When we see brilliantly colored images of new discoveries from the James Webb or Hubble Space Telescopes, are they the true colors? Could they be fake? The JWST measures light at infrared wavelengths that are invisible to the human eye - there is no "color." Join us for this Saturday Morning Astrophysics Live and learn from the experts where the colors come from and how to do it.

Unlike optical telescopes, where we look directly through an eyepiece and see actual colors, the space telescopes record intensities. Each pixel records a number of photons through filters of selected colors. The data sent back to Earth includes no color, only intensities of light through each of the filters used. The filter colors are chosen to discern different features according to wavelength.

In this SMAP lesson, JWST researcher, and Purdue University Professor, Danny Milisavljevic takes us on a fascinating journey demonstrating how astronomers can use color schemes of their own choice to selectively bring meaning to image details. You will see the how the most recent images of Cassiopeia were derived.

Students learn how to use the web-based JS9, an imaging processing platform that allows them to take actual JWST Cassiopeia A data to create their own color scheme images.

Want to know more about the JS9 software? Here you go; https://js9.si.edu/

The written guide for using JS9 in this SMAP lesson can be found here, https://bit.ly/SMAPSelectedLessons.

Get on the list for new lessons and updates? Join our Teachers for SMAP list and you'll be home free! https://bit.ly/SMAPteachers

Timeline
0:00 Introducing Cassiopeia A, our target of the day
3:22 Comparing Spitzer, Hubble and JWST with Cassiopeia A
5:45 Telescope images from space are not in color
8:40 Professor Milisavljevic and JWST data
11:40 The origin of color in space
13:50 Using filters; RBG and MIRI
16:25 Getting started with JS9 imaging
20:05 Stacking filter layers
25:45 Drum roll.... final image please!
27:56 Breakout rooms - students in action
35:20 Saving your images
40:05 Danny's final comments

Thank you to our presenter, Professor Danny Milisavljevic, and to Graduate Assistant Danielle Dickinson for hosting today's SMAP session.

The thumbnail for this video was created by Jonathan Sullivan-Wood, Purdue Physics and Astronomy graduate TA.