The Manicouagan Crater is one of the oldest known impact craters on Earth and is located primarily in Manicouagan Regional County Municipality in the Côte-Nord region of Québec, Canada, about 300 km (190 mi) north of the city of Baie-Comeau. At 214+-1My, Manicouagan is one of the youngest large astroblemes still visible on the surface. Its northernmost part is located in Caniapiscau Regional County Municipality. It is thought to have been caused by the impact of a 5 km (3 mi) diameter asteroid about 215.5 million years ago (Triassic Period). It was once thought to be associated with the end-Carnian extinction event.
The crater is a multiple-ring structure about 100 km (60 mi), with its 70 km (40 mi) diameter inner ring its most prominent feature; it contains a 70 km (40 mi) diameter annular lake, the Manicouagan Reservoir, surrounding an inner island plateau, René-Levasseur Island. It is the earth's sixth largest confirmed impact crater according to rim-to-rim diameter.
Read more about Manicouagan Crater: Hypothetical Multiple Impact Event
Famous quotes containing the word crater:
“Give me a condor’s quill! Give me Vesuvius’ crater for an inkstand!”
—Herman Melville (1819–1891)