The fast‐moving protons from the solar wind plasma convert into energetic hydrogen atoms by charge‐exchange with the background hydrogen from the interstellar medium. If created in the excited state, the energetic atoms will emit photons, with frequency Doppler‐shifted away from the resonance frequency range of the background hydrogen. We estimate the flux and the spectrum of photons from the de‐excitation of the H(2p) state of the energetic hydrogen atoms deriving from the pick‐up protons in the solar wind and from the thermal protons in the hot plasma region beyond the solar wind termination shock. We also discuss the possibility of detection of the photon flux from this source. © 2003 American Institute of Physics