A Space Rock the Size of a Building Just Left Its Mark on the Moon

The moon is sporting a new crater, measuring 728 feet wide and 141 feet deep. Here is a look at the latest discovery on the surface of the moon.

NASA Orbiter Discovers Massive Crater on the Moon

Observations from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) have revealed a giant crater that is making headlines in astronomical circles. A space rock careening into the surface of the moon created a crater that is as long as two football fields. The impressive battle scar is located on the moon's eastern edge.

Although the moon may appear desolate in images, it is frequently bombarded with asteroids and comets that stir up the dust and produce large craters on the surface. A new report in Science Advances is detailing how a comet or asteroid estimated to be the size of a three-story building careened into the lunar surface.

Because the crater is so new, astronomers now have the opportunity to observe the immediate aftermath of such a significant impact. Astronomers noticed the young crater while looking through images collected by the LRO in April and May of 2024.

The LRO has been instrumental in helping NASA to spot new craters since its initial launch in 2009. At least 1,000 new craters and 100,000 lunar surface changes attributed to direct impacts or secondary strikes from debris have been observed by LRO.

Image-processing specialist Robert Wagner first noticed the crater on October 24, 2025, detailing that it presented as a big bright circle encased by a dark halo. Wagner recalled that he "just stopped, dropped everything, and started looking into what that spot was."