NASA orbiter detects 220-meter McGetchin crater on the Moon
NASA tracked an unprecedented geological scar on the Moon after a violent cosmic collision between April 11 and May 22, 2024. Planetary strikes of this magnitude hit the lunar surface only once every 100 years.
Designated as McGetchin, the newly formed excavation spans 220 meters across the terrain. Measurements confirm a vertical depth of 43 meters inside the basin. The cavity formed when an asteroid or comet slammed directly into the bedrock.
Astronomers estimated that the incoming space rock matched the dimensions of a three-to-six-story building. The object struck the lunar crust during an observed window between April 11 and May 22, 2024.
Researcher Robert Wagner from Intuitive Machines uncovered the impact mark during a routine examination of photographic archives. He inspected digital records transmitted by NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. The discovery happened unexpectedly during his image review workflow.
Wagner compared orbital maps from different mission phases until an anomalous bright flash caught his attention near a dark shadow. That distinct visual pattern revealed severe physical disturbance on the rugged surface.
“I simply stopped, dropped everything, and started looking into what this spot was,” Wagner said.
NASA confirmed that this structure represents the largest fresh impact crater recorded anywhere in the Solar System. Continuous orbital surveillance verified the absolute novelty of the topographic depression.
Space rocks strike the Moon continuously without atmospheric resistance. The airless environment lacks the gas density required to slow down or vaporize falling debris. The Moon lacks an atmosphere.
Operating in orbit for over 17 years, the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft documented at least 1,000 fresh impact craters on the lunar surface while mapping roughly 100,000 distinct structural disturbances triggered by falling space rocks and flying ejecta. Instruments onboard the spacecraft continue to monitor these rapid changes across the globe.
Most impact events create substantially smaller depressions on the lunar regolith. Pits measuring nine meters across appear approximately 140 times each year. Giant impact events remain exceptionally rare by comparison.
Thermal sensors tracked environmental consequences stretching 6.4 kilometers away from the crater rim, registering night temperatures roughly 9°C colder than adjacent ground. The surrounding ground lost heat.
Researchers determined that the kinetic shock blast threw fine regolith across the impact zone. This mechanical displacement lowered the density of loose surface fragments and dust. The lighter blanket impaired the ground’s capacity to retain warmth during the lunar night.
Planetary scientists will use data from this collision to model ongoing topological changes across the Moon. The findings provide vital navigational parameters for lunar rovers operating in future exploration campaigns.
The academic journal Science Advances published the full ballistic report detailing this lunar event. Authors compiled orbital measurements to formalize the velocity and mass calculations. Transmissions from the orbiter provided the core data for the published paper.
