Noticed that Space Rangers 2 used Hubble pics

Interesting idea, though its something a real astronomy geek might actually giggle about a little bit. See, the colors in a Hubble picture that gets published aren't true colors that you'd see were you actually looking at the gas cloud, planet or whatever. Hubble pictures are black and white images that are colorized through different filters to bring out certain levels of detail that might not be immediately obvious in a real color picture. In some cases, the images are totally false color for the simple purpose of identifying various elements in the clouds, so what could well be a very gray looking nebula in space looks red, green, and blue when published, because someone colorized it that way to highlight concentrations of specific gas types. Some of the cloud picture showing all the bands and details of Venus are a real classic example. Those images are so doctored, it would actually be fraudulent to tell someone that's what they'd see from orbit, because if you look at some of the current images coming back from Venus express (which ARE true color), the planet really does look absolutely featureless white from space.

Its a cool idea, don't get me wrong, and I'm not saying its wrong to do it, just be aware that in many cases those images are as much "artwork" as anything you might make for yourselves.
20,661 views 18 replies
Reply #2 Top
i care, its an interesting fact to know, but besides writing that i care i dont really know what kind of answer i should post
Reply #3 Top
I care as well. Stop acting like a troll.

Anyway, most people don't know that those images are false colored, and that's generally what people tend to think space looks like, so I can't really fault them for making it that way...
Reply #4 Top
Yeah I had no idea until I took an astronomy course, man that was an eye opener.
Reply #5 Top
Hmmm, I didn't know that either, never thought of that, thanks for mentioning!

Real space is so boring, empty, soundless and now no color!
Reply #6 Top
In point of fact, there is a free photoshop plug in (called FITS Liberator) where you can take raw data from NASA and color that raw data the way you want.

WWW Link
Reply #7 Top
I care as well.

Good find JanuHull! I will bring this game up in the remote sensing section in a class I teach next semester. The same principle applies to false color IR images of the Earth.
Reply #8 Top
Care bears to the rescue. Wonderful. Your "care" comes off hollow at best.

Did it occur to any of you that I did him a favor?

22 hours passed before the first congratulations for JanuHull's newfound powers of Super Obvious Guy.

How about some information that you can't figure out with Wikipedia?

For example, "Space Rangers 2 seems to be compatible with voice dictation systems."


Reply #9 Top
Why do you feel the constant need to lash out at people who have done nothing against you, and were minding their own business?

Just curious...
Reply #10 Top
Just making sure I have an endless pool of opponents when MP comes out.



Reply #13 Top
You guys... I mean really, you guys... you make it so freaking hard to be good  now stop it before I do something very, very, very, very, very bad  
Reply #14 Top
For what its worth at this point Janu, thanks for the info. I did not know that about the Hubble, nor would I have thought to look the info up. Not that I will be playing Space Rangers 2, but I am always interested in trivia. Don't pay attention to what the jerk above posted, most of us like random stuff
Reply #15 Top
Heh, not to worry. In this day and age, you can't post anything informative without drawing the attention of some loser who's greatest skill obtained in his formative years was the ability to lick his own balls clean without straining his neck.
Reply #16 Top
skill obtained in his formative years was the ability to lick his own balls clean without straining his neck.


Now I don't mean to nit pick or anything but I for one would think this would be an awesome skill to have!    
Reply #18 Top
Heh, not to worry. In this day and age, you can't post anything informative without drawing the attention of some loser who's greatest skill obtained in his formative years was the ability to lick his own balls clean without straining his neck.


JanuHull, are you that dude in The Short Bus?