June 14, 2011

Test-Stripping the Moon

image by Rainer Umbach, Germany

Many observers image the Moon with color cameras. The software that processes the image uses a specific color temperature for white balancing - it sets the hue of the image. Rainer has processed his image with 9 different color temperatures because he wondered which best matches reality. Which is closest to the visual impression of the eyes? It seems that the extremes are furthest from how the Moon normally looks, although one of my Russian telescopes gives a decided yellow cast to the Moon. What color balance seems like the Moon you observe?

Chuck Wood

Technical Details
11.06.2011 at 23:32 CEST. Catadioptric system 5.6 /1000 + DSLR (APS-C) camera; exposure: 1 / 400 s, ISO 400, WB 5400 K. Image processing: the same RAW image developed with different WB and portions of the resulting images superimposed to the monochromatized (was Auto-WB before) background picture, separator lines added. The white balancing differs with color temperatures ranging from 2500 K (bluish) to 6500 K (yellowish) in steps of 500 K.

Yesterday's LPOD: Spider Webs

Tomorrow's LPOD: Comet Puyehue

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