NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) has discovered a new crater on the moon, larger than the Roman Colosseum, formed by a powerful impact about two years ago. The crater is approximately 728 feet (222 meters) wide and up to 141 feet (43 meters) deep, making it the largest known impact crater in the solar system formed in recent times. Scientists estimate such an event occurs roughly once every 132 years. This discovery is significant as NASA prepares to establish a permanent base on the moon, offering valuable insights into the frequency and effects of lunar impacts. The newly discovered crater has been named after Thomas McGetchin, a former director of Houston’s Lunar and Planetary Institute. It is three times larger than the previous record-holder, which the LRO identified a decade ago. The impact disturbed the moon’s surface over an area exceeding 66 miles (100 kilometers), with dust and rocky material being ejected at a higher angle than expected. Researchers have also identified a 4-mile-wide (7-kilometer-wide) "cold spot" near the crater, which suggests that the moon’s topsoil may have loosened as a result of the impact. Scientists describe the process of such impacts as "gardening," where repeated collisions churn the lunar regolith — the layer of loose, fragmented material covering solid rock — and bring materials from deeper underground to the surface. The LRO, which has been orbiting the moon since 2009, has identified numerous craters, indicating that the moon's top inch (2 centimeters) of soil is being overturned every 80,000 years by ejected material, a process that happens more frequently than previously thought. The crater was initially missed by both Earth-based and space telescopes. It was only detected in August 2025 through the LRO’s wide-angle images, with detailed images collected in the fall of 2024. The discovery was confirmed early this year. Researchers now plan to assess the risk that ejected material from the crater might pose to NASA’s planned moon base. This analysis will help engineers design structures that can withstand potential damage from future impacts.