In a River in Maine, a Curious Sight

Think of it as a crop circle, but in a river. A curious formation that's getting attention in Maine is actually a spinning ice disk that is roughly 300 feet wide. The formation in the Presumpscot River was widely shared on social media and has drawn comparisons to an alien spacecraft, a carousel, and the moon. The oddity drew a crowd that stood mesmerized by the slow-turning disk Tuesday afternoon in Westbrook, reports the AP.

The ice formation is believed to have formed naturally in a part of the river where there's a circular current that creates a whirlpool effect, said Tina Radel, the city's marketing and communications manager. Locals say they've seen smaller ice disks before, but nothing like this one, Radel said. Officials say the disk is spinning slowly counter-clockwise and has served as a big raft for ducks and other birds. "The ducks were rotating on this big Lazy Susan," said Rob Mitchell, who spotted the alien-looking disk Monday morning and immediately notified the city. (See an out-of-this-world frozen lighthouse.)