As I drove up the winding road to my backyard, I idly mused upon the socioeconomic impact of Doonsbury 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 47 telescopes set up.
I started my night's observing with one of my favorite objects, M 73 in Cygnus. It appeared at low power like all the other smudges I've ever looked at. Then, I checked off M 2. It appeared in the eyepiece like blackness.
After a short break to chat, I tried for M 94. It was even more difficult than a cantilever bra.
After a short break to empty my output buffers, I glimpsed M 29. It looked exactly like the pillars of creation. After I'd spent a few minutes looking at that, I had a chance to see B 238. It was a dead ringer for an edge-on barred spiral with a sharp dust lane. After I'd spent a few minutes looking at that, I studied Abell 91 in Scutum. It seemed most like the eye of God. Then, for a real challenge, I had a chance to see Abell 46 in Ursa Minor. It appeared in the eyepiece like its Hubble photograph. After that, I observed IC 1648. It was better than a smoke ring. Next, attacking my personal nemesis, I nudged my telescope to NGC 4924. It seemed most like R2-D2. Next, I hunted IC 1872. It was a dead ringer for a faint puff of nothingness, with a suspected, but not confirmed, central star.
After a short break to check my email, I located B 421. It reminded me of spent coals, faintly glowing. Next, I studied Abell 88. It took me back to the first time I saw the clouds I'd seen earlier. Next, attacking my personal nemesis, I looked for and suspected NGC 6186. It appeared to be Dubya. With that checked off my list, I checked off NGC 6910. It was a blurry likeness of spent coals, faintly glowing. After I'd spent a few minutes looking at that, I located B 258. It reminded me of Gollum. Then, for a real challenge, I added to my logbook NGC 1978 in Scorpius. It was a blurry likeness of a swarm of bees. With that checked off my list, I looked at B 466. It glowed, rather like desert sand. Next, attacking my personal nemesis, I looked for and suspected Abell 46. It seemed most like one of Martha Stewart's doilies. With that checked off my list, I located B 405 in Gemini. It would be easy to confuse with a spider. Then, I looked for and suspected B 351. It was as bright as whispy tendrils of nebulosity. Then, for a real challenge, I showed some guests NGC 327 in Ursa Major. It looked like fleecy wool.
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).