Hydrogen Alpha Data Cassiopeia Region

About the Cassiopeia region:

Cassiopeia is packed with a multitude of smaller Ha regions, including iconic nebulae like the Heart and Soul, Elephant Trunk, California, and Flaming Star. This area offers an intricate tapestry of Ha details, adding complexity and richness to your astrophotography.

What is Hydrogen Alpha (Ha) Data?

Hydrogen atoms emit a beautiful red light that adds vibrant nebulosity to astrophotography images. However, this light is often invisible to the naked eye, as it’s incredibly faint. Most cameras are calibrated to filter out much of the red spectrum, limiting the ability to capture Ha data. To photograph this light accurately, you’d need to modify your camera and invest in a narrowband filter that allows only Ha light to pass through—a setup that can easily cost around $1,000, plus the time needed to capture each session.

A Ready-Made Solution

I’ve spent countless nights capturing hydrogen alpha data for the winter Milky Way, focusing on the Cassiopeia, Cygnus, and Orion regions. Now, you can add this Ha data directly to your images at an affordable price. Each region is captured with a 35mm lens and includes about 135 minutes of exposure time (3 panels with ~45 minutes each), delivering rich detail to enhance your nightscapes. Each package includes all the data necessary for that region (as separate panels, processed stitched panoramas, and ready to use file), with a bundle option covering the entire Cygnus to Orion range.

Tutorial Support

To help you seamlessly integrate this Ha data, I’ve created a video tutorial offering two approaches: a beginner-friendly technique using Photoshop’s Puppet Warp, an accurate technique of registering the frames, and an advanced alignment method with Astro Pixel Processor, my preferred software for stacking. These tutorials will guide you in adding stunning Ha detail to your images, no matter your experience level.