Science & discovery · News English
A new Moon crater, and the clues it leaves
Explore how before-and-after images reveal a changing lunar landscape.
Read the story, then try the activities.
Reading the evidence
What did the researchers observe, and what did they estimate?
1NASA reported on 16 September that researchers had identified a large, recently formed crater on the Moon. Named McGetchin, it measures about 222 metres across and 43 metres deep. However, the report does not describe an impact that happened this week: scientists place the collision between 11 April and 22 May 2024.
2The discovery began with a comparison of images. Robert Wagner, who works with NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera, noticed a bright patch surrounded by a dark halo while checking a Moon map. Comparing earlier and later pictures revealed a change. Sharper images then allowed the team to examine the crater and the surrounding material.
3Another instrument supplied a different kind of evidence. Thermal observations revealed an area around the crater that was cooler at night than nearby ground. Researchers explain that the impact loosened the surface material, making it less dense and less able to retain heat. The effects therefore extended beyond the hole itself.
4Scientists estimate that an impact this large occurs on the Moon roughly once a century or less often. That is an estimate of frequency, not a timetable for the next collision. Studying fresh craters helps researchers understand how impacts reshape the surface before later changes obscure the evidence.
An original summary of research reported on 16 September. The impact happened in 2024, not this week. Learning examples and opinions below are separate from the news.
Word help · Three useful words
Read the meanings and examples. Choose one word to use in your own sentence.
collision
an event in which two moving objects, or an object and a surface, hit each other
The investigation examined the cause of the collision.
retain
to keep something rather than lose it
Thick curtains help a room retain heat.
estimate
a judgement about an amount based on available information rather than an exact measurement
Our estimate may change when we receive more data.
Check your reading · Three questions
Choose one answer for every question, then check. You can change an answer and check again.
Useful English: report an estimate
Researchers estimate that + clause attributes a judgement to its source. Add roughly or approximately before a number to show it is not exact.
Example: Researchers estimate that the journey takes roughly two hours.
Try it: soften this claim: The repair costs exactly £500. Use We estimate that and roughly.
Check the answer
We estimate that the repair costs roughly £500. Remove exactly, because it conflicts with roughly.
These are invented language examples, not additional research findings. Cautious wording should reflect the evidence, not hide a lack of evidence.
Estimate the time you spend reading each week. Make the uncertainty clear.
Model and follow-up
Model: I estimate that I read for roughly three hours a week, but I have not measured it.
Solo: say what evidence would improve your estimate. Tutor: ask how the learner could check it.
Speak about the story: Your view
Which evidence is most convincing?
Speak for 45 seconds. Choose the image comparison or the temperature measurements. Explain what it tells us and one thing it cannot tell us on its own.
Useful frame: The evidence shows… However, it does not establish…
Open a model response
Model opinion: I find the image comparison convincing because it shows a visible change between two periods. However, it does not establish the exact moment of the impact. Temperature measurements add useful evidence about changes around the crater. I would therefore combine the two kinds of observation rather than rely on one.
This is an illustrative learner response, not a quotation from a researcher.
Solo: repeat your answer with a clearer limitation. Tutor: ask what further evidence would help test the explanation.
Mastery check · Three questions
Choose one answer for every question, then check. You can change an answer and check again.
Sources and reporting date
Sources checked on 20 September 2026. NASA published its report on 16 September at 14:06 EDT (18:06 UTC); LPI also reported on 16 September. This science story uses the permitted seven-day window because the research methods and findings remain relevant. The collision occurred in 2024.
- NASA: Moon orbiter spots a new crater
16 September 2026, 14:06 EDT. Image comparison, thermal observations, mechanism and frequency estimate. - Lunar and Planetary Institute: a new 222-m lunar crater
16 September 2026. Corroborates dimensions, impact interval and scientific value of fresh craters.