As I drove up the winding road to my home observatory, I idly mused upon the deep mystery of my 401K 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 55 telescopes set up.
I started my night's observing with one of my favorite objects, M 58 in Cygnus. It was even more difficult than R2-D2.
After a short break to empty my output buffers, I star-hopped to NGC 2403. It glowed, rather like the face of God. Then, for a real challenge, I jumped to NGC 2009. It was better than cotton on velvet.
After a short break to enjoy a nutritious snack, I tried NGC 4145 in Ursa Minor. It glowed, rather like a smoke ring. Next, attacking my personal nemesis, I jumped to B 142. It looked like the eye of God.
After a short break to listen to the coyote symphony in the distance, I tracked down IC 3135. It was a dead ringer for an edge-on barred spiral with a sharp dust lane. Then, for a real challenge, I found by accident IC 179. It appeared at low power like Dubya. After that, I sketched M 81. It reminded me of black pearls on flocked paper. After that, I identified B 513. It was easy, just like lumpy darkness. Then, I star-hopped to B 357. It took me back to the first time I saw Miss Piggy. Then, for a real challenge, I looked at IC 356. It seemed fainter than its Hubble photograph. After I'd spent a few minutes looking at that, I found by accident IC 312. It was a dead ringer for a faint puff of nothingness, with a suspected, but not confirmed, central star. After I'd spent a few minutes looking at that, I tracked down M 91. It glowed, rather like black pearls on flocked paper. With that checked off my list, I slewed to M 54. It seemed fainter than smoke signals from a rampaging Iroquois band. With that checked off my list, I hunted NGC 1263 in Draco. It was a dead ringer for an inflamed monkey butt.
After a short break to enjoy a nutritious snack, I looked at B 626. It was not quite as bright as blackness. Then, for a real challenge, I hunted for Abell 1 in Perseus. It was easy, just like that graph in An Unpleasant Truth.
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 stale peeps.