RBA Premium Astrophotography
Moon in full color
Posted: October 12th, 2008
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DATE
October 12th, 2008
PHOTO
Exposure: Mosaic of 2 x 1/200 secondsFocal: 2160mm, f/21.6
EQUIPMENT
Imaging Scope: Televue NP101is + Powermate x4Camera: Canon 40D IR/UV filter
Guide camera: N/A
Guide scope: N/A
Mount: Takahashi EM-400
SITE & CONDITIONS
My front yard in Sunnyvale, CASeeing: Ok
Transparency: Ok
SOFTWARE
Stacking: N/AProcessing: Photoshop & PixInsight
COMMENTS
Is the moon really like this? Well, sort of. This is what happens when you take a picture of the moon, neutralize the colors (so the median of the values of R, G and B is the same) and then saturate the image. So in a way, yes, those colors are real, and the only difference is that they've been exaggerated a bit. This was the first time I attempted to take a "colored moon" photo, but I enjoyed it so much I expect to do some more in the future :-)
:: 11 Comments
Comments
Bjo Trimble (Contact, Page), May 21st, 2009, 8:06
This is a beautiful concept! Never thought of the moon in color - amazing!
Ann Sidbrant (Contact, Page), June 15th, 2009, 22:18
For me as a color freak, this picture is a delight!!! Yes, I realize that the colors here are strongly exaggerated, but they are real, nonetheless. The fact that they are real is very interesting, and you wonder what the cause of the colors can be. Fascinating!
And anyway, the picture looks gorgeous!
Joe Hoener (Contact, Page), November 3rd, 2009, 5:35
Thanks for your explanation of how this image was processed, Rogelio. I've been wanting to try images like this, and your notes will help get me started -- tonight.
-Joe; Hutchinson, KS (blue zone)
RBA (Contact, Page), November 3rd, 2009, 10:56
Hey Joe, thanks and good luck with the project!!
As an added hint, if you use Photoshop to process the image, once you've neutralized the colors, create a new layer, change its blending mode to "color", then do the saturation only on that layer, and if it gets too noisy, apply a light gaussian blur to that "color" layer. That way you can saturate the color without losing detail in the luminance.
Jonathan Hall (Contact, Page), March 4th, 2010, 18:10
Thank you,
One is hard pressed to find color photographs of the moon as NASA does not want the public to know what really exists there. They will not release any they have nor do they ever release the high res. photographs they have to the public. They want us to believe the moon has no color. Your image captures the lights on the moon which is nice to see revealed. Again thank you. For further study look up the film Moon Rising. Very educational.
One is hard pressed to find color photographs of the moon as NASA does not want the public to know what really exists there. They will not release any they have nor do they ever release the high res. photographs they have to the public. They want us to believe the moon has no color. Your image captures the lights on the moon which is nice to see revealed. Again thank you. For further study look up the film Moon Rising. Very educational.
aljom (Contact, Page), May 25th, 2010, 9:34
They are lying to us... :(
morteza (Contact, Page), July 27th, 2010, 2:11
Hi Rogelio
I took a picture like your picture.please explain about the blue & green spectrum in that.
thanks a lot
I took a picture like your picture.please explain about the blue & green spectrum in that.
thanks a lot
Aldi (Contact, Page), September 9th, 2010, 9:53
Beautiful,, I really love this pic..
Awesome..
=)
Awesome..
=)
Thanks Aldi!
mariovivo44 (Contact, Page), October 14th, 2010, 6:31
Na´guará, jamás pensé ver nuestro hermoso satélite natual con su verdadero color. Gracias, amigo Rogelio
kittynishat (Contact, Page), October 15th, 2010, 3:42
ohh...that is totally awesome
Thanks for taking the time to comment, Mario and Kittynishat!
Steve Cohn (Contact, Page), May 26th, 2011, 14:14
Hmmm, I always suspected as much but now, finally, I can actually SEE it...
LIFE! THERE'S LIFE ON THE MOON!
(& NASA was going to keep it on the 'down low'!)
Bonobo, cazador de instantes wapos (Contact, Page), December 1st, 2012, 4:51
Pues está genial la toma y el procesado, con una nitidez espectacular.
Damien Margo (Contact, Page), November 3rd, 2014, 12:59
A $25 billion dollar Apollo program fails to bring us a color picture yet you give it to us for free. Bless every atom of your existence.
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