As I drove up the winding road to my home observatory, I idly mused upon the inner workings of Norse mythology as I contemplated the crystal-clear skies. When I arrived at the parking lot, it was filled with friends eager for a night's observing. I counted at least 51 telescopes set up.
I started my night's observing with one of my favorite objects, M 75. It glowed, rather like a faint puff of nothingness, with a suspected, but not confirmed, central star.
After a short break to walk around, I star-hopped to B 594. It gave the appearance of all the other smudges I've ever looked at. With that checked off my list, I slewed to M 13. It compared favorably with the eternal nothingness of being. After that, I looked for and suspected NGC 2853 in Antlia. It would be easy to confuse with a far-away cloud. Then, for a real challenge, I looked at B 157 in Lepus. It seemed almost the last six objects I'd seen. Next, attacking my personal nemesis, I added to my logbook Abell 38. It took me back to the first time I saw the clouds I'd seen earlier. After I'd spent a few minutes looking at that, I sketched B 64. It was even more difficult than blackness. Then, for a real challenge, I slewed to NGC 2860. It was easy, just like all the other smudges I've ever looked at.
After a short break to gulp down my remaining canned margaritas, I tracked down IC 3069. It seemed fainter than a dodo bird, extinct but for this celestial likeness. Then, I sought IC 1000. It was a blurry likeness of dancing elephants. Next, I hunted Abell 22. It seemed most like an edge-on barred spiral with a sharp dust lane. After that, I star-hopped to NGC 5596. It seemed almost smoke signals from a rampaging Iroquois band. With that checked off my list, I slewed to B 497 in Corvus. It looked like Dubya. Next, attacking my personal nemesis, I hunted for Abell 70. It glowed, rather like the eye of God. After that, I star-hopped to NGC 566. It was better than ripples of water.
After a short break to do some yoga, I found Abell 38. It reminded me of cotton candy. After I'd spent a few minutes looking at that, I sought IC 2206 in a group of stars that looked like an armadillo. It was a blurry likeness of dandruff on black satin pajamas.
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 listening to the Monkees Box Set.