Mike McNerney
@mikemcnerney.bsky.social
Actor/Assistant Director who loves astrophotography, terrestrial photography, writing, guitar playing, and Chicago dogs.
If you need a good laugh, an emotional cry, or great music, head to your theater on Christmas Day to see "Song Sung Blue". As a member of the DGA and SAG-AFTRA, I've had the opportunity to see it 3 times and we're going again today. LOVE THIS FILM! #movie #music #songsungblue #christmasday #theater
December 20, 2025 at 7:10 PM
If you need a good laugh, an emotional cry, or great music, head to your theater on Christmas Day to see "Song Sung Blue". As a member of the DGA and SAG-AFTRA, I've had the opportunity to see it 3 times and we're going again today. LOVE THIS FILM! #movie #music #songsungblue #christmasday #theater
Beautiful integration! IC1805 was one of my first targets a few years ago. I should really revisit it now that I know what I'm doing. Nice work!!
September 18, 2025 at 12:42 PM
Beautiful integration! IC1805 was one of my first targets a few years ago. I should really revisit it now that I know what I'm doing. Nice work!!
Milky Way at zenith between Vega and Andromeda. Single untracked 18.5 second frame, 18mm f/2.8 taken with a full-spectrum modified Canon T4i from Wildcat Mountain State Park in Wisconsin.
#milkyway #nightphotography #darksky #astro #photography #canon #astronomy #night #wisconsin
#milkyway #nightphotography #darksky #astro #photography #canon #astronomy #night #wisconsin
August 26, 2025 at 3:15 PM
Milky Way at zenith between Vega and Andromeda. Single untracked 18.5 second frame, 18mm f/2.8 taken with a full-spectrum modified Canon T4i from Wildcat Mountain State Park in Wisconsin.
#milkyway #nightphotography #darksky #astro #photography #canon #astronomy #night #wisconsin
#milkyway #nightphotography #darksky #astro #photography #canon #astronomy #night #wisconsin
I'm going to be driving across country in a couple of weeks to go to a star party in Wisconsin. Looking forward to some dark skies along the way, as well. The smoke from wildfires across the west has made for rough seeing, though.
July 27, 2025 at 6:43 PM
I'm going to be driving across country in a couple of weeks to go to a star party in Wisconsin. Looking forward to some dark skies along the way, as well. The smoke from wildfires across the west has made for rough seeing, though.
Beautiful capture! Narrowband's biggest challenge for me is the amount of time and data it takes. I have friends who can be out shooting every night, then process in their "super computers". I don't have those luxuries, so mostly do OSC these days.
July 26, 2025 at 4:43 PM
Beautiful capture! Narrowband's biggest challenge for me is the amount of time and data it takes. I have friends who can be out shooting every night, then process in their "super computers". I don't have those luxuries, so mostly do OSC these days.
I took up the hobby during the pandemic lockdown. Gave me something to do that was more than 6 feet from other people. Turns out I wasn't alone with that idea. When I tried to buy astrophotography gear on line, nearly every dealer was sold out.
July 26, 2025 at 12:23 AM
I took up the hobby during the pandemic lockdown. Gave me something to do that was more than 6 feet from other people. Turns out I wasn't alone with that idea. When I tried to buy astrophotography gear on line, nearly every dealer was sold out.
Haven't posted in a while, so here's the Western Veil Nebula. 68 stacked images at 180 seconds each taken with ZWO ASI2600MC Pro camera, Optolong L-Ultimate filter, Orion 6" Ritchey-Chretien telescope on Sky-Watcher EQ6-R Pro mount, captured in ASIAIR Plus, processed in Pixinsight and GIMP.
July 1, 2025 at 6:31 AM
Haven't posted in a while, so here's the Western Veil Nebula. 68 stacked images at 180 seconds each taken with ZWO ASI2600MC Pro camera, Optolong L-Ultimate filter, Orion 6" Ritchey-Chretien telescope on Sky-Watcher EQ6-R Pro mount, captured in ASIAIR Plus, processed in Pixinsight and GIMP.
