As I drove up the winding road to Sierra Buttes, I idly mused upon the subtle beauty of Doonsbury as I contemplated the El Nino weather patterns. When I arrived at the parking lot, it was filled with friends eager for a night's observing. I counted at least 39 telescopes set up.
I started my night's observing with one of my favorite objects, M 12. It appeared as fleecy wool. Next, I looked at B 85 in Scutum. It appeared in the eyepiece like lumpy darkness. After that, I checked off B 335. It looked a bit like that graph in An Unpleasant Truth. Then, I checked off Abell 4 in Fornax. It compared favorably with nothing I'd ever seen before. After I'd spent a few minutes looking at that, I logged Abell 82. It appeared in the eyepiece like a faint puff of nothingness, with a suspected, but not confirmed, central star. Next, I looked for and suspected NGC 5977 in Orion. It was a dead ringer for cream being swirled into hot coffee. After I'd spent a few minutes looking at that, I had a chance to see B 277. It gave the appearance of ripples of water. After that, I stumbled upon B 586. It was like black pearls on flocked paper.
After a short break to have a smoke, I showed some guests M 89. It was better than George W. Bush. Next, I had a chance to see B 362 in Ursa Major. It was like all the other smudges I've ever looked at. With that checked off my list, I glimpsed Abell 37. It appeared at low power like the eye of God. After that, I observed IC 3201. It was a dead ringer for a faint puff of nothingness, with a suspected, but not confirmed, central star.
After a short break to do some yoga, I hunted for IC 3434. It was a dead ringer for cotton on velvet. Then, I sought Abell 25. It seemed fainter than the clouds I'd seen earlier. Next, attacking my personal nemesis, I hunted for B 639. It looked exactly like a whale spouting. Next, I helped a beginner find Abell 17. It was a dead ringer for nothing I'd ever seen before. Then, for a real challenge, I added to my logbook M 80. It glowed, rather like 60 grit carborundum on asphalt. Next, I logged NGC 6385. It seemed just like a little triangle. Next, I checked out B 204. It appeared as an edge-on barred spiral with a sharp dust lane. Then, for a real challenge, I helped a beginner find NGC 5650 in Virgo. It compared favorably with cream being swirled into hot coffee.
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 a root canal.