The mineral moon, and its hidden colors

At first glance, the Moon appears colorless, but its surface hides a rich palette of subtle hues, determined by its mineral composition. This false-color photograph reveals these differences: the bluish tones indicate areas rich in ilmenite (iron and titanium oxides), while other regions display nuances that speak to its volcanic history. The colors are not invented, but digitally amplified from the real light reflected by the satellite, making the invisible visible.

I took this image from my own equipment at home, after several clear nights waiting for the perfect moment. I was alone, in the cold and silence, with the telescope aligned, taking multiple shots and then patiently stacking and processing them. In that moment, I wasn't just looking for an image: I wanted to reveal a hidden side of the Moon, something we all look at but few have actually seen. This is my way of showing that even in the familiar, a universe can hide, waiting to be discovered.

Equipment: Nikon D3300 and telescope Celestron 130EQ
Exposure times, ISO settings: 1/320ss, f/12 and ISO-400
Software used during processing: PIPP, Registax6 and Adobe Photoshop.

To reveal these incredible colors, I had to capture around 200 Raw images and select the best 98 to stack. After this, the processing part began, where, using different techniques I'd learned over the years, I revealed the fascinating hidden colors of the moon.