The Darling Observatory was built in
1917 by John Henry Darling. He wasn't a wealthy man, but had
such a great interest in astronomy that he built the
observatory for $12,000 and offered tours to the public for
free.
The observatory was demolished in 1973, but two features remain:
the metal fence that was built to keep "male juveniles" away from
the observatory, and the telescope (which was moved to the
Marshall
W. Alworth Planetarium at the University of
Minnesota-Duluth).
The cache is a camo-painted ammo tin (7" x
11" x 5"). Please watch for muggles when removing the cache. The
location is rocky, and some rocks may be loose - watch your
step! In the spring or after rain, it may also be muddy in
parts. I wouldn't recommend going at night, as this seems to be a
youth drinking spot. I would however recommend going during the day
to do a bit of Cache in/Trash Out. Please re-cover the cache before you leave.
***This cache
is space-themed (stars, sun, astronauts, moons, aliens, etc.), so
please stick with the theme and be creative when adding to the
cache.***
(However, all types of bugs, geocoins, and other various travelers
are welcome to stop and rest while they watch the
stars.)
Banned items:
Food or scented items (it will attract
animals), dangerous or illegal items (such as explosives,
fireworks, ammo, knives, drugs, alcohol, etc.), or any item
that could harm a geocacher, this cache, or the land this
cache is placed on.
***This is
an offset cache! The coordinates listed will only get you to step
1.***
1. Find the coordinates listed for
this geocache - this is the original fence for the Darling
Observatory.
2. Find the "X" (X marks the spot)
and count the circles.
3. Calculate the cache location
using the following formula:
Take the first digit of the number of
circles - this is S.
Take the second digit of the number of circles - this is N.
Calculate the coordinates using S and N:
46° 46.(S+5)(S+2)(S+7) N
092° 06.(N+4)(N+7)(N) W
Example:
If there are 11 circles: the first digit (1) is
S, and the second digit (1) is N.
Then use a 1 instead of S to calculate: 46°
46.(1+5)(1+2)(1+7) N
The first coordinate would
then be: 46° 46.638 N
And use a 1 instead of N to calculate: 092°
06.(1+4)(1+7)(1) W
The second coordinate would
then be: 092° 06.581 W
4. Decipher the hints if you need
any help.
Though I've checked the coordinates many
times, there are reports that the final location isn't accurate. If
you believe the coordinates are off, please send me the equation
you used. Please note that tree cover may also affect GPS
accuracy.
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