PlasmaNerd

@plasmanerd

A Space Weather/Heliophysics researcher, enjoying the scientific nomadic life, and always hunting for more Aurora experiences.

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PlasmaNerd@plasmanerd· 24d

That's wonderful! I only have a deck, so I try to make the most of it... But someday!!!!

Redwing black bird splashes in a bird bath.

A raised gArden in a deck and some pots on the side all full of flowers to the point that it seems to be bursting from the seams.

PlasmaNerd@plasmanerd· Jun 23

I got out of work later than I wanted to, but I still made it to do the most important job that you have as a US citizen. I voted.

PlasmaNerd@plasmanerd· Jun 12

Conversations this evening wandered to a point where I remembered the only Canadian food truck I've ever seen... In Lisboa Portugal... And yes of course it is a Poutine truck.

A food truck called Poutine Express sits open on the right with tables out on the left side. The truck states they are Authentically Canadian with a Canadian flag and pictures of all the types of Poutine you can buy ... All places and not just Lisbon deserve this type of truck.

PlasmaNerd@plasmanerd· Jun 10

Got to see one for the first time last weekend. They are beautiful birds! And your picture captures their beauty! #birds #bird #photography #ProthonotaryWarbler #Leica #Maryland #EasternShore

A tiny yellow bird can be seen near the middle of the image of the tree, hiding amongst the pine needles and pine cones.

PlasmaNerd@plasmanerd· Jun 7

Beautiful day out for photos. Though it was way too hot and humid.

A picture of an inlet with still water, the left starts barren, but as you move right there's more trees and the reflection is almost as sharp as the trees themselves.

PlasmaNerd@plasmanerd· May 31

Got a Scarlet Tanager on the Scarlet Tanager trail at the Rachel Carson Conservation area. He stayed quite high up in the tree tops, but I still got a bit of him. #Birds #Photography #Leica #Lumix #ScarletTanager #bird #Maryland #RachelCarson

PlasmaNerd@plasmanerd· May 31

Another contender for favorite bird from today is this indigo bunting. #Birds #Leica #Photography #Maryland #EastenShore #bird #BlackWater

An indigo bunting sits in a tree filled with pinecones. The grey sky and grey color of the branches and pine cones off set the indigo bunting.

PlasmaNerd@plasmanerd· May 31

Perhaps my favorite bird that I captured today. A Summer Tanager. The red is stunning. #birds #Bird #Leica #Lumex #EasternShore #Maryland #BlackWater

A Summer Tanager sits on a branch with vibrant green leaves

PlasmaNerd@plasmanerd· May 28

Really important take especially given how Heliophysics SMD presented how the motivation for our science or funded science through them is set to change. We are apparently shifting from Curiosity driven research to Outcome driven research... assets.science.nasa.gov/content/dam/...

A slide from Heliophysics science mission directorate's town hall.

On the left is a picture from the Sun and under it says The Shift: from vision to implementation.

The right has a table that has column labels "traditional Focus" "2026 Strategic Focus" and "Benefit"

The way we use to do/fund NASA science was "Disciplinary and Mission Silos", "Curiosity -Driven investigations", and "Fragmented Theory, Knowledge Building, Operations". This year they are switching to "Strategic Purpose themes", "Outcome-driven Research" and "Integrated Knowledge Chain". The supposed benefits are "Alignment with NASA and National Priorities", "Actionable 'Environmental Intelligence '" and "Faster Transition to application".

PlasmaNerd@plasmanerd· May 21

And with a miracle the luggage came just a moment later. Lucky day!

And with a miracle the luggage came just a moment later. Looking out a raindrop filled window down at a cart arriving with the late luggage. One man is pulling it out while a woman scans it it.

PlasmaNerd@plasmanerd· May 21

Waiting for late luggage before we can go.

Looking through a windows with raindrops out onto the airplane parking lot? There's an empty gate, trucks and equipment, grounded planes in. The background, a plane taking off in the upper right background and New York skyline even further back.

PlasmaNerd@plasmanerd· May 10

A common yellow throat decided to pose for me today. #birds #bird #photography #leica #CommonYellowThroat #Maryland #EasternShore

A common yellow throat sits on a branch of a young tree in a meadow.

PlasmaNerd@plasmanerd· May 9

Okay, if you click and open the photo, on the right hand side, I swear, you will see a Great Crested Flycatcher. #Birds #GreatCrestedFlycatcher #Maryland #EasternShore #Bird #Leica #Photography

On a gray day we have a tree trunk on the left side with lots of small branches that look dead with pine cones still attached. About a third of the way up is a horizontal branch. Almost to the right hand side the branch splits and there's a bit that goes up. On the top of the branch sits this small thin bird which is a Great Crested Flycatcher.

PlasmaNerd@plasmanerd· May 6

Another new bird (for me to photograph) from this past weekend. A beautiful blue bunting! #bird #leica #photography #bluebunting #birds #spring #maryland #easternshore

A blue bunting sits on a branch a bit fluffed out, showing off his blue feathers. The tree had a tone of branches on the left leading to the trunk on the right. The branches all have new leaves that are bright green.

PlasmaNerd@plasmanerd· May 5

Got to photograph a new bird this weekend. Here's a Blue-gray gnat catcher. #Bird #Leica #Photography #Birds #Maryland #Easternshore #BlueGrayGnatCatcher

A blue-gray gnat catcher sitting on a branch with his head to the side looking down at the photographer. The tree is showing new bright green leaves and the sky is bright blue in the background.

PlasmaNerd@plasmanerd· Apr 30

Some photos from a trip to Dublin Ireland earlier this year.

A man checks his phone standing next to a statue of Philip Plynott

A church in Dublin Ireland... I'm not sure which one but it is pretty.

