Can we talk about the ethics of editing deep space photos?

I was reading an article about the James Webb Space Telescope and how they process its raw data into those amazing pictures. The writer said they have to add color and boost contrast because the original infrared data is invisible to us. One side says this is just translating the science so we can see it, like a radio telescope making sound from radio waves. The other side argues it's making art, not showing real space, because a nebula would never look that bright and colorful to the human eye. Where do you all stand on how much editing is okay for an astronomy photo?

3 comments

3 Comments

adam1868d ago

Honestly, if we're getting mad about color in space pics, wait until they find out about every food ad ever. They're not selling us a gray, fuzzy blob of gas, they're selling wonder. It's the same as turning up the bass on a song so you can feel it. The raw data is the sheet music, the final picture is the concert. If they didn't jazz it up, my eyeballs would just see a black square and I'd go back to watching cat videos.

the_elizabeth8d ago

Yeah I read something about how they add color based on different gases, it's not just random. Adam186 is right, it's about making it real for us. Otherwise it's just science class all over again lol.

blairm778d ago

selling wonder" really got me. I always thought it was fake. But the sheet music vs concert thing makes total sense. Changed my mind.