As I drove up the winding road to Fremont Peak State Park, I idly mused upon the higher implications of Norse mythology 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 15 telescopes set up.
I started my night's observing with one of my favorite objects, M 62 in Scutum. It was a dead ringer for the eye of God. After I'd spent a few minutes looking at that, I logged B 536 in Draco. It seemed most like smoke signals from a rampaging Iroquois band.
After a short break to chat, I checked off B 173. It reminded me of the exhaust from a diesel Suburban. With that checked off my list, I found M 22. It took me back to the first time I saw a spider. Next, I tried for M 10 in that confusing part of Virgo. It was better than Krylon Ultra-Flat Black. After that, I had a chance to see Abell 48. It was a blurry likeness of all the other smudges I've ever looked at. Then, for a real challenge, I checked off Abell 9. It appeared as the eternal nothingness of being.
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 poetry reading marathon.