Scientists have discovered a newly formed crater on the Moon measuring about 728 feet wide and 141 feet deep, roughly the length of two football pitches.

The crater was created by a powerful impact between April 11 and May 22, 2024, when a comet or asteroid fragment several stories tall struck the lunar surface.

NASA scientist Robert Wagner spotted the unusual bright area while conducting a routine review of data from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter.

Researchers estimate that impacts capable of creating such a large crater occur only about once every 132 years, Sky News has reported.

The discovery comes as NASA prepares for future astronaut missions and plans to establish a base near the Moon’s south pole.