GC6C61 Celestial Gardens (Multi-cache) in Texas, United States created by Dapper Dan, adopted by TxVic 12/19/12

This cache has been archived.

Reviewer Revan: Cache Owner (CO) has not responded, so I am regretfully archiving this cache to keep it from continually showing up in search lists, and to prevent it from blocking new cache placements.

Reviewer Revan
A Geocaching Volunteer Reviewer

Geocaching Guidelines
Dynamic Help Center

GC6C61 ▼

A cache by Dapper Dan, adopted by TxVic 12/19/12 Message this owner

Hidden : 7/4/2002

Difficulty:

Terrain:

Size: Size: micro (micro)

Join now to view geocache location details. It's free!

Watch

How Geocaching Works

Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions in our disclaimer.

Geocache Description:

Located in a pristine 4-acre park in an upscale residential neighborhood. Limited parking on the street just south of stage 1. Park hours are 5am-11pm. Log-only cache, and bring your own pen. The position of the cache was changed from its original location.

When you arrive at stage 1, you will be standing in the middle of a human sundial. Find the approximate location of the current date on the month-engraved stone in the middle of the sundial, and stand on that spot. Your shadow will be cast on the apparent time, as marked by the time-engraved stones. Hold your hands over your head for a longer shadow. On quiet days, you can hear your echo at this spot.

The sundial gives local apparent time, as opposed to local mean time which clocks and watches show. Local apparent time is localized to a particular meridian, and is also based on the apparent motion of the sun. Since this sun clock is located 6.8 degrees west of the time meridian at 90 degrees, it is slow and must be corrected. The earth rotates 1 degree every 4 minutes, so add 27 minutes (6.8 x 4) to the time on this clock.

Additionally, use this graph (from Patrick Powers, and used with his permission) to add or subtract time based on the day of the year. This is the "Equation of Time," and takes into account the difference between meridian time and local apparent time, due to the elliptical orbit of the earth, and the fact that the equatorial plane is tilted with respect to the orbital plane.

Notice from the graph that sundial time will match mean time four times a year, including Christmas Day, after adjusting for the distance from the time meridian.

Enough of that. Let's get to the cache.

To determine the coordinates for the cache at stage 2, stand on the month stone, facing north. Arranged in an arc to your left are 8 stones; to your right are 9 stones. The stone farthest behind you on your left is stone A. Moving clockwise (how appropriate!), the next stone is B, then C, etc. Continuing in this manner, you end at the stone farthest behind you on your right, which is stone Q.

Replace the letters in the following coordinates with the bottom number on the corresponding stone.

N 32º NC.QDM
W 96º ME.PFL

This is the location of the cache, which is stored in a pill bottle, wrapped in camouflage tape. Pull the container straight up, and it can be removed easily from its holder.

Be aware of inquisitive eyes, and be quiet. There is little cover and this area is often in use.

Happy hunting! -- Dapper Dan

Original container was missing its lid and has been replaced.

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Unir n frng

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)

This cache has been archived.

Watch

Geocache Description:

Attributes

Inventory

Bookmark Lists

Celestial Gardens Multi-cache

This cache has been archived.

Watch

Geocache Description:

Attributes

Inventory

Bookmark Lists