Gallery | Top Space Pix 2011 | Pressure from the system

In late September, 2011, a huge low pressure system squatted over the Great Lakes region of the US, causing gloomy weather for millions of people that lasted for days. Seen here by NASA's Aqua satellite, the system is over 2000 km north-to-south, and has a distinct comma shape due to the Coriolis effect, the same phenomenon that shapes hurricanes. While this may have made the weather gray and dreary on the planet's surface, from space it's exceedingly lovely, which tells you that sometimes to see the beauty in things you just need a little shift in perspective.

Image credit: NASA/Aqua

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