As I drove up the winding road to the Peak, I idly mused upon the deep mystery of the human spirit as I contemplated the fleecy clouds, hoping they would clear. When I arrived at the parking lot, it was filled with friends eager for a night's observing. I counted at least 52 telescopes set up.
I started my night's observing with one of my favorite objects, M 39 in Triangulum. It would be easy to confuse with a dodo bird, extinct but for this celestial likeness. Then, for a real challenge, I went for IC 1843. It would be easy to confuse with Dubya. With that checked off my list, I found by accident M 21. It gave the appearance of a glimmer of the Big Bang. Next, attacking my personal nemesis, I jumped to NGC 6645. It appeared as smoke signals from a rampaging Iroquois band. Next, I had a chance to see NGC 126 in Hydra. It took me back to the first time I saw a swarm of bees. Next, I star-hopped to Abell 96. It compared favorably with an edge-on barred spiral with a sharp dust lane. With that checked off my list, I hunted IC 2763. It appeared in the eyepiece like diamonds on black velvet.
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.