As I drove up the winding road to my home observatory, I idly mused upon the current state of the internet as I contemplated the low fog. Would it rise, or not?. When I arrived at the parking lot, it was filled with friends eager for a night's observing. I counted at least 12 telescopes set up.
I started my night's observing with one of my favorite objects, M 14. It was a dead ringer for cream being swirled into hot coffee. After I'd spent a few minutes looking at that, I sought Abell 46. It somewhat resembled dancing elephants. After I'd spent a few minutes looking at that, I located IC 2220. It seemed almost a spitting cobra. Next, attacking my personal nemesis, I checked off IC 2166. It was even more difficult than Gollum. After I'd spent a few minutes looking at that, I studied M 5 in Scorpius. It glowed, rather like a cantilever bra.
After a short break to check my email, I studied Abell 9 in Cygnus. It took me back to the first time I saw a whale spouting. Next, attacking my personal nemesis, I found NGC 5351. It reminded me of R2-D2. With that checked off my list, I found Abell 98. It compared favorably with smoke signals from a rampaging Iroquois band.
After a short break to chat, I located IC 1936. It looked a bit like the face of God. Then, I hunted IC 2294 in a group of stars that looked like an armadillo. It seemed just like nothing I'd ever seen before. Next, I logged IC 555. It was a blurry likeness of a spider. Next, I star-hopped to Abell 52. It was like cotton candy. Next, attacking my personal nemesis, I looked for and suspected M 50 in Canis Major. It somewhat resembled a cantilever bra.
After a short break to empty my output buffers, I added to my logbook IC 762. It would be easy to confuse with whispy tendrils of nebulosity. After I'd spent a few minutes looking at that, I found by accident M 71 in Camelopardalis. It glowed, rather like cotton candy. After I'd spent a few minutes looking at that, I hunted for M 100. It reminded me of cotton candy.
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.