During what’s typically a routine wildlife mission earlier this week, officials discovered something that appears otherworldly sitting in the middle of the desert.

According to KSLTV, the Utah Department of Public Safety was assisting officers with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources on Wednesday by lending them a ride on the department’s helicopter to get a count on big horn sheep in the area. However, the job was briefly put on pause when the aircraft flew over something that struck the eye of one of the biologists aboard.

“Counting big horn sheep with DWR this week,” the Utah Department of Public Safety Aero Bureau wrote on Instagram. “During the counts we came across this, in the middle of nowhere, buried deep in the rock. Inquiring minds want to know, what the heck is it? Anyone? 👽?”

Bret Hutchings, the pilot flying the helicopter, recalls the scientist saying “Whoa, whoa, whoa, turn around, turn around!” To which he asked, “what was it?” And the biologist replied “There’s this thing back there – we’ve got to go look at it!”

The crew made a quick maneuver back to where the mysterious object was spotted, and landed the helicopter to exam.. whatever it is.. with a closer eye.

I’d say it’s probably between 10 and 12-feet tall,” Hutchings said. “We were kind of joking around that if one us disappears, then the rest of us make a run for it.”

He also added that the extraterrestrial-looking object did not look like it was dropped from above, rather it was apparent someone had planted it where it stands. Which led to the crew spouting off possible explanations for the object. Perhaps NASA put it there to “bounce satellites off of?” Hutchings questioned.

But the team ultimately decided this ‘thing’ didn’t appear to have any significant scientific purpose to it. Hutchings said it had more of a manmade-look to it – like some type of modern art form rather than alien lifeform.

“I’m assuming it’s some new wave artist or something or, you know, somebody that was a big [Space Odyssey] fan,” Hutchings said.

After the discovery, the crew was intentionally vague when detailing the shiny monolith’s whereabouts, fearing amateur adventurers might get themselves into a dangerous situation if they tried to locate it.

Chalk this one up as another gift from 2020!