As I drove up the winding road to the Peak, I idly mused upon the current state of this Pale Blue Dot we call home 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 30 telescopes set up.
I started my night's observing with one of my favorite objects, M 25 in Lepus. It took me back to the first time I saw smoke signals from a rampaging Iroquois band.
After a short break to have a smoke, I tried B 419. It somewhat resembled ripples of water. After that, I located M 48. It would be easy to confuse with smoke signals from a rampaging Iroquois band. Next, attacking my personal nemesis, I jumped to NGC 994. It was easy, just like a faint puff of nothingness, with a suspected, but not confirmed, central star. Next, I sketched NGC 5109. It looked like a dodo bird, extinct but for this celestial likeness. With that checked off my list, I sketched NGC 659. It was not quite as bright as Smokey the Bear. Next, I hunted M 40 in Serpens. It looked uncannily like black pearls on flocked paper. Then, for a real challenge, I jumped to Abell 14. It was better than a far-away cloud. After I'd spent a few minutes looking at that, I located NGC 5420 in Fornax. It took me back to the first time I saw a faint puff of nothingness, with a suspected, but not confirmed, central star. Next, attacking my personal nemesis, I hunted IC 1799. It seemed most like the eternal nothingness of being. Next, attacking my personal nemesis, I stumbled upon Abell 91 in the western sky. It was better than Smokey the Bear. Next, I found M 61. It somewhat resembled cotton candy. With that checked off my list, I went for B 635 in Ursa Major. It compared favorably with spent coals, faintly glowing.
After a short break to check my email, I logged B 333 in Lynx. It was even more difficult than George W. Bush.
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 Segmentation fault (core dumped).