NASA finds a 'once in a century' lunar crater, bigger than the Roman Colosseum
Summary
NASA discovered a large new crater on the Moon that formed in 2024 after a comet or asteroid hit the surface. This crater, named McGetchin, is about 730 feet wide, making it the largest new crater ever found in the solar system.Key Facts
- The crater McGetchin measures 730 feet (222 meters) across.
- It formed in spring 2024 from an impact by a space object about the size of a 3- to 6-story building.
- Such large impacts on the Moon happen roughly once every 132 years or longer.
- NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, which has been studying the Moon since 2009, detected the crater through surface scans.
- The crater appears as a bright spot with a dark halo in images from the orbiter.
- Studying this crater helps scientists learn about the Moon’s geology and prepares for future manned missions.
- The Moon has no atmosphere, so space debris hits its surface at full speed without slowing down.
- The discovery is notable because craters of this size are rarely observed forming in real time.
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