The Dublin tourism office at a cross wall where one person is on a bike while the other waits to cross the street.

A coffee shop glass door with two people walking past instead of coming in and having some nice coffee.

PlasmaNerd@plasmanerd· Apr 30

Okay, this is really bugging me. NASA and especially political appointees do not get to unilaterally decide if Pluto is a planet. That is not how science works, and it is disturbing and dangerous that a Leader at NASA thinks they can put pressure on a community to change a research result.

From science.nasa.gov

Pluto nearly fills the frame in this image from NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft taken on July 13, 2015.
Credit: NASA

PlasmaNerd@plasmanerd· Apr 26

Best part of the week is getting outside, an excellent weekend is getting to photograph a new bird! An absolutely amazing weekend is getting two new birds! #birds #bird #photography #Leica #nature #Maryland #easternShore #RockHall

A purple martin sitting on a white rod with a white background giving the photographer a bit of a side eye.

A marlin sits atop what looks like a dead tree sitting in some dead or hibernating grass in front of some newly free trees off in the distance. The Marlin clearly doesn't care that we are there off in the distance. A sighting of us does not make his day or weekend special.

PlasmaNerd@plasmanerd· Apr 22

Happy Earth Day to our one and only planet. Only planet we know that supports life, and more importantly for us, complex life!

Description from NASA

The Artemis II crew captured this view of Earth setting on April 6, 2026, as they flew around the Moon. As the astronauts flew over the Moon’s far side, the crew photographed and described terrain features including impact craters, ancient lava flows, and surface cracks and ridges formed as the Moon slowly evolved over time. They also noted differences in color, brightness and texture, which provide clues that help scientists understand the composition and history of the lunar surface.

The image is reminiscent of the iconic Earthrise image taken by astronaut Bill Anders 58 years earlier as the Apollo 8 crew flew around the Moon. The Apollo 8 mission was the first crewed spacecraft to circumnavigate the Moon.

For more imagery from the mission, visit our Artemis II Multimedia Page.
Image Credit NASA, Artemis II mission around the Moon

PlasmaNerd@plasmanerd· Apr 12

I think I need to improve my camera work... Granted the car (I was a passenger) was moving forward and the osprey was flying in the opposite direction.

PlasmaNerd@plasmanerd· Apr 11

Best I've got for size context. The green grass is maybe 4-6 inches and the width of the head is maybe 3-5 inches... My partner thinks three to four and I was thinking maybe 4-5.

PlasmaNerd@plasmanerd· Apr 11

Okay, is this a muskrat, a beaver, or something else... We are currently having a debate and need some outside help. #BlackwaterNationalWildlifeRefuge #Maryland #EasternShore #wildlife #photography

A close up of a wet rodent of some sort in some shallow swampy water.

PlasmaNerd@plasmanerd· Apr 11

Sometimes it's worth getting up early to see the birds. #Leica #birds #BlackwaterWildlifeReaerve #Maryland #EasternShore

A blue heron flying over some golden marsh grass.

A redwing Blackbird sitting on a bush with white flowers.

An eagle sits on a branch halfway up a dead trunk. The trunk is sitting in the water in front of some tall golden marsh grass.

PlasmaNerd@plasmanerd· Apr 8

They are fund birds to watch for sure!

An eastern bluebird sitting on a curved iron post with their wings back about to take flight

PlasmaNerd@plasmanerd· Apr 7

Want new photos from Artemis II? Check out images.nasa.gov/details/art0... From the site's description "The image was captured about three hours into the crew’s lunar observation period, as they flew around the far side of the Moon on the sixth day of the mission."

From NASA's website description of the photo

Shadows at the Edge of Lunar Day
NASA ID: art002e009281
art002e009281 (April 6, 2026) – The Artemis II crew captures a portion of the Moon coming into view along the terminator – the boundary between lunar day and night – where low-angle sunlight casts long, dramatic shadows across the surface. This grazing light accentuates the Moon’s rugged topography, revealing craters, ridges, and basin structures in striking detail. Features along the terminator such as Jule Crater, Birkhoff Crater, Stebbins Crater, and surrounding highlands stand out. From this perspective, the interplay of light and shadow highlights the complexity of the lunar surface in ways not visible under full illumination. The image was captured about three hours into the crew’s lunar observation period, as they flew around the far side of the Moon on the sixth day of the mission.
Date Created:2026-04-06
Center:JSC
Keywords: Artemis II , Artemis , Moon , Orion , Orion Spacecraft

PlasmaNerd@plasmanerd· Apr 6

Today I hope to help protect the structures at work that lead to innovation. Those giant leaps forward in knowledge gain activities are slow & steady. Without the foundation of new scientific understanding, we don’t get jump forward in technology development. open.substack.com/pub/plasmane...

PlasmaNerd@plasmanerd· Apr 6

Happy Monday, I hope everyone has a peaceful, safe, and uneventful week.

A view from above of Heidlberg, you can see the river on the right with the old bridge crossing it, and the old town filled with old buildingson the left.

PlasmaNerd@plasmanerd· Apr 5

Another photo from today's birding #Birds #Blackwaterwildliferefuge #Maryland #KentIsland

A greater yellow legs bird walking away from the camera in some shallow water. It is looking over its right shoulder back at the camera

PlasmaNerd@plasmanerd· Apr 5

Getting out to nature always helps ground and recharge me. And you often meet cool birding friends along the way (not just bird friends).

A photo in portrait of a tree with neon green new baby leaves and an osprey sitting in a lower branch looking towards the camera.

PlasmaNerd@plasmanerd· Mar 29

Just saw a post shared on the other site saying that NASA isn't inspiring because it does science... And you can either be inspiring by launching random junk into space or you can do science ... I really hope the majority of people still see the beauty and inspiration in understanding the universe.