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M83

Data from S.S. Larsen & T. Richtler from the Danish 1.45m telescope (European Southern Observatory).

 

I did NOT take the data for this image myself!

 

Here's what I did, with the help of Jayanne English's "Cosmos vs. Canvas" workshop (see link at end):

 

1. Downloaded six FITS data files from the Nasa Extragalactic Database (NED) (nedwww.ipac.caltech.edu/), taken at six different wavelengths ranging from 3600 Angstrom to 7837 Angstrom

2. "Stretched" the FITS files using ds9, a FITS manipulator, in order to show all interesting parts of the data

3. Using Photoshop, combined the images as "screened" layers; colourized each layer according to wavelength, roughly as bluer (shorter wavelength) to redder (longer wavelength). H_alpha emission was rendered pink/magenta.

4. Blended the layers using various opacities and playing with the curves until I achieved a visually appealing result.

5. Edited out saturation lines

6. Rotated and cropped from original orientation to provide a more visually appealing image

 

Jayanne English's visualization website:

www.physics.umanitoba.ca/~english/viz2009/

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Uploaded on December 1, 2009
Taken on November 30, 2009