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Eric the Heliophysicist

@eric-helio.bsky.social

Scientist, kayaker, photographer, computer nerd, and scientist. Builds energetic particle instruments and manages space missions.

Posts Replies Media

Eric the Heliophysicist @eric-helio.bsky.social · 09/08/2026

I got out in my kayak Saturday morning (my combination of exercise and relaxation) right at daybreak. Quiet, but beautiful. Central Maryland.

Daybreak over the reservoir. The glow on the horizon is distant clouds lit up by the Sun that is still below the horizon.

Great Blue Heron gliding across the water.

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Eric the Heliophysicist @eric-helio.bsky.social · 18/05/2026

Early morning kayaking is one of the ways I get both exercise and relaxation. I bring a reasonable camera (Canon EOS 80D with a Canon EFS 18-200 zoom). Here are some photos from this morning (5/17/26) on the Rocky Gorge Reservoir in Maryland. Descriptions in the ALT text.

The upper portion of the Rocky Gorge Reservoir is really the Patuxent River.

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Eric the Heliophysicist @eric-helio.bsky.social · 29/04/2026

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Eric the Heliophysicist @eric-helio.bsky.social · 24/02/2026

I liked this one courtesy of Microsoft:

A windows box with a title of Error, a red circle with a white X in it, and an OK button

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Eric the Heliophysicist @eric-helio.bsky.social · 24/12/2025

We had a whole flock of Cedar Waxwings descend on a bush with berries next to our deck. It wasn't easy taking pictures through a window at a sharp angle, but some of them came out. Howard County, MD.

Cedar Waxwing twisting around to get a berry.

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Eric the Heliophysicist @eric-helio.bsky.social · 20/11/2025

Reminds me of when I found out that someone at Goddard was teaching the spiders to do Black Hole graphics:

Spider web on grass looking like a Black Hole 2D mesh diagram.

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Eric the Heliophysicist @eric-helio.bsky.social · 26/09/2025

My Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (#IMAPMission) launched Wednesday morning (9/24)on a Falcon 9 from KSC (Pad 39A). It also had two secondary payloads, Carruthers and SWFO-L1. A fantastic launch. I'm Deputy PI and one of the instrument leads. ⚛️🧪

Pre-dawn, pre-launch of the #IMAPMission.

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Eric the Heliophysicist @eric-helio.bsky.social · 24/08/2025

Another early morning kayaking on the Rocky Gorge Reservoir. Daybreak is coming later (6 AM is still quite dark). But any trip where I see otters is a good trip.

Family of four river otters on the Rocky Gorge Reservoir, Maryland.

The juvenile river otter is wearing a leaf cap, rakishly off on one side, while the adult is wondering what I am up to. Rocky Gorge Reservoir, Maryland.

Green Heron in the early morning light (the golden hour). Rocky Gorge Reservoir, Maryland.

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Eric the Heliophysicist @eric-helio.bsky.social · 06/08/2025

Currently working in a cleanroom near Kennedy Space Center on my instrument (HIT, the High-energy Ion Telescope) for the Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (#IMAPMission). My instrument is right above my shoulder. #IMAPLaunch is less than fifty days away! 🧪⚛️ imap.princeton.edu

Eric Christian (wearing 'bunny suit') in a clean room in Florida, working on his High-energy Ion Telescope (HIT) instrument for the Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP) mission.

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Eric the Heliophysicist @eric-helio.bsky.social · 26/07/2025

The mother raccoon has been coming to our bird feeders for a couple of weeks. This evening, she brought her three kids.

Four raccoons (mother, tail down, and three young) on our deck rail.

Two young raccoon siblings competing over water dish.

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Eric the Heliophysicist @eric-helio.bsky.social · 12/07/2025

Another trip to NASA's Kennedy Space Center this week, so more wildlife photos (Black Point Wildlife Drive). It's the first time I've seen wild pigs. Descriptions with photos. Go IMAP - Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe!

I got within 4 or 5 feet of this gator. It's a good thing it was only about 2 foot long.

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Eric the Heliophysicist @eric-helio.bsky.social · 13/06/2025

I was at Kennedy Space Center for my IMAP - Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe mission this week. I did get one morning to take the Black Point Wildlife Drive, which I always try to do when I'm down there.

An immature (still has brown) White Ibis.

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Eric the Heliophysicist @eric-helio.bsky.social · 01/06/2025

We very occasionally get a Flying Squirrel coming to our deck feeders (at night). This is one of the better clips.

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Eric the Heliophysicist @eric-helio.bsky.social · 18/05/2025

A beautiful morning to go kayaking (Rocky Gorge Reservoir, Maryland). Didn't take too many photos. The best was a Killdeer in the early morning light.

Killdeer on the shore of the Rocky Gorge Reservoir

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Eric the Heliophysicist @eric-helio.bsky.social · 20/12/2024

Our Flying Squirrel has returned:

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Eric the Heliophysicist @eric-helio.bsky.social · 25/11/2024

Last night we finally got a movie on our backyard deckcam of something I've been wanting to see for a while: a flying squirrel! Howard County, MD.

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