Via Antzinpantz, a map of every hurricane track from 1851 to 2010, as seen from below the planet looking up towards the south pole.

…Mapmaker John Nelson, mapping manager for data visualization company IDV Solutions, told Our Amazing Planet why the map’s oddball point of view was the best way to tell the story of the data.

“When I put it onto a rectangular map it was neat looking, but a little bit disappointing,” he said.

The unusual perspective beautiful showcases the curving paths the storms make across the world’s oceans…

It reveals that tropical storms abhor the Equator, and can never cross it.

Nelson’s map employs US government data on tropical storms and hurricanes from 1851 through 2010.