The largest newly formed crater ever discovered in the solar system has been found on the Moon, in what scientists have described as a once-in-a-century impact event.

The crater, measuring 222 meters (728 feet) across and 43 meters deep, was identified using images from NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC), according to a study published in Science Advances on Wednesday.

Researcher Robert Wagner first spotted the feature during a routine check of images taken by LROC’s Wide-Angle Camera in October 2025. Scientists then used higher-resolution observations over the following months to measure the crater and examine the surrounding terrain.

According to NASA, the crater formed between April 11 and May 22, 2024, when a comet or asteroid roughly the size of a three- to six-story building slammed into the lunar surface.

The collision hurled debris across the surrounding terrain and created a “cold spot” about seven kilometers (four miles) wide, where nighttime temperatures are up to nine degrees Celsius (16 degrees Fahrenheit) lower than in nearby areas.

Researchers believe the impact loosened, or “fluffed up,” the regolith – the layer of loose rock and dust covering the Moon – making it less dense and therefore less able to retain heat.

Officially named McGetchin after pioneering lunar scientist Tom McGetchin, the crater dwarfs previously detected recent impacts. Before its discovery, the largest contemporary impact crater identified on the Moon measured about 70 meters across.

The discovery comes as the Moon becomes an increasingly important focus of international space exploration.

The US is “very much in a space race” with China, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman told CBS News in July. NASA’s Artemis program is targeting 2028 for its first crewed lunar landing since the Apollo era, with the longer-term goal of establishing a sustained human presence on the Moon.

Russia and China, meanwhile, announced plans in 2021 to jointly develop the International Lunar Research Station.

As part of the project, Russia plans to deploy a power station on the Moon within the next decade. During Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Moscow last May, Russia and China signed an agreement on building a nuclear power plant on the Moon to provide energy for the planned research station, which is expected to become operational in the mid-2030s.