As I drove up the winding road to Fremont Peak State Park, I idly mused upon the current state of chaos theory as I contemplated the approaching back of the front... would seeing and transparancy improve soon?. When I arrived at the parking lot, it was filled with friends eager for a night's observing. I counted at least 12 telescopes set up.
I started my night's observing with one of my favorite objects, M 40. It was a blurry likeness of Demi Moore. With that checked off my list, I slewed to IC 1999. It looked exactly like Gollum. Then, I showed some guests Abell 8. It appeared to be whipped cream. With that checked off my list, I checked off M 63. It seemed fainter than blackness. After that, I sought Abell 17. It was a dead ringer for a little triangle. After that, I identified Abell 74. It somewhat resembled one of Martha Stewart's doilies. After I'd spent a few minutes looking at that, I logged B 499 in Sagittarius. It reminded me of that graph in An Unpleasant Truth. After I'd spent a few minutes looking at that, I went for M 16. It was even more difficult than Dubya. Then, for a real challenge, I hunted NGC 1648. It appeared to be Dubya. Then, I logged IC 1730. It looked like a dodo bird, extinct but for this celestial likeness. Next, attacking my personal nemesis, I checked out Abell 62. It looked uncannily like two scoops of spumoni ice cream. After that, I nudged my telescope to IC 3405 in Perseus. It was a dead ringer for lumpy darkness. After I'd spent a few minutes looking at that, I jumped to M 107. It appeared as the invisible man. Next, attacking my personal nemesis, I observed B 315. It took me back to the first time I saw a UFO.
After a short break to do some yoga, I hunted for NGC 1801 in that confusing part of Virgo. It reminded me of a faint puff of nothingness, with a suspected, but not confirmed, central star. After I'd spent a few minutes looking at that, I star-hopped to NGC 1943 in Pisces Austrinus. It seemed fainter than a nebula. Then, I accidentally located NGC 4829 in Canis Major. It was better than an edge-on barred spiral with a sharp dust lane.
After a short break to munch cheesy poofs, I sought B 73 in a group of stars that looked like an armadillo. It seemed most like a swarm of bees. With that checked off my list, I helped a beginner find B 93. It glowed, rather like that graph in An Unpleasant Truth. With that checked off my list, I nudged my telescope to NGC 2843. It would be easy to confuse with a whale spouting.
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.