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Pluto Traditional Cache

Hidden : 3/21/2008
Difficulty:
3 out of 5
Terrain:
1.5 out of 5

Size: Size:   micro (micro)

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Geocache Description:

Located in Merrit Praire FP. CONGRADULATIONS ON NICK-N-NORA ON FIRST TO FIND NOTE, Pluto had slipped out of orbit into a black hole, as well as one of the moons, but the two are still there. You can log twice, one for each moon if you can find them.

This is a cache in a series that represents a scale model of the solar system at 66 million to one scale. The inner dome of the Adler Planetatrium represents the surface of The Sun. Although Pluto was discovered in 1930, limited information on the distant object delayed a realistic understanding of its characteristics. Pluto is the second largest known dwarf planet and tenth largest orbiting the Sun. From its time of discovery in 1930 to 2006 it was considered to be the ninth planet in the solar system, but because additional objects have been discovered including Eris which is 27% more massive, the IAU reclassified Pluto and the other objects as dwarf planets. The New Horizons spacecraft was launched on January 16, 2006 and will make its closest approach to Pluto on July 14, 1015. This mission will provide an increased amount of information about this peculiar dwarf planet. The uniqueness of Pluto's orbit, rotational relationship with its satellite, spin axis, and light variations all give it a certain appeal. Pluto's rotation period is 6.387 days, the same as its satellite Charon. Although it is common for a satellite to travel in a synchronous orbit with its planet, Pluto rotates synchronously with the orbit of its satellite. Thus being tidally locked, Pluto and Charon continuously face each other as they travel through space. Pluto's average density lies between 1.8 and 2.1 grams per cubic centimeter. It is concluded that Pluto is 50% to 75% rock mixed with ices. Pluto's icy surface is 98% nitrogen (N2). Methane (CH4) and traces of carbon monoxide (CO) are also present. The solid methane indicates that Pluto is colder than 70 Kelvin. Pluto's temperature varies widely during the course of its orbit since Pluto can be as close to the sun as 30 AU and as far away as 50 AU. There is a thin atmosphere that freezes and falls to the surface as the planet moves away from the Sun. The atmospheric pressure deduced for Pluto's surface is 1/100,000 that of Earth's surface pressure. Pluto was officially labeled the ninth planet by the International Astronomical Union in 1930 and named for the Roman god of the underworld. It was the first and only planet to be discovered by an American, Clyde W. Tombaugh. It has since been reclassified as a Dwarf Planet. Pluto Statistics Discovered by Clyde W. Tombaugh Date of discovery February 18, 1930 Mass (kg) 1.27e+22 Mass (Earth = 1) 2.125e-03 Equatorial radius (km) 1,137 Equatorial radius (Earth = 1) 0.1783 Mean density (gm/cm^3) 2.05 Mean distance from the Sun (km) 5,913,520,000 Mean distance from the Sun (Earth = 1)) 39.5294 Rotational period (days) -6.3872 Orbital period (years) 248.54 Mean orbital velocity (km/sec) 4.74 Orbital eccentricity 0.2482 Tilt of axis (degrees) 122.52 Orbital inclination (degrees) 17.148 Equatorial surface gravity (m/sec^2) 0.4 Equatorial escape velocity (km/sec) 1.22 Visual geometric albedo 0.3 Magnitude (Vo) 15.12 Atmospheric composition Methane Nitrogen 0.3 Pluto had 3 moons as well. Charon, Nix and Hydra. Pluto is gone as well as one the moons. So all you have left are two and you can log each moon if you find them.

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Pbhyq or n fubpxvat rkcrevrapr ohg abg vs lbhe pnershy. Gurl ner abg va gur gerrf. Erzrzore, bar vf va gur arj zbba cunfr naq bgure vf va gur shyy zbba cunfr.

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)