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Google Maps Reveals 390 Million Year Old Crater
23 Jul
Summary
- Amateur astronomer Joel Lapointe discovered the formation using Google Maps.
- Geologists confirmed the impact crater, dating it to 390 million years ago.
- The newly named Uhackatik crater spans 25 kilometers in Quebec.
A significant ancient meteorite crater, named Uhackatik, has been identified in Quebec, Canada. The discovery originated from an amateur astronomer, Joel Lapointe, who noticed a large circular formation while using Google Maps for vacation planning in late 2024. His findings were reported to a crowdsourcing website, prompting geologists to investigate.
Confirmed by planetary geologists from Canada's Western University, the crater resulted from an impact that occurred approximately 390 million years ago, during the Devonian period. Extensive fieldwork, including a challenging expedition in 2025 across rugged terrain, was undertaken to verify the structure. The crater measures 25 kilometers in width, marking it as a major recent global geological find.
Following consultations with the Ekuanitshit Innu Council, the site was officially named Uhackatik. The research team is scheduled to present their findings at the 88th Annual Meeting of the Meteoritical Society, which will take place in Germany in August 2026.
