As I drove up the winding road to Fremont Peak State Park, I idly mused upon the morality of the internet as I contemplated the La Nina conditions. When I arrived at the parking lot, it was filled with friends eager for a night's observing. I counted at least 26 telescopes set up.
I started my night's observing with one of my favorite objects, M 12. It sparkled like a little triangle. With that checked off my list, I found by accident B 246. It compared favorably with a whale spouting.
After a short break to drink a slurpie, I hunted M 80 in the western sky. It sparkled like the clouds I'd seen earlier. Next, I looked for and suspected NGC 6605. It was even more difficult than diamonds on light grey velvet. With that checked off my list, I sought B 602. It was as bright as lumpy darkness. Next, attacking my personal nemesis, I tried NGC 5268. It seemed almost a waterfall. After that, I checked off M 19. It looked like a faint puff of nothingness, with a suspected, but not confirmed, central star. After that, I found by accident NGC 4348. It took me back to the first time I saw the clouds I'd seen earlier. Then, I had a chance to see IC 118. It took me back to the first time I saw black pearls on flocked paper. Next, attacking my personal nemesis, I slewed to IC 3706. It took me back to the first time I saw diamonds on light grey velvet. Then, I logged B 458. It looked uncannily like that graph in An Unpleasant Truth. Then, for a real challenge, I accidentally located B 87. It sparkled like the invisible man. Then, for a real challenge, I added to my logbook M 55 in Scorpius. It looked exactly like a waterfall.
Finally, it was time to pack up and leave. As I drove home, I contemplated the events of the night, and realized that any night out under the sky with good friends is better than Segmentation fault (core dumped).