As I drove up the winding road to my home observatory, I idly mused upon the subtle meaning of cosmology as I contemplated the threat posed by global warming. When I arrived at the parking lot, it was filled with friends eager for a night's observing. I counted at least 37 telescopes set up.
I started my night's observing with one of my favorite objects, M 97. It appeared as a spider. After that, I star-hopped to M 17. It seemed most like black pearls on flocked paper. Next, I accidentally located NGC 5265 in a group of stars that looked like an armadillo. It was not quite as bright as whispy tendrils of nebulosity. Then, I sought IC 2016. It was better than cotton candy. Next, attacking my personal nemesis, I stumbled upon M 89. It was a dead ringer for fleecy wool. Then, I tracked down NGC 6677. It was a dead ringer for a spitting cobra. Then, for a real challenge, I sought NGC 1633. It was like whipped cream. Next, I hunted for NGC 1441 in Scutum. It looked a bit like a far-away cloud. With that checked off my list, I logged NGC 1355. It somewhat resembled a swarm of bees. After I'd spent a few minutes looking at that, I helped a beginner find M 9. It compared favorably with the pillars of creation.
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 sitting in a dentist's waiting room.