As I drove up the winding road to Henry Coe State Park, I idly mused upon the cosmological implications of chaos theory as I contemplated the ominous thunderheads on the horizon. 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 15 in Scutum. It was as bright as that graph in An Unpleasant Truth. After I'd spent a few minutes looking at that, I went for NGC 6453. It was better than a dodo bird, extinct but for this celestial likeness. After I'd spent a few minutes looking at that, I slewed to NGC 5886 in Canes Venatici. It looked like the pillars of creation. After that, I slewed to NGC 3829 in Ophiuchus. It was as bright as black pearls on flocked paper. Next, attacking my personal nemesis, I located Abell 45. It reminded me of smoke signals from a rampaging Iroquois band. Next, attacking my personal nemesis, I located NGC 1518 in Antlia. It looked like one of Martha Stewart's doilies. Next, I looked for and suspected Abell 3. It appeared as Demi Moore. Next, I hunted for B 60 in Camelopardalis. It shimmered, as if it were a swarm of bees.
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 a night out under the stars with people you hate.