Awesome Astrophotos: A Negative Sun

by Nancy Atkinson on July 24, 2011

A negative, or color reversed image of the Sun. Credit: César Cantu from Monterrey, Mexico, and the Chilidog Observatory. Click for high resolution version.

Here’s an unusual if not stunning way to look at the Sun: César Cantu from the Chilidog Observatory in Mexico has taken a few images of the Sun, and reversed the colors, or made a negative. This increases the contrast and allows structures to be seen — or at least stand out — that otherwise are not visible.

“The picture is made under normal procedure,” César tells us. He creates an Avi file, then reverses the colors, and also applies false color, leaving the sky to look blue and the Sun to yellow-orange and the chromosphere as red. “This is to delight the author!” César says.

The solar prominences, in all sorts of shapes and sizes, really stand out.

Below, you can see a comparison of “normal” image which has then been “negativised.”

A comparison between a regular and 'negative' image of the Sun. Cesar Cantu from Monterrey, Mexico, and the Chilidog Observatory. Click for high resolution version

Thanks to César for sharing his stunning images. See more at his website, Astronomía Y Astrofotografía.

  • Torbjörn Larsson

    Makes it look like some odd fruit or egg cell.

    I like it!

  • HeadAroundU

    sponge-biscuit or orange

  • HeadAroundU

    sponge-biscuit or orange

  • Jose de Jesus

    Great job! It is a wonderful image that shows the active regions very fine. Congratulations!

  • Anonymous

    It really brings out the convection cells, I think this should be the norm for presenting heliopics.

  • squidgeny

    Never mind the troll. If his short post history is anything to go by, this user likes using inflammatory language and is probably just looking for attention. Report his posts as trolling and they’ll (hopefully) get removed.

  • Anonymous

    Every post he’s made has been on this theme. Next one like this gets him banned. He can make his own site if he feels he has better news.

  • ITSRUF

    Cool Pic. Neat idea!

  • Radu Motisan

    great, but nothing new. probably now he will also try other Image processing techniques such as segmentation of convolution matrix ops. I thought there’s a standard in handling these images.

  • Anonymous

    I believe BA is a site called “Bad Astronomy”…. Am I wrong? I’ve been with UT since its inception and I’m always thrilled to read the articles and wonderful pictures…. Good Job Universe Today!!

  • Anonymous

    Is there a way to get foreign languages in English so that those of us who don’t speak a foreign language can understand what is being said (or typed)? :)

    • Anonymous

      Yes translate.google.com

      it translated to this:
      The comment is more to Caesar.
      Caesar, you could add your comments page a space for people who visit your site but not a member? Thank you. I’ve seen your photos are wonderful. I’ma student and it’s nice IAUNAM see that there are passionate people in this area. The astronomical photos are not easy and you have many high quality and warmth. Congratulations!

      • Anonymous

        Thank you so much Olaf2! I didn’t even know that existed. As the saying goes, “you learn something new every day”! I really do appreciate it, I’ve found myself several times not knowing what someone is saying due to using another language that is not my own. Again, bunches of thanks!

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