                        Astronomy Picture of the Day

    Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                                2022 March 8

                           Moon in Inverted Colors
                  Image Credit & Copyright: Dawid Glawdzin

   Explanation: Which moon is this? It's Earth's moon -- but in inverted
   colors. Here, the pixel values corresponding to light and dark areas
   have been translated in reverse, or inverted, producing a false-color
   representation reminiscent of a black and white photographic negative.
   However, this is an inverted color image -- where the muted colors of
   the moon are real but digitally exaggerated before inversion. Normally
   bright rays from the large crater Tycho dominate the southern (bottom)
   features as easily followed dark green lines emanating from the
   85-kilometer diameter impact site. Normally dark lunar mare appear
   light and silvery. The image was acquired in Southend-on-Sea, England,
   UK. Historically, astronomical images recorded on photographic plates
   were directly examined on inverted-color negatives because it helped
   the eye pick out faint details.

                   Tomorrow's picture: martian rock flower
     __________________________________________________________________

       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Phillip Newman Specific rights apply.
                NASA Web Privacy Policy and Important Notices
                      A service of: ASD at NASA / GSFC
                             & Michigan Tech. U.

