Amateur Astronomer Discovers 390-Million-Year-Old Impact Crater in Quebec

What began as a quiet evening plotting hiking routes on a computer screen turned into a rare geological confirmation in Canada’s Côte-Nord region. Joël Lapointe, an amateur astronomer studying satellite views of northeastern Quebec, noticed a near-perfect ring-shaped depression spanning approximately 25 kilometers across near Marsal Lake. When public crater databases showed no match for the massive ring, Lapointe forwarded his observation to planetary geologists while planning a camping trip.

The discovery adds to a select global catalog. According to the Impact Earth database, only about 200 impact structures are confirmed worldwide, with 27 located in Canada. Prior to this finding, the country’s most recent crater confirmation took place in 2010.

Expedition to Lake Marsal and the Innu Council Consultation

Satellite imagery alone cannot confirm an asteroid strike, as circular features often result from ordinary erosion, glaciers, or volcanic activity. To investigate further, a research team co-led by Western University planetary geology professor Gordon Osinski conducted a five-day expedition to the remote site in October 2025. Dense vegetation blocked float planes from landing directly on the shore, forcing researchers to wade through more than 160 feet of water while carrying heavy equipment.

The structure lies within the traditional territory of the Innu of Ekuanitshit. Following field investigations, researchers consulted with the community’s council to name the geological feature Uhackatik, connecting the scientific designation directly to the land.

Amateur Astronomer Finds Ancient Meteorite Crater in Quebec Using Google Maps

Shatter Cones and Zircon Reveal a Devonian Impact

Confirmation of the hypervelocity impact came from rocks collected along the eroded cliffs. On the second day of fieldwork, researchers discovered shatter cones—distinctive conical fractures that form when powerful shock waves travel through solid rock. These rare geological markers occur almost exclusively at underground nuclear explosion sites or meteorite impact zones.

The team also identified impact melt rock, which forms when extreme collision temperatures liquefy surrounding ground material, alongside the mineral zircon. Laboratory analysis of these specimens in Canada and France placed the collision during the Devonian Period, roughly 390 million years ago, long before dinosaurs roamed Earth. Pierre Rochette, a geophysicist at the French Research Center for Geosciences and the Environment, noted that the topography was very suggestive of impact.

Satellite Mapping Uncovers Earth’s Hidden Geometry

The Uhackatik crater joins a growing roster of terrestrial landmarks first exposed or closely examined through online satellite mapping. Similar digital prospecting techniques have helped identify a massive limestone bridge in China and distinctive vegetative circles near the Grand Canyon’s North Rim. In the latter case, physicist Amelia Carolina Sparavigna used satellite photos to study barren rings near Vulcan’s Throne, theorizing that colonies of red harvester ants clear vegetation around their nests.

As for the Quebec crater, researchers are scheduled to present their findings at the 88th Annual Meeting of the Meteoritical Society in Frankfurt, Germany, with the presentation slated for August 14, 2026.