NASA scan discovers new, ‘once in a century’ Moon crater

A researcher at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has found a massive, recently formed crater on the Moon, a rare occurrence that only happens “once in a century or even longer”, according to scientists.

The crater, dubbed “McGetchin”, measures 730 feet (222 metres) wide, NASA said in a blog post.

It is believed to have been created in the spring of 2024 from a comet or asteroid colliding with the Moon, with researchers describing the object that caused it to be the size of a building three-to-six stories high.

“Scientists estimate that an impact of this magnitude happens on the Moon about once in a century or even longer,” NASA said in the blog post.

Although the crater had been there for years, it was not discovered until Robert Wagner, a researcher with NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), noticed it in a new scan of the Moon’s surface.