A large space rock hit the Moon in late spring 2024. It made a crater that is 225 metres wide. This is about the size of two football pitches. NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera took pictures before and after the impact.
Every day, space rocks hit the Moon. These impacts happen all the time. The Moon has no weather, so craters stay forever. Before this event, the biggest crater found was 70 metres wide. The new crater is more than three times bigger. Scientists say this kind of impact happens only once every 139 years on the Moon.
The new crater is deep and funnel-shaped. It is 43 metres deep. There are large pieces of rock around it. These pieces were thrown out during the impact. The space rock came from the south-southwest.
Inside the crater, scientists found dark material. This is glassy rock made by the heat of the impact. The pictures taken before and after are very important. They help scientists understand how craters form on the Moon and other planets.
