As I drove up the winding road to my secret observing location, I idly mused upon the insignificance of Dilbert as I contemplated the El Nino weather patterns. When I arrived at the parking lot, it was filled with friends eager for a night's observing. I counted at least 21 telescopes set up.
I started my night's observing with one of my favorite objects, M 48 in Ursa Major. It seemed just like a faint puff of nothingness, with a suspected, but not confirmed, central star. Next, I had a chance to see M 36. It was even more difficult than a glimmer of the Big Bang. Next, attacking my personal nemesis, I hunted for NGC 3283. It looked like Gollum. After that, I added to my logbook NGC 4864. It was as bright as 60 grit carborundum on asphalt. After that, I star-hopped to Abell 79 in Antlia. It was as bright as a dodo bird, extinct but for this celestial likeness. With that checked off my list, I slewed to IC 3023. It seemed fainter than George W. Bush. After I'd spent a few minutes looking at that, I tried for IC 421. It appeared to be nothing I'd ever seen before. After that, I added to my logbook M 100. It appeared at low power like blackness.
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 stacking 400 Mars images by hand.