The Solar System (circa 2006)
This is the 1st cache in a series that creates the model of the Solar System with objects located (where possible) in different California Counties, USGS Quadrangle sections, and DeLorme pages that are primarily north of Concord. For this cache:
| County: |
Contra Costa |
| USGS Quadrangle: |
Walnut Creek |
| Northern California DeLorme: |
Page 105 |
| California DeLorme: |
Page 72 |
Parking for this cache is available within 100 feet.
The Sun for the Vgr2 Solar System Model is located near the center of Concord in a triangle bounded by I-680, CA-4, and CA-242 and is named Vgr2 - Sun. Objects are placed at a distance from Vgr2 - Sun relative to their average orbital distance (+/- 5%). The scale used is 2 miles for every Astronomical Unit. An Astronomical Unit is the average distance between the Sun and the Earth. With this scale, Neptune, the farthest planet, is in the range of 59.5 to 60.9 miles distant. Eris, the farthest dwarf planet, is in the range of 128.6 to 142.1 miles distant. Sorry folks, Pluto is now classified as a dwarf planet and is in the range of 75.0 to 82.9 miles distant.
The cache log sheet contains a number associated with the coordinate code letter "a". You should record this number. If you find all 15 object caches (the sun, the 8 planets, the 5 dwarf planets, and the asteroid belt), this number will help you find the bonus Voyager 2 (August 2009) cache.
The container itself is a nano so bring your own pencil / pen.
Please consider visiting the other caches in the Vgr2 Solar System Model. This link will take you to a list of the Vgr2 caches. You may also pick from the table below.
If you do your homework, it is possible to do this entire series in three (long) days. The total round trip from the Vgr2 - Sun cache to the Voyager 2 (August 2009) cache is some where between 1,100 - 1,300 miles, depending how often you double back to for missed exists, find other caches, etc.
For more information on the Sun, visit its Wikipedia description.
For more information on the Solar System, visit its Wikipedia description.
The idea was inspired by TeamJiffy's great series I finished at the end of 2008; Northern CA Solar System Model: Comet Halley
Congratulations to "Moe311" on First to Find (FTF).