* * * Congratulations to The L360 Ninja for FTF! * * *
Intro/Background: Most people probably think MESSENGER is a chat program. Not NASA. NASA says MESSENGER is short for MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging. Really rolls off your tongue... "Mercury is the god of commerce, travel, and thievery. He was the Roman counterpart of the Greek god Hermes, the messenger of the gods."
Mercury, messenger... :-)
Anyway, this cache is to commemorate the first spacecraft to orbit Mercury, starting about March 17 or 18, 2011 (Exact date depends on reference source or location on Earth). This satellite was launched in 2004!!!
If you're in Chicago, you might want to visit another Mercury cache, GC19Y62.
Cache and location: This container was a door prize at the Thanks for the Memories event (GC2P801), and now has a little customization. There may be muggles. This is a relatively out of sight location, but there was a Sheriff car parked about one house over, every time I visited. Also, people from the Animal Hospital on the other side of the bush, tree and fence sometimes walk dogs along this street. Like on Sunday morning when I was hiding this. :-)
Surprisingly, we could only find 3 streets in Lynchburg named after planets, and they're all in the same vicinity. Mercury Street is the longest. Google or other maps show the others. One didn't even have a street sign; it was so short, it looked like a driveway.
Puzzle: The cache location is: N 37 24.ABC W 079 14.DEF
A: How many planets were orbiting the Sun before around 2006 (old school)? Or, If you think pluto is not a planet, then add 1 to your answer. :-)
B: If Pluto were still a "planet," which one would it be (# out from the Sun, no tricks regarding being inside the orbit of Uranus part of the time)?
C: Which planet is Jupiter (#)?
D: How many miles long is Mars Street in Lynchburg (nearest mile)? Hint: It's really, really short, like a drive-way.
E: There is another planetary street near (crossing or intersecting) Mercury Street. Subtract 6 from the number of letters in this planet's name, to get E.
F: Which planet is Mars (#)?
