BEALE AFB - An Air Force pilot snapped a rare selfie thousands of feet above the ground while investigating one of the Chinese balloons earlier this month.

On Wednesday, Beale AFB's Facebook page shared a photo taken by a U-2 pilot from Beale AFB. The pilot took the photo while flying close to the Chinese surveillance balloon suspected of spying as it hovered over the Central Continental United States in early February. 

The balloon was eventually shot down as it moved off the coast of South Carolina. Recovery efforts began shortly after the balloon was downed.

The balloon had equipment that was "clearly for intelligence surveillance," including "multiple antennas" that were "likely capable of collecting and geo-locating communications," according to a statement by a senior State Department official. 

In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said the nation's large unmanned balloon was a civilian meteorological airship that had blown off course and that the U.S. had "overreacted" by shooting it down.

The U-2 Dragon Lady provides high-altitude, all-weather surveillance and reconnaissance, day or night, in direct support of U.S. and allied forces. Beale is a 48-mile drive north of Sacramento near the cities of Marysville and Yuba City.