What determines the color of nebula?

The exact color depends on the temperature of the hydrogen nebula which influences the relative intensities of the hydrogen emission lines. If there were no dust, the hydrogen emission would produce shades of blue to purple, not magenta or red!

Do nebulae actually have color?

Most of the nebulae and galaxy photos are what we’d call false colour, yes – although it’s probably much more fair to the people who make these images to call them “exaggerated colour”, or perhaps “reconstructed colour”.

What do nebulae have in common?

A nebula is a giant cloud of dust and gas in space. Some nebulae (more than one nebula) come from the gas and dust thrown out by the explosion of a dying star, such as a supernova. Other nebulae are regions where new stars are beginning to form. For this reason, some nebulae are called “star nurseries.”

Can a nebula be purple?

When you look at a picture of a nebula, you will notice a variety of vibrant colors. You will often see hues of blue, purple, red, and white. These colors are actually occur due to the new stars that are forming.

Why do we see the Orion nebula glowing in a pink reddish color in the visible?

The Orion Nebula gets its reddish hue from hydrogen gas, which is energized by radiation from newborn stars. While the red areas are emitting light, the blue-violet regions in the nebula are reflecting radiation from hot, blue-white O-type stars.

Are there green nebula?

IC 1295 is a planetary nebula surrounding a dying star. Its true-color green hue comes from doubly ionized oxygen. A portion of the Trifid Nebula imaged by WISE shows glowing green light that represents hydrogen gas around the bright young stars.

Why are nebulae pink?

The electron can jump to higher energy states, provided that there is some external source to supply the additional energy needed. This increase in an electron’s energy state means it’s excited. In many nebulae, hydrogen atoms emit all four of the above colors, which causes them to look pinkish-red.