Astronomy Picture of the Day

   [1]Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                              2026 September 23
    [2]Two images. The before image shows a lunar surface sprinkled with
    small craters. The after image shows the same location but taken over
    by a large dark impression surrounding by a ridge that slopes down to
                                the surface.

                        A New Lunar Crater: McGetchin
                 Image Credit: NASA/GSFC/Intuitive Machines
   Text: [3]Keighley Rockcliffe ([4]NASA [5]GSFC, [6]UMBC CSST, [7]CRESST
                                     II)

   Explanation: A once-in-a-lifetime crater has appeared on the Moon! A
   comet or asteroid roughly the size of a [8]humpback whale
   (approximately 10-20 meters, 30-60 feet) crashed into the Moon sometime
   between April and May of 2024. The [9]Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter
   (LRO), with its [10]monthly monitoring of the Moon, captured
   [11]today’s images of the lunar surface before and after the event. The
   resulting crater, named after Apollo-era lunar scientist [12]McGetchin,
   is two soccer fields across. Craters of this size are only expected
   once [13]every 132 years! [14]Follow up thermal imaging revealed a
   [15]large cold spot that surrounds the warm crater. Surface impacts
   will puff up the loose lunar sediment, or [16]regolith, making it less
   dense and harder to retain heat. This event affected an area [17]much
   larger than the visible crater, which will inform humanity’s
   understanding of surface impacts and the evolution of the Moon’s
   surface. It also reminds us all to be [18]thankful for Earth's
   atmosphere.

    APOD's email for image submissions has changed. Please see: [19]APOD
                                Submissions.
       APOD's main NASA site is [20]moving: From [21]apod.nasa.gov to
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                       Tomorrow's picture: open space
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    Authors & editors: [34]Robert Nemiroff ([35]MTU) & [36]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([37]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Amber Straughn [38]Specific rights apply.
            [39]NASA Web Privacy, [40]Accessibility, [41]Notices;
                A service of: [42]ASD at [43]NASA / [44]GSFC,
                         [45]NASA Science Activation
                           & [46]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2609/mcgetchin_after.jpg
   3. https://kerockcliffe.com/
   4. https://science.gsfc.nasa.gov/sci/bio/keighley.e.rockcliffe
   5. https://www.nasa.gov/goddard/
   6. https://csst.umbc.edu/directory/
   7. https://cresst2.umd.edu/
   8. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/humpback-whale
   9. https://science.nasa.gov/mission/lro/
  10. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240602.html
  11. https://lroc.im-ldi.com/images/1501
  12. https://rock.geosociety.org/net/documents/gsa/memorials/v16/McGetchin-TR.pdf
  13. https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2001SSRv...96...55N/abstract
  14. https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.aeh9568
  15. https://assets.science.nasa.gov/content/dam/science/missions/lro/McGetchinLROblinkImage.gif
  16. https://science.nasa.gov/biological-physical/what-is-lunar-regolith/
  17. https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.aeh7812
  18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250803.html
  19. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  20. https://asterisk.apod.com/viewtopic.php?t=45023
  21. https://apod.nasa.gov/
  22. https://science.nasa.gov/apod
  23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260922.html
  24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  26. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  27. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  28. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  29. https://apod.com/feed.rss
  30. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  31. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  32. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=260923
  33. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260924.html
  34. https://www.mtu.edu/physics/department/faculty/nemiroff/
  35. https://www.mtu.edu/physics/
  36. https://inspirehep.net/authors/1073087
  37. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  38. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  39. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  40. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/
  41. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/
  42. https://science.gsfc.nasa.gov/astrophysics/
  43. https://www.nasa.gov/
  44. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  45. https://science.nasa.gov/learn/about-science-activation/
  46. http://www.mtu.edu/