Comments on: Photos: Obama inauguration viewed from space

The satellite that will supply Google with high-resolution imagery caught a glimpse of Obama's inauguration from 423 miles up.

[ryan9549]

What's up with the 3rd section back? Did someone keep people out...looks pretty empty compared to the others.

[flalex72]

I like the other satellite in the lower left. Never seen that before!

[TheOldDessertRat]

I don't want anybody here to faint at the shock, but, where xyzzxy reports that MSNBC has a zoomable interactive version: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28759812

It doesn't play nicely with Linux. In fact, it swears at Linux - very nicely - but virtual swearing nonetheless.

[bruceslog]

In the bottom image ( from GeoEye ), straight down from the Monument on th eleft side of the picture, is that a satellite in a lower orbit in the picture, right where the water meets the beach ?

[Nick3159]

In response to flalex72 and bruceslog, that's not a satellite, it's a dock for pedal-boats. It's empty now because it's winter, but you can see it full of pedal-boats on Google maps satellite view: http://www.google.com/maps?ie=UTF8&ll=38.884665,-77.034464&spn=0.001971,0.003455&t=h&z=18.

In response to wyomason, yes DC streets run NS and EW, so the shadow of the Monument suggest this was taken in the late morning. This means it was before the peak crowd. I was at the Washington Monument, and it seemed like the area was more full than these photos show.

[leoshmeo]

When lookling at the effect of all those people ,as seen from space, I am really amazed.
Now, I have a healthy respect for ALL life forms...especially the purple fungus variety.
I hope there is not a huge mother ship containing anti-fungal spray lurking about up there as well.
:-)

[joshiku]

I was one of the hundreds of thousands standing near the Washington Monument that morning. I was originally ticketed to be in the purple section right up at the Capitol Building, but was stuck in the 3rd Street tunnel all morning until we got out of there in time to watch it live on the Jumbo-trons! Awesome day, awesome time, awesome!

[hrtgyp90]

Having experienced this crowd on Tuesday, I did not realize that those of us who decided to go to the WWII Memorial rather than the Washington Monument fell off of the map. Are any pictures available past the WM? Many people opted to enjoy this celebration beyond the WM due to the amount of people crowded into that area. Some spent their experience all the way to the Lincoln Memorial.

Regardless of where you were, the experience on the Mall in D.C. was simply overwhelming. Humanity was at its finest. Skin color was no longer an issue -- at least for many of us. The feeling of community simply takes my breath away. It is long overdue.

[linuxkg100]

that's remarkable to me, they all look like ants - what a clear view from the eyes in the skies.

[twinkleturner]

Like a swarm of ants, clearly indicates some behavioural patterns of Humans, linking to a scent, an event. This could tell us so much more about insects.

[bdennis410]

One of the photos reminds of the pattern of iron fragments around a magnet, the other of ants .