Higher-resolution LRO imagery subsequently confirmed the crater and allowed researchers to measure its dimensions and study changes to the surrounding landscape. The crater was named after pioneering lunar scientist Tom McGetchin, who served as director of the Lunar and Planetary Institute.

Moon Impact Creates A Four-Mile-Wide Cold Spot

Follow-up observations with LRO’s Diviner thermal instrument revealed that the impact’s effects extend far beyond the crater itself. Scientists detected a four-mile-wide “cold spot” around McGetchin that is approximately 16 degrees Fahrenheit (9 degrees Celsius) cooler at night than the surrounding terrain. Researchers believe the impact loosened and disturbed the lunar regolith, reducing its density and ability to retain heat. It’s evidence that major collisions can physically alter the lunar surface well beyond their visible craters.

Why The Discovery Matters For NASA’s Moon Base Plans

Understanding those changes is becoming increasingly important as NASA shifts from short lunar visits towards a sustained presence on the moon. The agency’s Artemis program is intended to support increasingly ambitious surface missions and, ultimately, a Moon base. Understanding how impacts alter the density, temperature, and mechanical properties of lunar soil could have practical implications for choosing locations for future habitats and for what lunar rovers can expect.

Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.