New Craters on the Moon

  • Released Tuesday, March 17, 2015
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The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter's powerful cameras are enabling scientists to find present-day impact craters on the Moon.

Watch this video on the NASAexplorer YouTube channel.

For complete transcript, click here.

Planetary scientists believe that small impacts regularly bombard the Moon, but until recently, they’ve had no way to distinguish new craters from the already pockmarked lunar surface. In 2009, NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) arrived at the Moon and began taking high-resolution photographs. By comparing pictures taken early in the mission with more recent images, the LRO camera team has discovered more than two-dozen new impact craters – including an 18-meter-wide crater caused by a bright flash on March 17, 2013.
Learn more about this finding.

VISUALIZATION - Artist's concept of the bright lunar impact in Mare Imbrium on March 17, 2013.

VIDEO RECORDING - Bright flash in Mare Imbrium on March 17, 2013. Video captured by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center.

IMAGE - Close up of the March 17 impact crater. Available in before and after versions.

IMAGE - Close up of the March 17 impact crater. Available in before and after versions.

IMAGE - Close up of the March 17 crater with image processing. The outline indicates soil ejected during impact.

IMAGE - Close up of the March 17 crater with image processing. The outline indicates soil ejected during impact.

IMAGE - LROC mosaic showing the location of the March 17 crater and the pattern of ejected material. Available in labeled and clean versions.

IMAGE - LROC mosaic showing the location of the March 17 crater and the pattern of ejected material. Available in labeled and clean versions.

VISUALIZATION - Map of present-day lunar impact craters

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Credits

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NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

This page was originally published on Tuesday, March 17, 2015.
This page was last updated on Wednesday, May 3, 2023 at 1:49 PM EDT.

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