On September 7, the Alamogordo Daily News reported that the National Solar Observatory in Sunspot, New Mexico, had been evacuated and “temporarily closed due to a security issue at the facility.” The facility, which is operated by a consortium of universities, is perched at an altitude of 9,800’ and is home to the Richard B. Dunn Solar Telescope. It generates high resolution images of the sun, and also acts as a testbed for new technologies being used by other solar telescopes. At this point, the facility remains closed to both the public and employees, without a stated reason.

The idea that an observatory might be closed for “a security issue” seems odd on the face of it. That strangeness has been amplified by the refusal of those associated to provide details of the concern or to announce any plans to reopen the facility. But the security issue here does not appear to be a problem with someone swiping lab supplies or getting into the facility on off hours. Because it is definitely not being handled by the staff.

“The FBI is refusing to tell us what’s going on,” [Otero County Sheriff Benny House] said. “We’ve got people up there (at Sunspot) that requested us to standby while they evacuate it. Nobody would really elaborate on any of the circumstances as to why. The FBI were up there. What their purpose was nobody will say.”

Initial speculation suggested that someone may have made a threat against the facility or against one of the employees there. Others have suggested that the isolated location may have led to some part of the property being used for drugs or smuggling.

But with the sheriff reporting that agents arrived in Blackhawk helicopters to evacuate the entire mountain, and the reluctance to give any reason the action, it’s no surprise that many have started to peak around for signs of Mulder and Scully. Just what could have happened at Sunspot to bring down the genuine black helicopter crowd?

It’s never aliens. Until it’s aliens. So is it aliens?