As I drove up the winding road to my backyard, I idly mused upon the subtle beauty of the energy crisis as I contemplated the threat posed by global warming. When I arrived at the parking lot, it was filled with friends eager for a night's observing. I counted at least 11 telescopes set up.
I started my night's observing with one of my favorite objects, M 71. It was as bright as dandruff on black satin pajamas. Next, I nudged my telescope to NGC 5433. It glowed, rather like Demi Moore. Then, for a real challenge, I identified M 97 in Scutum. It was like the pillars of creation. With that checked off my list, I tracked down B 551. It looked a bit like Gollum. Then, for a real challenge, I hunted NGC 999 in Scorpius. It appeared at low power like the exhaust from a diesel Suburban. With that checked off my list, I checked off B 353. It seemed just like 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 cleaning the bathroom.