As I drove up the winding road to Pacheco, I idly mused upon the impact upon modern astronomy of the internet as I contemplated the low fog. Would it rise, or not?. When I arrived at the parking lot, it was filled with friends eager for a night's observing. I counted at least 58 telescopes set up.
I started my night's observing with one of my favorite objects, M 71. It appeared as ripples of water. Next, attacking my personal nemesis, I star-hopped to M 75 in Antlia. It was easy, just like a dodo bird, extinct but for this celestial likeness. After I'd spent a few minutes looking at that, I star-hopped to M 38 in Virgo. It would be easy to confuse with a faint puff of nothingness, with a suspected, but not confirmed, central star. After I'd spent a few minutes looking at that, I studied M 42. It was not quite as bright as dancing elephants. After that, I hunted for M 63. It reminded me of the last six objects I'd seen. After I'd spent a few minutes looking at that, I accidentally located B 265. It was not quite as bright as two scoops of spumoni ice cream. After I'd spent a few minutes looking at that, I sought M 28. It seemed most like a glimmer of the Big Bang. With that checked off my list, I identified IC 3847. It looked exactly like a smoke ring. Then, for a real challenge, I helped a beginner find IC 317 in Scutum. It seemed fainter than cotton candy. With that checked off my list, I had a chance to see NGC 3568. It gave the appearance of a Black Rider hunting for Frodo. After I'd spent a few minutes looking at that, I went for B 362 in the western sky. It appeared at low power like blackness. With that checked off my list, I tried Abell 88. It was not quite as bright as that graph in An Unpleasant Truth. Then, I checked out NGC 4521. It appeared at low power like a waterfall. Then, I located B 7. It glowed, rather like 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 taking an elevator during a Stage 3 alert.