Does the Moon still get hit by meteorites?
Yes. The Moon is struck constantly by meteoroids, and telescopes on Earth see impact flashes, while orbiting spacecraft have photographed new craters.
The Moon has no atmosphere to slow or burn up meteoroids, so every particle that crosses its path strikes the surface at full speed, typically 20 to 70 kilometres per second.
Impact flashes. When a meteoroid of a few hundred grams to a few kilograms hits the Moon's dark side, it creates a brief flash of light, lasting a fraction of a second. Telescopes on Earth equipped with video cameras record these flashes. NASA's lunar impact monitoring programme recorded hundreds of flashes from 2005 onwards. A particularly bright flash on 17 March 2013, caused by an object about 30 to 40 centimetres across, created a crater about 18 metres wide that was later photographed from orbit.
New craters. NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, orbiting the Moon since 2009, has compared images taken years apart and found hundreds of new craters, along with many more small surface changes from secondary impacts. This shows that the Moon's surface is being churned faster than previously thought.
Meteor showers. During meteor showers, impact flashes on the Moon become more frequent, such as during the Geminids and Leonids.
Hazards for astronauts. Micrometeoroids pose a risk to future lunar bases, which will need shielding.
Lunar meteorites. Larger impacts on the Moon occasionally throw material into space, some of which reaches Earth as lunar meteorites.
The Moon's ongoing bombardment helps scientists understand impact rates and test models used to date planetary surfaces from crater counts.