For the record, many companies - especially big corporations that are run by billionaires - hire large portions of their line-level workforce as less-than full time employees, specifically so they don't have to provide benefits like insurance.
July 1, 2025 at 12:32 AM
For the record, many companies - especially big corporations that are run by billionaires - hire large portions of their line-level workforce as less-than full time employees, specifically so they don't have to provide benefits like insurance.
Since we're in Castaic, Ca, right off the 5 just south of the Grapevine, we keep a pretty close eye (and nose) out for fires.
June 21, 2025 at 6:25 PM
Since we're in Castaic, Ca, right off the 5 just south of the Grapevine, we keep a pretty close eye (and nose) out for fires.
Guessing you have it, but the Watch Duty app covers fires all over the western US. The basic version is free, but they have a subscription version too if you want a few more functions.
June 21, 2025 at 6:14 PM
Guessing you have it, but the Watch Duty app covers fires all over the western US. The basic version is free, but they have a subscription version too if you want a few more functions.
If it's not in the smoke (seems to be between fires with prevailing winds blowing it clear, maybe?) Upper Scorpion Campground near the Gila Cliff Dwellings is a good spot also. There are a few trees, but plenty of open sky depending on where you set up your rig.
June 21, 2025 at 6:10 PM
If it's not in the smoke (seems to be between fires with prevailing winds blowing it clear, maybe?) Upper Scorpion Campground near the Gila Cliff Dwellings is a good spot also. There are a few trees, but plenty of open sky depending on where you set up your rig.
Sorry, got sidetracked with our AC going out. Not sure my other suggestions would help right now. Looks like a few fires in Western NM. Cosmic seems far enough west to be out of the smoke, but a lot of the places I would go in the Gila National Forest are likely smoked out...
June 21, 2025 at 5:58 PM
Sorry, got sidetracked with our AC going out. Not sure my other suggestions would help right now. Looks like a few fires in Western NM. Cosmic seems far enough west to be out of the smoke, but a lot of the places I would go in the Gila National Forest are likely smoked out...
White Sands is cool for daytime film photography. Got some great contrasty dunes with Tri-X. For astrophotography, my favorite spot in Western NM is Cosmic Campground. My favorite spot in Northern NM is Wild Rivers. As for South-Central NM, it's always been too dusty when I've been there.
June 19, 2025 at 4:56 PM
White Sands is cool for daytime film photography. Got some great contrasty dunes with Tri-X. For astrophotography, my favorite spot in Western NM is Cosmic Campground. My favorite spot in Northern NM is Wild Rivers. As for South-Central NM, it's always been too dusty when I've been there.
Further reminder that many Nazi propagandists were tried after World War II during the Nuremberg Trials for crimes against humanity and war crimes.
June 14, 2025 at 6:25 PM
Further reminder that many Nazi propagandists were tried after World War II during the Nuremberg Trials for crimes against humanity and war crimes.
I loaded your coordinates and time/date into SkySafari Pro and pointed at zenith to get this screenshot. It may not be the correct orientation or focal length, but looking straight up, this is what would have been there.
May 19, 2025 at 9:52 PM
I loaded your coordinates and time/date into SkySafari Pro and pointed at zenith to get this screenshot. It may not be the correct orientation or focal length, but looking straight up, this is what would have been there.
