Bidston Hill – The Observatory Traditional Cache

This cache has been archived.

Sir PhilPamAndRob: Archiving this series to make way for a new set of placements which will go live for the "Maker Madness - Wirral" event (GC4ZJPH) on Sunday 6th April.

Thanks to everyone who has found this cache in the past, and I hope you enjoy finding the new ones once they go live

More
Hidden : 11/26/2008
Difficulty:
1.5 out of 5
Terrain:
2 out of 5

Size: Size: micro (micro)

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Geocache Description:


The original Observatory was built to aid the navigation of shipping coming into the Port of Liverpool. Its first aim was to calculate the exact longitude of Liverpool. And this was achieved by using two intermediate stations (Liverpool Observatory being one) between Greenwich and Valentia, Ireland. Secondly, it was to provide accurate time for the Port of Liverpool. This was achieved by observing stars with a transit telescope. A daily signal was given at 1 p.m. by the release of a time ball on the observatory roof. The third requirement of the observatory was to test and rate ships' chronometers against accurate time. Special temperature regulated chambers were set up at the observatory for these tests.


The current Bidston Observatory was built in 1866, with telescopes being housed in the two white domes. The telescopes are no longer there, but can be seen in the Liverpool Museum. As Liverpool was 3 miles away, the falling time ball was replaced with a cannon known as the "One o'clock Gun" at Morpeth Dock in Birkenhead, this being remotely fired from the observatory. This happened every day at precisely 1:00pm to indicate the exact time to the citizens of Liverpool and Wirral, and ceased to happen as recently at 1969.

Additionally, the observatory measured seismic activity, at the end of the 19th Century when seismology was a relatively new science. Subsequently, in the 1920's it also became the Liverpool Tidal Institute and was recognised around the world for its expertise in analysing and predicting tides. It was this institute that was called upon to provide tidal information during the Second World War, and in particular predictions for the D-Day landings.

More recently in 1987, the observatory became the Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory. It was research undertaken by the POL into long term sea level changes that originally identified the need for the Thames Barrier to protect London from flooding. In 2004/05 the POL relocated to the main Liverpool University campus, thus leaving the building empty.

The cache is a 35mm film canister, so please bring your own pencil

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Gjb ol gjb ol gjb

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)


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