The colours in the photographs on which these three tapestries colours are based are said to be approximately true. The colour images were assembled from black-and-white photos taken through different colour filters. Blue isolates emission from very hot helium. Green represents ionised oxygen. Red shows ionised nitrogen, which is radiated from the coolest gas.

The Ring Nebula tapestry colours are approximate to a photo image; the Medusa Nebula contains some colour flights of fancy; the twin Bubble Nebula images are taken from separate light filters.