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The Constellations Will Show You The Way Mystery Cache

Hidden : 11/12/2009
Difficulty:
2 out of 5
Terrain:
1.5 out of 5

Size: Size:   regular (regular)

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Geocache Description:

The cache is not at the above coordinates, which indicate the turnoff to reach the National Research Council Herzberg Institute of Astrophysics on Observatory Hill, where the Canadian Gemini Office is located.

The cache is hidden at N 48 3A.BCD W 123 2E.FGH

The constellations will show you the way to the cache. Admire the astronomical objects in the pictures and find in which constellations they lie. Then use the scale below to get the coordinates of the cache.



All the images were obtained with one of the twin 8meters Gemini Telescopes, the largest telescopes to which Canadian astronomers have access.
Gemini-North is situated on the Mauna Kea in Hawaii and Gemini-South is on Cerro Pachon in Chile.
The corresponding constellations are in all cases indicated in the figure captions or press
releases associated with these figures as they appear in the Gemini Image Gallery at
http://www.gemini.edu/gallery/v/astronomical_images_and_illustrations/


A = 'Chinese Dragon' NGC6559



B = HICKSON 87



C = TRIFID NEBULA



D = NGC5189



E = M74



F = NGC6164-5



G = NGC520



H = HR8799



Here is the scale to use for the constellations to get the coordinates:


CAPRICORNUS = 0


SAGITARIUS = 1


CETUS = 2


NORMA = 3


PEGASUS = 4


PISCES = 5


DORADO = 6


ERIDANUS = 7


URSA MAJOR = 8


MUSCA = 9

The cache contains astronomy-related items, however please feel free to trade items
non-astro related if you wish. In fact please feel free to take one astro item even
if you are not leaving anything, as I will be replenishing the cache regularly.

And for FTF Prize: An International Year of Astronomy Geocoin featuring Gemini-North, of course!

You can check your answers for this puzzle on Geochecker.com.

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Jrfg fvqr, ybj

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)