Mike McNerney
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mikemcnerney.bsky.social
Mike McNerney
@mikemcnerney.bsky.social
Actor/Assistant Director who loves astrophotography, terrestrial photography, writing, guitar playing, and Chicago dogs.
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
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
YES!!!
July 26, 2025 at 4:44 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.
July 26, 2025 at 4:43 PM
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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!
March 25, 2025 at 9:42 AM