People have been studying the moon for thousands of years, but thanks to modern space technology, researchers can get a better look than ever. Part of that study is done by NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC), which has been orbiting the moon since 2009.

The spacecraft was specifically built to map out the moon and provide NASA with detailed information about its surface, including not just the topography but also its composition, temperature, and the presence of resources like water.

As it orbits, it is continuously sending back images of the surface, which can be analyzed to detect changes. These changes can be caused by geological activity, but more commonly, it is from meteor impacts. Since the moon doesn’t have an atmosphere like the Earth, even relatively small meteorites can leave behind quite a mark.

According to a paper that was presented at the 57th Lunar and Planetary Sciences Meeting, there is a new impact crater, and it is big.

Astronomer Mark Robinson is the principal investigator for the LROC, and along with his team, they spotted the crater that measures 225 meters (738 feet) in diameter. This is the largest new crater identified by the orbiter. In the paper, the team says:

“Prior to this discovery, the largest crater found to have formed during the LRO mission had a diameter of 70 m [230 feet]. According to the Neukum crater production function, a crater of this diameter should form every 139 years.”

The average depth of the crater is 43 meters (141 feet), and it has streaks of lunar ejecta surrounding it. The first time the new crater showed up in the imaging was in the spring of 2024, and it took some time for the researchers to spot it.

Another interesting point about this impact crater is that it is so big that it actually reduced the total number of known craters on the moon. The team said:

“Only two preexisting craters are detectable within two radii (4 and 8 m [13 and 26 feet] diameters), and both occur within 30 m [98 feet] of that limit. All other craters (maximum 40-m [131 feet] diameter) within that limit were obliterated or so degraded that they are no longer detectable under 38° incidence angle illumination, although future imaging may reveal more surviving craters.”

To put it simply, there were two smaller craters in this area before, and now they have essentially been replaced by this one large impact.

Having ongoing observation of the lunar surface like this provides NASA and other researchers with valuable information that can be used for planning future manned and unmanned missions.

If you thought that was interesting, you might like to read about a second giant hole has opened up on the sun’s surface. Here’s what it means.