NASA Discovers Massive New Lunar Crater Created by 2024 Asteroid Impact

Discovery of the McGetchin Crater

The structure, formally named McGetchin in honor of lunar scientist Tom McGetchin, formed on the Moon between April 11 and May 22, 2024, according to findings reported by outlets including CNN Portugal and O Globo. Measuring up to 43 meters in depth, the crater’s scale is roughly comparable to the size of the Coliseu, while its depth could accommodate three stacked school buses, as detailed by Estadão and Olhar Digital. Researchers estimate that the impacting body—identified as an asteroid or comet fragment—was roughly the size of a building standing three to six stories tall. Impacts of this magnitude occur on the lunar surface roughly once per century or across even longer intervals, making the formation a rare event in planetary science.

Detection and Imaging Analysis

The impact went unnoticed when it occurred and was only uncovered in October 2025 by Robert Wagner, an imaging specialist with Intuitive Machines working with Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) data, as reported by Exame and Olhar Digital. Wagner was conducting a routine check of surface maps, comparing images captured in different years, when he spotted an unusual bright area surrounded by a dark zone. High-resolution imagery subsequently confirmed the cavity, allowing scientists to measure its dimensions and analyze how the surrounding terrain reacted to the violent transfer of energy.

Thermal and Geologic Alterations

According to data from the Diviner thermal instrument aboard the LRO, the impact altered the physical properties of the lunar soil across a wide radius. Mark Robinson, chief scientist for the LRO cameras, noted that the collision launched dust and rock fragments over 100 kilometers across the lunar surface. Furthermore, measurements showed that an area spanning approximately 7 kilometers around the crater remains about 9 degrees Celsius cooler at night than adjacent regions. David Paige of the University of California in Los Angeles explained that the impact churned the regolith—the layer of dust and loose fragments covering the Moon—leaving the material looser and less dense, which alters its ability to retain heat.

The ongoing analysis of the McGetchin crater aims to help engineers calculate risks for future crewed bases and infrastructure on the Moon. Researchers continue to evaluate how surface debris distribution and soil modifications from such high-energy impacts might affect robotic or human operations during upcoming missions.