The Manicouagan crater (also known as the Manicouagan impact structure) in Quebec, Canada, formed approximately 214 million years ago (±1 million years) during the Late Triassic period, when a large meteorite (asteroid) about 5 km (3 miles) in diameter struck the 's one of the largest and best-preserved impact craters on our planet. Here are the key facts:Age: 214 ± 1 million years (confirmed by multiple radiometric dating methods, including U-Pb on zircons and others). Original diameter: ~100 km (62 miles). Current visible diameter: ~72 km (45 miles), due to extensive erosion over hundreds of millions of years (including glacial scouring). Central feature: Mount Babel, a prominent central peak (uplifted rebound structure) in the middle. Modern appearance: The crater is now partially filled by the ring-shaped Manicouagan Reservoir (also called the "Eye of Quebec"), a large artificial lake created in the 1960s–1970s by damming rivers for hydroelectric power. The reservoir forms a striking annular (ring-like) body of water around the central upland plateau The crater's circular structure is especially visible from space (as seen in these satellite and astronaut photos), making it a favorite landmark for astronauts. Interestingly, the impact occurred about 12–13 million years before the Triassic–Jurassic mass extinction event, so it's not directly linked to that extinction (unlike the much younger Chicxulub crater associated with the dinosaur extinction).