Nebulae have always fascinated me. Some of them astound me. Are the false color images colored by humans?

Here's some of my favorites


http://members.fortunecity.com/nanabubba/nature/n10g-n-hourglass-nebBG.jpg
http://www.stargazingforeveryone.com/images/Horsehead.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/72/Omega_Nebula.jpg
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/jpl/images/content/93014main_littleghostnebula-browse.jpg

I love the hubble space photo sites

HubbleSite - Gallery (http://hubblesite.org/gallery/)

HubbleSite - Nebula Collection: (http://hubblesite.org/gallery/album/nebula_collection/)

Hubble Space Photos - Index of Images (http://www.hubblespacephotos.com/a-thumbs.html)

Nebulae have always fascinated me. Some of them astound me. Are the false color images colored by humans?

Yes - Most cameras that are used only measure intensity - not color. So an artist has to come along later to make it more interesting for publication by adding color.

Yeah, they really are beautiful!

Oh, and to answer your question, in short... no! A computer does it all!

Here's a good page that describes it to a good depth;
Glossary: LRGB Color Production (http://www.noao.edu/outreach/aop/glossary/lrgb.html)

*edit*

Apparently, some of the colours are added by humans! Ha ha, sorry!
HubbleSite - Behind the Pictures - Meaning of Color (http://hubblesite.org/gallery/behind_the_pictures/meaning_of_color/index.php)

HubbleSite - Behind the Pictures - Meaning of Color (http://hubblesite.org/gallery/behind_the_pictures/meaning_of_color/index.php)

Awesome link, provided all the info I desired.

As I traveled around the site I came across this HubbleSite - NewsCenter - Iain Neill Reid Appointed as Head of STScI Science Mission Office (07/08/2008) - Introduction (http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/2008/26/) He reminds of the guy from the monty python shows and movies.. lol