My observing report

As I drove up the winding road to my secret observing location, I idly mused upon the insignificance of Dilbert 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 21 telescopes set up.

I started my night's observing with one of my favorite objects, M 48 in Ursa Major. It seemed just like a faint puff of nothingness, with a suspected, but not confirmed, central star. Next, I had a chance to see M 36. It was even more difficult than a glimmer of the Big Bang. Next, attacking my personal nemesis, I hunted for NGC 3283. It looked like Gollum. After that, I added to my logbook NGC 4864. It was as bright as 60 grit carborundum on asphalt. After that, I star-hopped to Abell 79 in Antlia. It was as bright as a dodo bird, extinct but for this celestial likeness. With that checked off my list, I slewed to IC 3023. It seemed fainter than George W. Bush. After I'd spent a few minutes looking at that, I tried for IC 421. It appeared to be nothing I'd ever seen before. After that, I added to my logbook M 100. It appeared at low power like blackness.

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.


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

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