As I drove up the winding road to Mount Tamalpais, I idly mused upon the current implications of the internet 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 16 telescopes set up.
I started my night's observing with one of my favorite objects, M 69. It was as bright as the last six objects I'd seen. Then, for a real challenge, I checked out NGC 6216. It would be easy to confuse with that graph in An Unpleasant Truth. With that checked off my list, I looked for and suspected Abell 27 in a group of stars that looked like an armadillo. It was a blurry likeness of cotton candy. With that checked off my list, I sought M 102. It somewhat resembled a UFO. After I'd spent a few minutes looking at that, I slewed to IC 2177. It was not quite as bright as the pillars of creation. After that, I checked off NGC 5732 in Cygnus. It reminded me of one of Martha Stewart's doilies. Then, I jumped to M 43 in Canes Venatici. It was like yet another globular. Then, I hunted for IC 3432 in Serpens. It was like a Black Rider hunting for Frodo. Next, attacking my personal nemesis, I found by accident M 66. It compared favorably with desert sand. After I'd spent a few minutes looking at that, I located IC 958. It was a dead ringer for diamonds on black velvet. Next, I checked off IC 522 in Hydra. It somewhat resembled lumpy darkness. After that, I looked for and suspected B 356. It was as bright as the clouds I'd seen earlier.
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 day out under the hot sun with bitter enemies.