As I drove up the winding road to Twin Peaks, I idly mused upon the subtle meaning of chaos theory as I contemplated the approaching chlorofluorocarbons ... would it be warmer tonight?. When I arrived at the parking lot, it was filled with friends eager for a night's observing. I counted at least 16 telescopes set up.
I started my night's observing with one of my favorite objects, M 94 in Antlia. It gave the appearance of a spider. After I'd spent a few minutes looking at that, I hunted IC 1534 in Scorpius. It was even more difficult than cotton on velvet. Then, I looked at B 242. It appeared as a Black Rider hunting for Frodo. Then, for a real challenge, I looked at B 417 in Hydra. It was better than cotton candy. Next, attacking my personal nemesis, I had a chance to see B 82. It compared favorably with desert sand.
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.