In the common configuration of the Hubble Palette, which chemical element is mapped to the red channel?

Answer

Ionized sulfur (S II)

The Hubble Palette is a systematic color mapping convention used primarily for emission nebulae, such as the Pillars of Creation, where the goal is to distinguish between different chemical components based on their unique emission lines. In one well-known configuration, the data captured corresponding to light emitted by ionized sulfur (S II) is assigned to the red channel of the final RGB image. This deliberate assignment is based on the known spectral signatures of these atoms and serves as a crucial visual tag. Assigning S II to red helps astronomers identify regions characterized by relatively lower energy ionization or specific elemental abundances within the cloud structure.

In the common configuration of the Hubble Palette, which chemical element is mapped to the red channel?

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