My observing report

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).


    ...Akkana (with help from David North, Jane Houston Jones, and Bill Arnett) .

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