As I drove up the winding road to the Peak, I idly mused upon the cosmological implications of TAC 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 25 telescopes set up.
I started my night's observing with one of my favorite objects, M 87 in Lyra. It appeared to be blackness. Next, attacking my personal nemesis, I tried for NGC 229. It was a dead ringer for yet another globular. Next, I sought NGC 3552 in Serpens. It glowed, rather like a little triangle. After I'd spent a few minutes looking at that, I stumbled upon NGC 1582 in Sagittarius. It appeared as lumpy darkness. Next, I found M 73 in Lynx. It was a blurry likeness of two scoops of spumoni ice cream. After I'd spent a few minutes looking at that, I jumped to M 44. It compared favorably with black pearls on flocked paper. With that checked off my list, I studied Abell 92. It seemed most like Dubya. Then, I looked for and suspected Abell 89. It was not quite as bright as a Black Rider hunting for Frodo. Next, attacking my personal nemesis, I studied IC 782. It was better than Krylon Ultra-Flat Black. After that, I looked at M 82 in Camelopardalis. It was a dead ringer for cotton candy. After I'd spent a few minutes looking at that, I star-hopped to NGC 3330 in Antlia. It appeared in the eyepiece like a spider. Next, attacking my personal nemesis, I had a chance to see IC 2539. It was a dead ringer for George W. Bush. After I'd spent a few minutes looking at that, I jumped to Abell 65. It looked uncannily like Gollum.
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 ebola.