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Erin M. May, PhD

@astronomay.bsky.social
8.8K followers 747 following 540 posts

Staff Astronomer @ a place - Exoplanet Atmospheres. All data is good data. Plus Knitting, Stickers, Baking, and other crafty things. Toddler mom. Previously known as @_astronoMay on the other site. ErinMMay.com SiderealStickers.Etsy.com

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Erin M. May, PhD @astronomay.bsky.social · 12h
Update: the neighbor kids discovered the dirt on Thursday after it was ~half done and decided it was FUN to shovel dirt. So the dirt is done, but now we're trying to decide if we're getting too much rain from the hurricane on Sunday to overseed and if all the hardwork is just going to wash away 😵‍💫
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Erin M. May, PhD @astronomay.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
At least I have a helper tonight! 🪏 (she was actually very excited to help and was looking forward to it all day long)
Erin's daughter is shoveling dirt into a bucket
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Erin M. May, PhD @astronomay.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
It sounds like a lot but I did math to decide how much 😆 Our yard is almost all clay, no topsoil, and we have some large ankle-turning holes to fill in and lots of settling around the foundation. After a couple hours at it this morning I think I got the right amount 😅
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Erin M. May, PhD @astronomay.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
I've actually been looking forward to this all summer 😂
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Erin M. May, PhD @astronomay.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
My post JWST deadline plans: Me, 4 cubic yards of topsoil, a Costco bucket, shovel, and a dream 🥰 (I'm filling in holes in the yard and leveling it)
A large pile of dirt with a 5 gallon bucket and shovel sitting in front of it
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Erin M. May, PhD @astronomay.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
Petition for Doctor offices to have drop-in childcare in the same building. Signed, a mom tired of dealing with random daycare closures and doctor offices that don't allow children.
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Reposted by Erin M. May, PhD
Sarah E Moran @offallingstars.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Still server issues. Now Laura Watkins (head of science policy at STScI) is saying new deadline tomorrow, Oct. 1st at 5pm EDT for all proposers.
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Erin M. May, PhD @astronomay.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
(I got all my resubmits in and am grateful that I did my two complete rewrites before I got sick)
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Erin M. May, PhD @astronomay.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
There have been over 1,000 JWST proposals submitted in the last 24 hours #JWSTCycle6 (source, submission numbers in my inbox)
static.klipy.com
This Is Fine Dog Meme in Burning House
Alt: This Is Fine Dog Meme in Burning House
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Erin M. May, PhD @astronomay.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Doing what I can, but I think I'm axing plans for the new proposal I was going to finish up today/tomorrow and the other new one I was going to try to squeeze in. Getting the last couple resubmits in and reading CoI proposals may be my limit this week 🤧
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Erin M. May, PhD @astronomay.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
I was SO EXCITED for a productive and uninterrupted JWST proposal push. I was traveling for family weddings during the weeks leading up to Cycles 4 and 5, and I was on maternity leave during Cycle 3. Alas, I have been hit with a daycare illness. Cycle 6 was apparently not meant to be either 😩🫠
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Erin M. May, PhD @astronomay.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
It is time. 🎃🍂 (Halloween Stitch is coming out of storage)
Erin's 3yo daughter is carrying her light up Stitch Halloween decoration up the stairs
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Erin M. May, PhD @astronomay.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
*excited squealing noises*
screenshot of a new feature on overleaf that allows you to have one references library you can pull from for all projects
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Erin M. May, PhD @astronomay.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
I've fully accepted at this point that neither of us will get the interest rate reduction, but also, who is??? The process to get our loans off SAVE forbearance and back into repayment has been painful and way too drawn out and it's entirely the fault of loan servicers dragging their feet.
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Erin M. May, PhD @astronomay.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
The 1% student loan interest reduction for enrolling in autopay by Sept 30th is a sham. Me: 2 months for EdFinancial to process payment plan change, still haven't processed my autopay request. Husband: 3 months and Mohela has not processed the payment plan change request, can't enroll in autopay.
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Erin M. May, PhD @astronomay.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
WHAT IS PATIENT ZERO
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Erin M. May, PhD @astronomay.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Me: Time to lock in and work on this #JWSTCycle6 proposal Taylor Swift: 🪩
screenshot of a countdown on Taylor Swift's website that ends Sept 22 at 2 pm eastern
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Erin M. May, PhD @astronomay.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
I'm being attacked. #JWSTCycle6
Erin's laptop is sitting on her lap, open to the JWST Cycle 6 call for proposals page. Her right hand is on the keyboard and her cat, a long hair tortie, is lying to the side of the laptop and reaching out to attack Erin's hand.
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Erin M. May, PhD @astronomay.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
Update, it didn't rain! Between the bounce house and the slushy machine, Ellie and the neighbor kids had a blast 💕❄️🎂
Erin's patio decorated for her daughter's 3rd Birthday. There is a painted sign on the wall with Elsa that says Let it Go! Ellie is 3!. Snowflakes are hanging from the string lights. Balloons and Elsa and Anna cut outs are in the corner, and a bounce house is off to the side in the grass. Erin's daughter sitting on the floor by a pink snowflake cake with a pink "3" candle. She is wearing a sparkly blue Elsa dress and has a snowflake clip in her hair. Her face is covered.
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Erin M. May, PhD @astronomay.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
(I have it on video, maybe I'll extract the audio for you all later 😂)
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Erin M. May, PhD @astronomay.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
My 3yo was playing with toy ice cream cones this morning and dropped them. She immediately picked up her guitar and wrote a song 😂❤️🎸 (no, really, she did) 🎶🎶 All the ice cream fell down on accident It's all they get It's all they get It's all they get It's no more ice cream cause they melt 🎶🎶
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Erin M. May, PhD @astronomay.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
Emily we have a bounce house! And so many bubbles! And all the neighbor kids are coming! I can't entertain them in the basement 🫠
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Erin M. May, PhD @astronomay.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
