In false-color imagery created by telescopes like Hubble, which emission is typically mapped to the color red?
Answer
Ionized hydrogen
Astronomical imagery of nebulae like Carina often utilizes false-color composites to translate specific atomic emission lines into visible colors, revealing physical conditions invisible to the naked eye. In these common renderings, the emission from ionized hydrogen is frequently mapped to the color red. This intense red coloration serves as a signature, indicating areas within the nebula that are actively star-forming and still blazing hot due to the recent bombardment of ultraviolet radiation originating from the newborn, massive stars residing within those regions.

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