Three examples of H₂ column density maps from the HGBS. The spatial resolution of the maps is 18″, sampled with a pixel size of 3″. As a reference, a white dot with diameter 90″ (which amounts to five times the resolution) is shown at the bottom right corner of each map. Estimates of spatial scales, also shown on the maps, are based on reported distances (see Table 1). The Polaris Flare is an example of a diffuse and quiescent cloud, while Aquila and Orion B are dense and very active star-forming regions.