Before & After: Colorizing a higher-resolution monochrome image with lower-resolution color data

Filed under pretty pictures, amateur image processing, Mars Express, Mars, Curiosity (Mars Science Laboratory), explaining image processing, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter

Drag the green slider across the image to compare "before" and "after" states.

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Before & After: Colorizing a higher-resolution monochrome image with lower-resolution color data

The base image (left) is a monochrome view from the Context Camera (CTX) on Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. On the right, it has been colorized with lower-resolution color data from the High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) on Mars Express.

NASA / JPL / MSSS / ESA / DLR / FU Berlin (G. Neukum) / Tanya Harrison / Emily Lakdawalla

Here is the full-resolution colorized image (click to enarge to its total enormousness):

NASA / JPL / MSSS / ESA / DLR / FU Berlin (G. Neukum) / Tanya Harrison / Emily Lakdawalla

Base map for Curiosity traverse within Gale Crater: CTX colorized with HRSC, 10 m/pixel

A region of northwestern Gale crater about 70 kilometers square, including the Curiosity landing site and all of the terrain that it is likely to traverse during the mission's lifetime (and then some). At full resolution, the base map is a 10-meter-per-pixel mosaic of Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Context Camera images produced by Tanya Harrison. It has been colorized with Mars Express High Resolution Stereo Camera data with an original resolution of 25 meters per pixel.

Original image data dated on or about July 27, 2013.