The sky's the limit at star parties

When it comes to fun, socializing and hands-on learning, the sky's the limit.

For Bruce Campbell, astronomy is more than a hobby. It is a life-long calling. The Willow Park resident has been seeking, exploring and educating others about the cosmos since childhood and is now the president of the Fort Worth Astronomy Association.

With his wife, Cindy, the couple has traveled near and far to watch celestial events across the southwest, and this month returned from a trip in Alaska for an up-close experience with the aurora borealis. Campbell not only has professional equipment to view the skies, but comprehensive photography equipment to track and capture objects in the heavenlies and advanced software to enhance it.

Regular gatherings

Campbell enjoys gathering regularly with other North Texas astronomers, using their hobbies as a learning experience for the public at the Tandy Hills Nature Area, a 105 acre preserve at 3400 View St. in near south-east Fort Worth. The last event of the year will be Saturday, Nov. 9. 

Friendly star-gazers will be setting up their equipment before sunset, but come an hour earlier and view the surface of the sun through specialized solar scopes. Participants are eager to give you hands-on demonstrations, answer questions, or tips and pointers if you bring your own equipment.

"We like to engage people and answer questions," Campbell said. "I like to show them a map of the moon and a particular crater and then let people find that crater on their own with the telescope."

After parking, stay on the path because the acreage is also a wildflower preserve. From there you will see the group with equipment, so walk right up and join the fun. Quality star gazing is dependent on cloud cooperation, but overcast skies sometimes clear up after the sun goes down.

Campbell wrote an article in September that was published for the City of Fort Worth library system. Select Fort Worth libraries have simple telescopes to check out and Campbell's article was used to spur interest in the project.

Getting started

His interest in the skies began when he was five after his parents took him to a bank to start a student savings account. He handed over five dollars of his hard earned money and received a receipt and a poster with the solar system on one side and fun facts about the planets on the other. The poster went on his bedroom wall and Campbell began spending evenings searching for meters and identifying consolations.

"I was hooked," he recalls. "I watched the skies outside at night until I would fall asleep and someone would come get me and carry me to bed."

Start your own journey in astronomy by visiting the Fort Worth Astronomy Association at www.fortworthastro.com.