NASA Identifies 222-Meter McGetchin Crater on Lunar Surface
A new 222-meter impact site on the Moon, formed in spring 2024, has created a rare thermal anomaly detectable by orbital instruments.
Key points
- The McGetchin crater is 222 meters wide and formed on the Moon's eastern edge between April and May 2024.
- The impact was caused by an object the size of a multi-story building, an event that occurs roughly once a century.
- The collision created a 6.5-kilometer-wide cold spot due to the scattering of lunar dust and altered heat retention.
Scientists have identified the largest newly formed impact crater ever recorded in our solar system. Located on the Moon's eastern edge, the site appeared between April and May 2024 and measures 222 meters in width, a size that dwarfs previous recent discoveries.
The discovery was made by Robert Wagner, a member of the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter team, who noticed an unusual bright spot surrounded by a dark ring during routine mapping. According to BBC Sky at Night Magazine, this event is exceptionally rare, with impacts of this magnitude occurring on the lunar surface only about once every century.
Massive impactor strikes lunar surface
Researchers estimate that the object responsible for the crater was the size of a three- to six-storey building. This suggests a significant comet or asteroid fragment collided with the moon, creating a depression 43 meters deep. The event highlights the constant bombardment the moon faces, unlike Earth, which has a thick atmosphere to burn up smaller debris before it reaches the ground.
Orbital data reveals thermal anomaly
Follow-up observations using the Diviner instrument revealed a surprising side effect of the impact. A cold area roughly 6.5 kilometers wide now surrounds the crater, a phenomenon caused by the disturbed lunar dust. The impact scattered material in a way that alters how the surface absorbs and radiates heat, creating a distinct thermal signature visible from orbit.
Orbiter maps rare surface changes
The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has been mapping the moon from an altitude of 50 kilometers since 2009. During this time, it has documented thousands of new craters and surface changes. While small impacts are common, the McGetchin crater stands out due to its scale and the specific thermal properties it has introduced to the local environment.
