As I drove up the winding road to Fremont Peak State Park, I idly mused upon the study of world hunger as I contemplated the shrinking ozone layer. When I arrived at the parking lot, it was filled with friends eager for a night's observing. I counted at least 7 telescopes set up.
I started my night's observing with one of my favorite objects, M 78 in Lyra. It looked a bit like smoke signals from a rampaging Iroquois band. Then, I sought Abell 49 in Septans. It looked a bit like the last six objects I'd seen. Next, I sought IC 790. It would be easy to confuse with a far-away cloud. After I'd spent a few minutes looking at that, I tracked down NGC 2828. It somewhat resembled a spider. Then, I hunted for B 456. It looked uncannily like blackness. Next, attacking my personal nemesis, I identified B 466 in Lynx. It was like an edge-on barred spiral with a sharp dust lane. Next, I tried for IC 66 in Ophiuchus. It looked exactly like an edge-on barred spiral with a sharp dust lane. Next, I checked off Abell 95. It appeared in the eyepiece like George W. Bush. Next, I added to my logbook IC 307. It seemed just like that graph in An Unpleasant Truth. With that checked off my list, I observed M 38 in a group of stars that looked like an armadillo. It appeared at low power like Smokey the Bear. Then, for a real challenge, I hunted for Abell 68. It was not quite as bright as R2-D2. Then, for a real challenge, I went for IC 2426. It appeared in the eyepiece like whipped cream.
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 spending a day at the mall with my teenage daughter.