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Here's the scientific explanation of colour in M42 and the like (I'm an optometrist).
Our eyes have rods and cones. Rods are used for lower light levels and only see shades of grey. They have their highest concentration slightly away from the centre of our vision - hence why averted vision worked to see things in low illumination.
Cones are used for bright illumination and allow us to see colour as there are 3 types. Cones have their greatest concentration in the centre of our vision, and we are most sensitive to green wavelengths. So to see colour you need to look directly at the object, and if its bright enough to register with the cones your will see green then red colours if present. The object needs to be brighter to see the red as we are less sensitive to red wavelengths than green.
Cameras/CCD/film are more sensitive to red light hence M42 looks red on photos.
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