Reposted by Mike McNerney
Wow! Just look at this photo of the Milky Way taken by astronaut Don Pettit on the ISS. Taken with a homemade tracker to counteract the orbital motion. It kind of looks like an aurora, but that's actually just clouds just before dawn. The purple colour comes from nitrogen scattering sunlight. 🧪🔭
May 14, 2025 at 5:16 PM
Wow! Just look at this photo of the Milky Way taken by astronaut Don Pettit on the ISS. Taken with a homemade tracker to counteract the orbital motion. It kind of looks like an aurora, but that's actually just clouds just before dawn. The purple colour comes from nitrogen scattering sunlight. 🧪🔭
#pictureoftheday IC443 - The Jellyfish Nebula is a supernova remnant in the constellation Gemini, about 5,000 lightyears from Earth. 36 frames x 180 seconds plus calibration frames. Processed in Pixinsight. #photography #photo #astrophotography #night #sky #stars #pink #nebula #outerspace #space
April 15, 2025 at 1:18 AM
#pictureoftheday IC443 - The Jellyfish Nebula is a supernova remnant in the constellation Gemini, about 5,000 lightyears from Earth. 36 frames x 180 seconds plus calibration frames. Processed in Pixinsight. #photography #photo #astrophotography #night #sky #stars #pink #nebula #outerspace #space
#pictureoftheday NGC4565 - The Needle Galaxy (no, not the same as The Silver Needle Galaxy that I posted last week). #photography #photo #astrophotography #night #sky #nightsky #stars #galaxy #space #outerspace
April 8, 2025 at 11:09 PM
#pictureoftheday NGC4565 - The Needle Galaxy (no, not the same as The Silver Needle Galaxy that I posted last week). #photography #photo #astrophotography #night #sky #nightsky #stars #galaxy #space #outerspace
Family went there nearly 60 years ago when I was a kid. Glad to see it hasn't been spoiled by "progress". Beautiful picture!
March 31, 2025 at 10:34 AM
Family went there nearly 60 years ago when I was a kid. Glad to see it hasn't been spoiled by "progress". Beautiful picture!
Tough to choose just one. I admire Cesar Chavez for worker's rights, Mother Theresa for calming a storm, and an actual revolutionary from the American Revolution, James Armistead Lafayette, an African American who gained his freedom by becoming a double agent working against the crown.
March 29, 2025 at 5:42 PM
Tough to choose just one. I admire Cesar Chavez for worker's rights, Mother Theresa for calming a storm, and an actual revolutionary from the American Revolution, James Armistead Lafayette, an African American who gained his freedom by becoming a double agent working against the crown.
Picture of the day. The Silver Needle Galaxy, about 13 mil ly away. Taken earlier this week from my backyard in California, this image stacks 116 subs x 180 seconds through a 6" Ritchey-Chretien telescope. #photography #photo #astrophotography, #astronomy #galaxy #space #nightsky #night #sky #stars
March 29, 2025 at 3:29 AM
Picture of the day. The Silver Needle Galaxy, about 13 mil ly away. Taken earlier this week from my backyard in California, this image stacks 116 subs x 180 seconds through a 6" Ritchey-Chretien telescope. #photography #photo #astrophotography, #astronomy #galaxy #space #nightsky #night #sky #stars
Gorgeous captures!
I spent a lot of time at Jemez a couple of years ago while working on the show "Big Sky" (one of our main sets was at Hummingbird Music Camp). Beautiful area!
I spent a lot of time at Jemez a couple of years ago while working on the show "Big Sky" (one of our main sets was at Hummingbird Music Camp). Beautiful area!
March 25, 2025 at 9:42 AM
Gorgeous captures!
I spent a lot of time at Jemez a couple of years ago while working on the show "Big Sky" (one of our main sets was at Hummingbird Music Camp). Beautiful area!
I spent a lot of time at Jemez a couple of years ago while working on the show "Big Sky" (one of our main sets was at Hummingbird Music Camp). Beautiful area!
#pictureoftheday. Everyone needed to see a #frog today. Mission accomplished. #photography #photo #nature #water #rocks #california #green #camouflage #waterscape
March 24, 2025 at 11:23 PM
#pictureoftheday. Everyone needed to see a #frog today. Mission accomplished. #photography #photo #nature #water #rocks #california #green #camouflage #waterscape
Picture of the day. California quail in our backyard. #photography #photo #bird #quail #california #green #nature
March 22, 2025 at 10:19 PM
Picture of the day. California quail in our backyard. #photography #photo #bird #quail #california #green #nature