An amateur astronomer named Joël Lapointe made an unexpected discovery in Quebec’s Côte-Nord region in 2024 while exploring with Google Maps. What he stumbled upon turned out to be a previously unidentified meteor crater dating back 390 million years.
Gordon Osinski, a planetary geology professor at Western University, was part of the team that confirmed the crater’s existence by visiting the site in 2025. Osinski, who operates Impact Earth, a platform dedicated to verified impact sites, often receives emails from the public reporting potential new craters, most of which turn out to be false alarms. This discovery, however, was a pleasant surprise for him.
Osinski will be presenting the team’s research at the upcoming annual congress of the Meteoritical Society in Germany next month. The journey to confirm the crater’s existence was challenging and required a rugged field expedition.
During the five-day expedition, Osinski and his team collected samples and photos for further analysis in labs in France and Ontario. The team encountered difficulties reaching the site due to the rough terrain, and they had to wade ashore from a floatplane that left them 50 meters offshore.
The team discovered impact melt rock and shatter cones at the site, indicating the immense force of the impact that created the crater. This crater, with a diameter of 25 kilometers, is one of the largest recently discovered meteor craters globally.
Jérôme Gattacceca, a geologist at the European Centre for Research and Teaching in Environmental Geosciences, described the discovery as a beautiful lesson, showcasing how our planet continues to surprise and awe us. Joël Lapointe expressed his delight at the confirmation of the crater and praised the decision to name it “Uhackatik” in consultation with the Innu Council of Ekuanitshit.
The team’s field research enabled them to date the crater at 390 million years old, providing valuable insights into Earth’s geological history. Lapointe encouraged everyone to trust their intuition and observations, emphasizing the importance of curiosity and exploration.