Currently tracking ALL the weather websites to decide if I should be decorating the patio or the basement for the 3 year old's birthday party tomorrow 😩🌧️
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Erin M. May, PhD @astronomay.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Today I want to thank all the amazing #MiTHOS team members. It has been a LONG road with A LOT of work, but I'm so proud of what we put together. Hot Jupiters are Cool!🪐〰️🔭🌈 @mayorgalc.bsky.social @stellarplanet.bsky.social @astronemly.bsky.social @hayleybeltz.bsky.social @mommascientist.bsky.social
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Erin M. May, PhD @astronomay.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
The correct way to celebrate is a crunchwrap cheers at a local brewery
5 hands holding half a crunchwrap each
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Erin M. May, PhD @astronomay.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
WE DID IT, EVERYONE! #MiTHOS just went in. Now we wait for PMWs 🙌💃🫶
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Erin M. May, PhD @astronomay.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
CONGRATS TO ALL OF US! YAYAY WE DID IT! 💃💃💃💃💃💃💃💃💃💃
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Erin M. May, PhD @astronomay.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
hahaha, I literally texted @mayorgalc.bsky.social after that meeting and said that it was refreshing to have the most senior person in the room be you 😂
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Erin M. May, PhD @astronomay.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
(yes, I plan to scan these so I can save them forever)
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Erin M. May, PhD @astronomay.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Ellie started drawing "people" today. Left is her self portrait, right is me. (The horizontal line on the top is our hair)
Ellie holding her first self portrait. It consists primarily of lines.Ellie's first drawing of Erin. It consists primarily of lines and is much taller than her self portrait
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Erin M. May, PhD @astronomay.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Minor crash out over having to get off the plane before she got the delta cookies, but we found oreos and a happy meal so it's mostly okay now
Erin's almost 3 year old eating a happy meal, holding a chicken nugget up to her head with one hand and playing with the included toy with the other
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Erin M. May, PhD @astronomay.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
I'm 6/6 on my last 6 flights this year with them with major delays (>2 hrs) or cancellations
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Erin M. May, PhD @astronomay.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Yeah we were deplaned and I just paid for a new flight and will argue with Delta later. I can't wait 4 hours at an airport alone with a toddler 😫 now I only have to wait 2.5 hours 🫠 (and hope they'll seat us together)
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Erin M. May, PhD @astronomay.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Today I'm on a plane with my 3 yo waiting to taxi and just got a text update that we're delayed 4 hours!? But the flight attendants know nothing. Tbh I might be done with Delta after this year. Two months ago I had a cancelled flight with them, too.
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Erin M. May, PhD @astronomay.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
😂 Don't worry, ours is filled with "bad" words. Others here didn't think it was something to be concerned about. I remain, concerned, though.
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Erin M. May, PhD @astronomay.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
💯
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Erin M. May, PhD @astronomay.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
I want to be clear: this is not "bending to pressure" This is being a soft money scientist that depends on grants to pay 100% of my salary. Without grants, I have no job. And with federal grants reviewed by non-scientist political appointees, even a single word can get a grant flagged.
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Erin M. May, PhD @astronomay.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
I never confirmed, but I did in fact order the cupcakes. Last week I ordered the decorations. This week's goal is to decide on what food we're having.
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Erin M. May, PhD @astronomay.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
Me, an astrophysicist, trying very hard to not use the words "diversity of exoplanets" in proposals.
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Erin M. May, PhD @astronomay.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
Apparently this menace to society is 1 this month 🎉
A long hair tortie cat, mostly black with a small amount of brown hair, a light brown chin, and orange eyes is lying in a light grey cat bed looking up at the camera
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Erin M. May, PhD @astronomay.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
EMILY ITS GOING TO BE SO EXCITING AND INTERESTING 🤓
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Erin M. May, PhD @astronomay.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
Finalizing calibration plans for #MiTHOS and getting *super* excited about the detector *calibration* papers we'll get to write. I might currently be more excited for our newest calibration step than I am for the first phase curve 😆 #PIDaily
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Erin M. May, PhD @astronomay.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
My toddler, waltzing out of her bedroom an hour after she was put to bed: "MAMA WHAT ARE ALL THE ANIMALS IN TOY STORY?" (Apparently she had been laying there thinking about it and couldn't figure out what kind of "animal" Mr. Potato head was)
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Erin M. May, PhD @astronomay.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
🫣🫣🫣
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Erin M. May, PhD @astronomay.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
Emily she is OPINIONATED. Even if the party wasn't close to a big deadline I would not be trying to make Frozen themed cupcakes that meet her high standards 😅 Also she likes chocolate, and you know there is zero chance I'd bake those myself 😂
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Erin M. May, PhD @astronomay.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
Have I mentioned that my toddler's 3rd birthday party is 3 days after the Astro SMEX deadline? This week's tasks therefore include ordering the cupcakes and continuing SMEX proposal edits. (The cupcakes are my priority, as they should be) #PIDaily
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Erin M. May, PhD @astronomay.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
The two I've narrowed it down to are the same distance 🙃 I'm also being picky because I don't want a dance mom drama studio 🫣
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Erin M. May, PhD @astronomay.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
Trying to decide on a dance studio for my almost 3 year old to start at in September and it may be one of the more stressful things I've done lately 😅
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Erin M. May, PhD @astronomay.bsky.social · 28/07/2026
😆😆😆
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Erin M. May, PhD @astronomay.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
Is it that one or this one? 😅
static.klipy.com
Michael Scott: Oh My God, It's Happening!
Alt: Michael Scott: Oh My God, It's Happening!
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