An amateur astronomer has discovered a massive, previously unidentified meteorite impact crater in the Côte-Nord region of Quebec while planning a camping trip. Scientists have confirmed that the structure, now named quasa.io, was formed by a meteorite strike approximately 390 million years ago.
Discovery via Satellite Imagery
Joël Lapointe first noticed an unusual circular indentation near Marsal Lake while using Google Maps to plot hiking routes for a 2024 trip. The feature appeared as a large pit spanning approximately 15.5 miles (25 kilometers) across, forming a near-perfect ring of small mountains centered around the lake. Although Lapointe initially doubted he had found something unknown, he searched public crater databases and found no match before sending his hunch to experts.
According to Pierre Rochette, a geophysicist at the French Research Center for Geosciences and the Environment, the topography was very suggestive of impact.
While the site was originally interpreted as a volcanoclastic diatreme formation—where magma rises through a crack in the crust—its features aligned more closely with a crater floor.
Field Expedition and Geological Evidence
Because satellite imagery alone cannot confirm a crater’s origin, a team of geologists conducted a five-day expedition to the remote site in October 2025. The mission was co-led by Gordon Osinski, a planetary geologist and professor at Western University. Osinski described the journey as one of the most arduous expeditions of his career, noting that rugged, overgrown terrain prevented their float plane from reaching the shore, forcing researchers to wade over 160 feet through water while carrying equipment.
The team collected rock samples and photographed the terrain, identifying several diagnostic markers of a hypervelocity impact:
- Shatter Cones: Distinctive cone-shaped patterns created by powerful shockwaves, which occur almost exclusively at underground nuclear explosion sites or meteorite impacts.
- Impact Melt Rock: Large cliffs containing about 50 metres of rock formed from the intense pressure and temperature of a collision.
- Zircon: A mineral found in samples retrieved from the site that often forms during meteor impacts.
Scientific Significance and Naming
The discovery is considered rare, as most public reports of potential craters are false alarms. According to the Impact Earth database, there are only about 200 confirmed impact sites worldwide, with 27 located in Canada. Prior to this find, the most recent confirmation in Canada occurred in 2010. Osinski noted that typically only one or two new craters are discovered each year, making Uhackatik a notable addition due to its size.
The crater is located on the traditional lands of the Innu of Ekuanitshit. Following discussions with the Ekuanitshit Innu council, the governing body representing the area’s Indigenous people, the site was officially named Uhackatik.
Next Steps for Research
The research team is scheduled to present their findings at the 88th Annual Meeting of the Meteoritical Society in Frankfurt, Germany. The presentation is listed for August 14, 2026, with the broader congress running from August 9 to 14. While the discovery has been confirmed by scientists, the full research has not yet appeared as a peer-reviewed paper.
Reflecting on the find, Lapointe told Radio-Canada, I encourage everyone to not ignore intuition or an observation, even if it isn’t part of your field of expertise.
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