As I drove up the winding road to another winding road only known to those from my support group, I idly mused upon the higher implications of television as I contemplated the night's aurora display. When I arrived at the parking lot, it was filled with friends eager for a night's observing. I counted at least 22 telescopes set up.
I started my night's observing with one of my favorite objects, M 13. It gave the appearance of the invisible man. Next, I accidentally located NGC 1871. It looked exactly like a little triangle. Then, for a real challenge, I glimpsed B 479. It was a dead ringer for ripples of water. Then, for a real challenge, I checked off B 175. It glowed, rather like a spitting cobra.
After a short break to listen to Mozart, I had a chance to see NGC 43. It was a blurry likeness of that graph in An Unpleasant Truth. Next, attacking my personal nemesis, I had a chance to see B 148 in Virgo. It would be easy to confuse with yet another globular. Next, attacking my personal nemesis, I sketched NGC 6929. It was a blurry likeness of a hamburger. (Hmm, it had been a while since dinner). After that, I sketched M 94. It seemed just like an edge-on barred spiral with a sharp dust lane.
After a short break to do some yoga, I checked out M 98. It appeared as an edge-on barred spiral with a sharp dust lane. Then, for a real challenge, I jumped to M 43 in Corvus. It somewhat resembled a waterfall. Next, I located NGC 892 in Antlia. It compared favorably with all the other smudges I've ever looked at. Then, for a real challenge, I sketched NGC 3092 in Ursa Minor. It somewhat resembled a Black Rider hunting for Frodo. With that checked off my list, I stumbled upon M 59. It seemed just like R2-D2. After I'd spent a few minutes looking at that, I hunted Abell 26. It was a dead ringer for black pearls on flocked paper. With that checked off my list, I glimpsed B 395. It was like Dubya. Then, I added to my logbook M 43 in Lyra. It was like a spitting cobra. Then, I had a chance to see IC 2044. It appeared as a hamburger. (Hmm, it had been a while since dinner). Then, for a real challenge, I accidentally located Abell 32. It was better than a glimmer of the Big Bang.
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 root canal.