NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter discovered a massive crater on the moon, larger than the Roman Colosseum, which measures about 728 feet across and up to 141 feet deep. Formed by an asteroid or comet fragment two years ago, it is the largest impact crater created in recent times and occurs once every 132 years on average. The spacecraft first spotted the crater between April 11 and May 22, 2024, though detailed confirmation came early this year. This discovery highlights how impacts churn lunar soil more extensively than previously understood, potentially reshaping our understanding of the moon's surface evolution as NASA plans future missions there.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-17,
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Story summary
NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter discovered a massive crater on the Moon's near side, measuring about 728 feet across and up to 141 feet deep, larger than the Roman Colosseum. The crater formed between April 11 and May 22, 2024, when an asteroid or comet fragment, estimated to be the size of a three- to six-story building, struck the surface. This impact event is statistically rare, occurring only once every 132 years, making it a significant discovery for lunar science as NASA plans to establish a base on the Moon. The crater escaped detection by Earth and space-based telescopes at the time of its formation but was later identified by LRO imagery.
Written for “Moon Crater Discovery” on 2026-09-17,
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Scientists have discovered a crater on the moon that's bigger than the Roman Colosseum and is the result of a powerful impact two years ago that initially went undetected.
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that → discover → impact
The steep-sided hole measured about 728 feet across, the length of two football fields, and up to 141 feet deep, equivalent to three vertically stacked yellow school buses, according to NASA.
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hole → measure → NASA
It's the solar system's biggest known impact crater carved out in recent times.
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It → know → times
Such a large-scale event is estimated to occur only once every 132 years, researchers said, making this a treasure trove of information as NASA prepares to build a base for astronauts on the moon.
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NASA → estimate → moon
"This event constitutes a statistically rare, effectively once-in-a-lifetime observation," the scientists wrote in one of two studies appearing on the subject Wednesday in the journal Science Advances.
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scientists → constitute → journal
NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter spotted the crater on the moon's near side sometime between April 11 and May 22, 2024, soon after it was formed when an incoming fragment of an asteroid or comet the size of a three- to six-story building hit the surface.
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fragment → spot → surface
The moon strike escaped real-time detection by telescopes on Earth and in space.
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strike → escape → space
LRO's wide-angle images were not identified in the crush of data until August 2025.
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images → identify → August
The spacecraft gathered more detailed pictures last fall, followed by confirmation of the discovery early this year.
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spacecraft → gather → discovery
The crater — named for the late Thomas McGetchin, a former director of Houston's Lunar and Planetary Institute — is three times bigger than the previous record-holder found by the LRO a decade ago.
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crater → name → LRO
Pockmarked since ancient times, the moon bears some of the solar system's largest impact craters, including one that stretches more than 1,500 miles across.
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that → bear → one
This latest impact churned the lunar surface for more than 66 miles.
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impact → churn → miles
Dust and rocky soil were hurled away at a higher angle than expected, according to Mark Robinson, chief scientist for the LRO's cameras who works at Intuitive Machines.
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who → hurl → Machines
A separate study identified a 4-mile-wide cold spot around the new crater, consistent with a loosening of the moon's top soil.
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study → identify → soil
Co-author David Paige of the University of California, Los Angeles, likens it to gardening.
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"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," Paige said in a statement.
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Paige → think → statement
NASA's
has circled the moon since 2009, providing a close-up view of the lunar surface as the space agency prepares to send astronauts back.
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agency → circle → astronauts
The LRO's numerous crater discoveries since its launch show that the moon's top inch of soil is being overturned by ejected material every 80,000 years, faster than previously thought, according to Robinson.
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inch → show → Robinson
Contrary to the popular belief that the Apollo moonwalkers' dusty lunar footprints will last forever, they will "definitely be long gone in that time frame," Robinson said in an email.
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Robinson → last → email
The next step is to calculate the risk of ejected crater material striking NASA's planned moon base, he added.
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he → calculate → base
"That information will help engineers harden structures so one won't have to worry about damage, or maybe worry less."
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one → help → damage
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