This was taken very early in the day, as witnessed by the sharp northwestern shadows and disorganization in the crowd. I'd guess it was around 7am based on when the sun came up today here.

While you may be hoping that the event appeared larger, these satellite photos were actually taken at about 1100-1130am, which would be pretty close to the peak attendance at the Inauguration.

Using this map that utilizes the Washington Monument as a sundial, we can estimate the time based on the shadow provided by the monument:

http://sundials.org/links/local/images/washmon.htm

Seconded. It's too bad; it would be cool to have a sat image of the mall during Obama's speech.

Exactly my thoughts.

Whether it was done on purpose to try to diminish the magnitude of the event, or a stupid mistake from the publisher.

It was packed to the roof with more than a million souls.

It was so crowded that on WTOP by 7:30 they were suggesting that listeners stay home. There were already over 200k Metro rides by 7am which is absurd.

I'm sure they would have wanted to have the satellite orbit at the appropriate time, but changing the orbit to coincide with a specific time isn't exactly cheap or easy.

That being said, you wouldn't need a satellite to take these pictures. Also, the Mall is under constant (heavy) surveillance.

Whenever I see images like this I always get a little grossed out when I think that the splotches are people packed together. Dunno what that says about me.

My feeling is related, yet altogether different.

It's more along the lines of: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p86BPM1GV8M

It's different when I think about the planet as a whole, or even when I am in a crowd or am viewing a crowd on ground level. But the vantage point the pictures in the post give us gives me an uneasy feeling.

Looks weird....Reminds me of a fugus growing on something that it will eventually kill.

I thought ants, but yeah, crazy.