NASA Finds Largest New Moon Crater in Solar System History

Sometimes the most extraordinary discoveries come from the most ordinary moments.

NASA scientist Robert Wagner was performing a routine quality check on lunar maps when something unusual caught his eye: an abnormally large bright patch surrounded by a dark halo. The sight stopped him in his tracks, and for good reason.

Wagner had just discovered the largest newly formed impact crater ever identified in the solar system. After comparing before and after images, he confirmed what would become a history-making find.

The crater formed between April 11 and May 22, 2024, when a comet or asteroid slammed into the moon's eastern edge. Scientists estimate the rock was roughly the size of a three to six story building.

The impact carved out a massive hole 728 feet wide and 141 feet deep. According to NASA, an event this powerful happens on the moon approximately once per century or even less frequently.

NASA named the crater after lunar scientist Tom McGetchin, giving his legacy a permanent home in space. Just three months before his death, McGetchin wrote words that now feel prophetic: "Your identity will soon be lost to history but your stone, if well shaped and polished, will fit into the structure we call civilization and hold its weight as time sweeps past us and others build upon us."

The discovery was made possible by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera system. Orbiting about 60 miles above the moon, the system uses three cameras to capture detailed images of the lunar surface.

Why This Inspires

This discovery proves that groundbreaking science doesn't always require billion-dollar missions or complex experiments. Sometimes it takes a careful observer doing their job well, paying attention to details others might miss.

Wagner's dedication during what could have been just another workday led to a once-in-a-century finding. His meticulous comparison of lunar maps created from years of collected images opened the door to understanding our moon in new ways.

Over the years, scientists have used these detailed lunar maps to expand our knowledge of Earth's closest neighbor. Each careful scan brings new possibilities for discovery.

One routine check changed our understanding of the solar system forever.