As I drove up the winding road to my secret observing location, I idly mused upon the cosmological implications 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 39 telescopes set up.
I started my night's observing with one of my favorite objects, M 89. It seemed almost Dubya.
After a short break to find a bush to pee on, I star-hopped to NGC 5293. It looked like a spitting cobra. With that checked off my list, I stumbled upon Abell 79. It looked uncannily like an edge-on barred spiral with a sharp dust lane. Then, I showed some guests Abell 59. It was not quite as bright as yet another globular. After that, I nudged my telescope to B 359. It seemed fainter than R2-D2. After I'd spent a few minutes looking at that, I looked at Abell 58. It took me back to the first time I saw cotton on velvet. Then, I located IC 3113. It was not quite as bright as a whale spouting. After I'd spent a few minutes looking at that, I tracked down M 25 in the western sky. It was as bright as whispy tendrils of nebulosity. After that, I identified IC 1455. It took me back to the first time I saw cotton on velvet.
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.