Recently, a gigantic crater on the moon was identified by scientists, surpassing the size of the Roman Colosseum. This crater, measuring 222 meters in diameter and up to 43 meters deep, stands as the most significant impact crater in the solar system formed in modern times.
The occurrence of such a substantial impact is a rare event, estimated to happen approximately once every 132 years. Researchers are excited about the wealth of information this discovery provides, especially as NASA gears up to establish a lunar base for astronauts.
In a recent publication in the journal Science Advances, scientists described this event as a statistically uncommon observation, occurring effectively once in a lifetime.
The crater was first spotted by NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) on the moon’s near side in May 2024, following an impact from an asteroid or comet fragment. Surprisingly, this moon strike evaded immediate detection by telescopes on Earth and in space.
Comparison between the surface of the moon before and after the formation of McGetchin Crater. (NASA Goddard/Intuitive Machines/Robert Wagner)
It wasn’t until August 2025 that LRO’s wide-angle images unveiled the crater amidst the vast data. Detailed images were collected the following autumn, with confirmation of the discovery made early the next year.
The crater is named in honor of the late Thomas McGetchin, a former director of Houston’s Lunar and Planetary Institute.
Similar to Gardening
Throughout history, the moon has been marked by numerous impact craters, including some of the largest in the solar system, like one spanning over 2,400 kilometers.
The recent impact extended over 100 kilometers on the lunar surface, ejecting dust and rocky soil at higher angles than anticipated. Mark Robinson, the chief scientist overseeing LRO’s cameras at Intuitive Machines and lead author of one of the studies, provided insights on this phenomenon.
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Another study noted a cold spot around the new crater, approximately seven kilometers wide, indicating a disturbance in the moon’s topsoil. Co-author David Paige from the University of California, Los Angeles, drew parallels with gardening.
This impact event and subsequent discoveries by LRO since its inception in
