A recent discovery by scientists revealed a crater on the moon that surpasses the size of the Roman Colosseum. This massive crater, formed two years ago due to a powerful impact, had initially gone unnoticed.
Measuring 222 meters across and up to 43 meters deep, this steep-sided hole is currently the largest known impact crater in the solar system resulting from a recent event.
Researchers noted that such a significant impact is a rare occurrence, estimated to happen once every 132 years. This discovery holds valuable information for NASA as the agency plans to establish a moon base for astronauts.
Described as a statistically uncommon event, the scientists highlighted the significance of this discovery in a study published in the journal Science Advances.
The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) operated by NASA identified the crater on the moon’s near side in May 2024, shortly after it was formed by an incoming asteroid or comet fragment. The impact was not detected in real-time by telescopes on Earth or in space.
A detailed view of the McGetchin Crater, encircled on the left, next to an image before the impact on the right. (NASA Goddard/Intuitive Machines/Robert Wagner)
The LRO’s wide-angle images were not analyzed until August 2025 due to the volume of data. Detailed images were captured later in the year, confirming the discovery in early 2026.
Named after the late Thomas McGetchin, a former director of Houston’s Lunar and Planetary Institute, the crater stands as a testament to the moon’s history of impacts.
Reshaping the Moon’s Surface
The moon, marked by ancient impacts, hosts some of the largest craters in the solar system, with one spanning over 2,400 kilometers.
This recent impact altered over 100 kilometers of the lunar surface, ejecting dust and rocky soil at unexpected angles. Mark Robinson, chief scientist for LRO’s cameras at Intuitive Machines, noted this unusual phenomenon in one of the studies.
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Another study revealed a cold spot approximately seven kilometers wide surrounding the new crater, indicating a disturbance in the moon’s topsoil. Co-author David Paige from the University of California, Los