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Name: Donn
Status: other
Grade: other
Location: NV
Country: N/A
Date: N/A
Question:
Are the colors that we see in the Hubble telescope pictures real? For example, here is a picture of NGC 2392. If we hopped on a space ship and could get close enough to see this object as it appears in the Hubble Space Telescope picture, would we see the same colors with our eyes?

Replies:
Dear Donn,

In the case of the Eskimo nebula, NGC 2392, I do not think the colors are real. Through a telescope, a big telescope, there would be a combination of greens and whitish colors. I think what we have is a rep[resentation of colors designed to bring out distinct features of the nebula.

With all best wishes

David Levy

It is closest to the truth to say that it is "false" color. See

http://heritage.stsci.edu/2007/09/fast_facts.html

for details.

http://www.esa.int/esaSC/SEMZCGO2UXE_index_0.html

---Nathan A. Unterman


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