Ancient Impact Crater Discovered in Quebec, Canada

Topic: Earth Science

An amateur astronomer spotted a strange circle on satellite maps. It turned out to be a 390-million-year-old impact crater, one of the largest ever found.

An amateur astronomer named Joël Lapointe was searching for camping locations in Quebec when he noticed a circular feature near Lake Marsal on online satellite imagery. He wondered if it could be an impact crater and contacted specialists in Europe and North America. This led to a group of French researchers identifying the area as a potential 11th known impact structure in Quebec.

Gordon Osinski, a planetary geologist at Western University, was skeptical but intrigued enough to organize an expedition to the site in October 2025. The team had to wade through 50 meters of water and navigate dense vegetation before reaching the crater. They found shatter cones in rock outcrops, which are distinctive structures that form under intense pressures during an impact.

Analysis of rock samples suggests the crater formed around 390 million years ago. This is significant because it's one of the largest impact craters discovered since the Hiawatha structure was found in 2018. The team is referring to this new crater as Uhackatik, following discussions with the Innu Council of Ekuanitshit.

Why It Matters

This discovery helps us understand how our planet has been shaped by ancient collisions. It also reminds us that even remote areas can hold secrets about Earth's history.

Key Facts

• A 390-million-year-old impact crater was discovered in Quebec, Canada
• The crater is one of the largest ever found and is named Uhackatik
• It formed around 100 million years before a major increase in cratering on Earth
• Shatter cones were used to confirm that it's an impact crater, not a volcanic structure
• The discovery was made by a team led by Gordon Osinski

Key Terms

Impact Crater

A depression in the ground formed by a collision between Earth and a space object

Shatter Cones

Distinctive structures that form under intense pressures during an impact, visible to the naked eye

Implications

This discovery helps us understand how our planet has been shaped by ancient collisions. It also reminds us that even remote areas can hold secrets about Earth's history.