Iconic Space Images Are Actually Black-and-White | National Geographic

the Hubble telescope was built to really

the Hubble telescope was built to really answer some of the most fundamental

answer some of the most fundamental

answer some of the most fundamental questions about the universe and how we

questions about the universe and how we

questions about the universe and how we fit into the universe

Hubble is able to observe the entire

Hubble is able to observe the entire range of things that is out there

range of things that is out there

range of things that is out there everything from planets nearby us all

everything from planets nearby us all

everything from planets nearby us all the way out to the most distant galaxies

the way out to the most distant galaxies

the way out to the most distant galaxies there been a few images that really have

there been a few images that really have

there been a few images that really have made an impact in particular this image

made an impact in particular this image

made an impact in particular this image that people call the pillars of creation

that people call the pillars of creation

that people call the pillars of creation but the big surprise is the cameras on

but the big surprise is the cameras on

but the big surprise is the cameras on Hubble are blocking on cameras

and that is because that maximizes the

and that is because that maximizes the amount of information that the

amount of information that the

amount of information that the astronomers can use while using

astronomers can use while using

astronomers can use while using different filters in the cameras red

different filters in the cameras red

different filters in the cameras red green and blue the colors are

green and blue the colors are

green and blue the colors are automatically reconstructed by the

automatically reconstructed by the

automatically reconstructed by the different brightnesses of each picture

different brightnesses of each picture

different brightnesses of each picture element it was taken in the different

element it was taken in the different

element it was taken in the different filters ideally we use three images from

filters ideally we use three images from

filters ideally we use three images from three different colored filters to

three different colored filters to

three different colored filters to produce a full-color image it’s pure

produce a full-color image it’s pure

produce a full-color image it’s pure science that’s driving the colors all

science that’s driving the colors all

science that’s driving the colors all the elements that we have here on the

the elements that we have here on the

the elements that we have here on the earth are represented out in space

earth are represented out in space

earth are represented out in space there’s hydrogen there’s oxygen there’s

there’s hydrogen there’s oxygen there’s

there’s hydrogen there’s oxygen there’s sulfur and we can study those from the

sulfur and we can study those from the

sulfur and we can study those from the light that we get from those object ok

light that we get from those object ok

light that we get from those object ok so that’s the three black-and-white

so that’s the three black-and-white

so that’s the three black-and-white images now I need to composite those

images now I need to composite those

images now I need to composite those images together this is the light of

images together this is the light of

images together this is the light of oxygen atoms which is predominantly

oxygen atoms which is predominantly

oxygen atoms which is predominantly glowing in blue this is the light of

glowing in blue this is the light of

glowing in blue this is the light of hydrogen and that will end up being

hydrogen and that will end up being

hydrogen and that will end up being green this is the light of sulfur which

green this is the light of sulfur which

green this is the light of sulfur which glows predominantly red and if we turn

glows predominantly red and if we turn

glows predominantly red and if we turn on all three then there’s our color in

on all three then there’s our color in

on all three then there’s our color in it it takes a lot of fiddling around to

it it takes a lot of fiddling around to

it it takes a lot of fiddling around to get exactly where you want

that’s the actual final product it’s

that’s the actual final product it’s called the pillars of creation because

called the pillars of creation because

called the pillars of creation because new stars are being formed within these

new stars are being formed within these

new stars are being formed within these structures there’s material that’s being

structures there’s material that’s being

structures there’s material that’s being blown out which is a telltale sign of

blown out which is a telltale sign of

blown out which is a telltale sign of new stars being formed in an area like

new stars being formed in an area like

new stars being formed in an area like this these are huge structures

this these are huge structures

this these are huge structures that’s roughly five lightyears in height

that’s roughly five lightyears in height

that’s roughly five lightyears in height so light would take five years to travel

so light would take five years to travel

so light would take five years to travel from the top to the bottom of these

from the top to the bottom of these

from the top to the bottom of these structures this size is roughly the

structures this size is roughly the

structures this size is roughly the distance from us to the nearest star

distance from us to the nearest star

distance from us to the nearest star that we know about I often wonder why it

that we know about I often wonder why it

that we know about I often wonder why it is that the images particularly from

is that the images particularly from

is that the images particularly from Hubble seem to capture the imagination

Hubble seem to capture the imagination

Hubble seem to capture the imagination of people and I think the real power is

of people and I think the real power is

of people and I think the real power is when you start to understand what it is

when you start to understand what it is

when you start to understand what it is you’re looking at you may be looking at

you’re looking at you may be looking at

you’re looking at you may be looking at something that the light took millions

something that the light took millions

something that the light took millions to billions of years to get to us when

to billions of years to get to us when

to billions of years to get to us when you realize that it brings a different

you realize that it brings a different

you realize that it brings a different dimension to the images