Moon crater found by NASA is rare record, study says

A NASA researcher has found a 222-metre-wide crater on the Moon that scientists described as a rare impact event, NASA said.

NASA said the crater, named McGetchin, is believed to have formed in spring 2024 when a comet or asteroid hit the Moon. Researchers described the object that caused it as about the size of a building three to six stories high.

NASA said scientists estimate an impact of that scale happens on the Moon about once in a century or longer.

Robert Wagner, a researcher with NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, noticed the crater in a new scan of the Moon's surface. NASA said it appeared as a large bright spot surrounded by a dark halo.

A study published on Wednesday in Science Advances determined that McGetchin was the largest new crater ever discovered in the solar system.

NASA said studying a crater's formation in real time can help scientists understand the Moon's geology and prepare for future crewed missions. The United States and China are both planning crewed missions to the Moon.