Solar Chromosphere Revealed in Hydrogen-Alpha Light
Saturday, July 25th, 2026 at 5:52:00 PM · 2026/Astrophotography
This exceptional hydrogen-alpha solar image captures the Sun's chromosphere at 656.3nm wavelength, revealing intricate plasma structures that are completely invisible in white light. Dramatic dark filaments arc across the solar disk, tracing magnetic field lines embedded in the chromospheric plasma, while bright active regions and plage areas indicate zones of intense magnetic activity. Along the solar limb, vivid orange-red solar prominences — loops and jets of plasma suspended in the corona — are visible erupting outward into space. The image was produced using a Lunt LS60THa double-stacked hydrogen-alpha telescope, ZWO ASI585MM monochrome camera, and a lucky-imaging HDR stack with 2x drizzle processing for exceptional sharpness and dynamic range. The dual-tone amber and orange color palette, though false-color, is a classic rendition of H-alpha solar imagery that beautifully conveys the layered depth of the chromosphere.
Chronologically Adjacent
