Full Breakdown
New Lunar Crater “McGetchin” Offers Rare Real-Time Insight Into Moon Impacts
By Drooid · · How we work
Discovery of the Largest Recent Lunar Crater
During a routine data-quality review, Robert Wagner, an image-processing specialist with Intuitive Machines who works on NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), noticed an unusually bright spot surrounded by a dark halo on a wide-angle image of the Moon’s eastern limb. The feature proved to be a fresh impact crater, later named McGetchin after pioneering lunar scientist Tom McGetchin. The crater formed between April 11 and May 22, 2024, when a comet or asteroid roughly the size of a three- to six-story building struck the lunar surface.
Characteristics and Formation
McGetchin measures about 222 m (730 ft) across and reaches a depth of roughly 45 m (141 ft), making it larger than the Roman Colosseum and three times bigger than the previous record-holder identified by LRO a decade earlier. Scientists attribute the cooling to the loosening (“fluffing”) of regolith, which reduces its ability to retain heat.
Scientific Importance
Because the Moon lacks an atmosphere, impactors reach the surface at full velocity, producing craters that can be studied in near real time. Researchers say an impact of this magnitude occurs on the Moon about once in a century or longer. Observing McGetchin’s formation and thermal effects provides a laboratory for understanding lunar geology, regolith dynamics, and hazards to future crewed bases. The findings also help refine models of how ejecta modify the surface, information that could influence rover wheel design and risk assessments for lunar infrastructure.
Official Statements & Responses
NASA’s blog post highlighted the rarity of the event and its value for preparing upcoming crewed missions. The LRO team emphasized that the discovery underscores the importance of continuous high-resolution mapping for scientific and commercial activities. Researchers from NASA Goddard, UCLA, and the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory co-authored two papers in Science Advances (published September 16, 2026) describing the crater’s morphology and the surrounding cold spot.
Data & Statistics
- Crater diameter: 222 m (730 ft)
- Depth: 45 m (141 ft)
- Impact window: April 11 – May 22, 2024
- Cold-spot radius: ? 4 mi; temperature reduction: ? 16 °F at night
- Estimated frequency of similar impacts: ? once per 132 years (per study authors)
Verbatim Quotes
- “Scientists estimate that an impact of this magnitude happens on the Moon about once in a century or even longer.” — Science Advances, NASA researcher
- “I just stopped, dropped everything, and started looking into what that spot was,” — Robert Wagner, Intuitive Machines
- “We're now thinking of impacts as a way to garden the regolith — churning the sediments and putting stuff above that's usually below the surface,” — David Paige, UCLA
What’s Next
The LRO team will monitor the cold spot over subsequent lunar nights to track regolith density changes. Parallel studies will model the probability that ejecta from similar impacts could intersect future lunar habitats, informing site-selection and protective-design strategies for NASA’s Artemis program and international partners.