Product images of the upcoming EOS Ra have appeared.  It's very likely we'll see this camera very shortly.

The EOS-Ra is an EOS R with a sensor modification that allows for h-Alpha wavelengths to pass through unimpeded by the IR cut filter that sits in front of the sensor.  Normally a stock IR Cut filter that digital cameras employ has around a 2-3 stop loss at the h-Alpha wavelength of 656.28nm.

Why is this good for astrophotography? Atypically emission nebulae emit this wavelength, and as well, the Sun's atmosphere (take proper precautions if you try this!).  Letting more of this light to reach the sensor allows for better contrast and detail when it comes to nebulae and deep sky astrophotography.

Since the EOS Ra is modified to pass more light of the 656nm wavelength, white balance and colors will be a bit off for normal photography.  You can, however, use a hot mirror filter that screws on the front of your lens to correct the filtering for normal color photography.

Update:

Preorder the Canon EOS Ra here

It appears like Adorama has launched the EOS Ra.  From Adorama we see that it has an enhanced magnification mode that allows up to 30x liveview magnification to allow for more accurate focus when shooting the night sky as well as the filter modification.

Canon’s first full-frame mirrorless camera dedicated to deep sky and night sky photography

Capture the intricacies of a starry night sky with the new EOS Ra camera — Canon’s first full-frame mirrorless camera dedicated to deep sky and night sky photography. Building on the success of the EOS R, the EOS Ra offers 30x magnification in both the viewfinder and in Live View shooting for more accurate focus.

 

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