cosmic cache

[+Paul and Shona Royle-Grimes]

After contacting Groundspeak I am convinced that I have a unique idea for a virtual cache.

According to the staff at Groundspeak this could qualify as a waypoint or a virtual cache (either one - cool huh?)

 

They suggested comming to all of you and asking for your wisdom and expertise.

 

The North Star. My only problem is finding a way to enter it so that it easily come up on inqueries.

 

The best reasons for me to post this chache are-

 

* a unique cache that everyone in the Northern Hemisphere could find and log.

* celestial navigation is the origin of GPS.

* Great for kids!

* the first truly international cache where I could impact geocachers everywhere

* there are no rules prohibiting it and it would be within the spirit of the sport.

 

I have already designed a northstar geocoin to go with! I have not worked out details on how I would create uniqueness with this but one idea is to make it avalable for purchase only to those who log the find?

 

I would also like to do the southern cross, aurora borealis, orion, cassiopia, etc. Not to an extreem but to point out major celestial navigational or otherwise important features (like the moon, or mars)

 

My idea for posting is to place a post on every state and nation in the northern hemisphere using true north as the coordinates.

 

please tell me if you know a way to do this so that it can be accessed by all.

 

thanks all for your input.

 

paul

[+tozainamboku]

I don't see how this would be either a virtual cache or a waymark. It is an example of what was called a locationless cache. To "find" a locationless cache, one would record the location they were at when the found/saw the object on the locationless cache. In this case, anyone in the northern hemisphere could record the coordinates they were at when they saw the north star. Locationless caches no longer exists on Geocaching.com. They have been replaced by waymarkining categories at Waymarking.com. Someone tried forming a group on Waymarking.com to manage a similar category (discussed here). I'm not sure how far they got with their proposal. Some of the Waymarking community seems to be opposed to waymarks that can be logged from anyplace even when they have a interesting educational component like this. It took some effort but International Space Station Sightings did get approved as a category (it was orginally a locationless cache that was misclassified as a virtual).

[+Cache Heads]

I'm with Toz-- don't exactly see how this is a virtual, unless one is required to actually visit the North Star (and snap a pic of themselves on the North Star with their GPSr ) in order to log a find. Seems like a locationless. In either case, virtuals and locationless caches have been moved over to the Waymarking site-- no new ones will be listed on the Geocaching site (for now, at least). I have no idea how they decide things over there in the world of Waymarking, but you might want to try the Waymarking Forums and see what they think about it.

 

It's an interesting idea-- just doesn't seem like it fits with today's idea of a Geocache

[+Prime Suspect]

After contacting Groundspeak I am convinced that I have a unique idea for a virtual cache.

According to the staff at Groundspeak this could qualify as a waypoint or a virtual cache (either one - cool huh?)

Since it's not even possible to submit a virtual cache anymore, I think you've seriously misunderstood what they said.

[+cache_test_dummies]

In theory, it should be possible to use North Star as part of a waypoint for a stage of a multi, or as guidance towards the final location of a traditional cache.

 

But like PS said, since new virtuals are no longer being listed on GC.com, I think there has been some sort of a misunderstanding.

[+Paul and Shona Royle-Grimes]

could somebody kick this topic on over to the Waymarking site then? I want to see if this could be done.

 

could it count as an earthcache maybe?

paul

[+Super_Nate]

could it count as an earthcache maybe?

 

An earthcache is a geological formation on EARTH! The north star is in SPACE! Sorry, wouldn't work...

[+budd-rdc]

could somebody kick this topic on over to the Waymarking site then? I want to see if this could be done.

 

could it count as an earthcache maybe?

paul

 

How about Astrocaches, as in teaching people about astronomy? New cache type or Waymark category would be appropriate, since we already have Earthcaches.

 

I think the idea will need A LOT of refining, since I don't see how GPSr's come into play to participate. Having a GSA-like reviewer would also be necessary to keep reckless creativity from ruining the educational aspect.

[+Paul and Shona Royle-Grimes]

Astrocaches!

 

love it how do I make this happen? refinement could be done easily - i think.

 

would there be interest in such a thing? just a little different.

 

even though this is out of the box (about 27 light years out) I still think that celestial caching could

 

give us all a link to our past as far as navigation is concerned.

 

GPS satellites are artificial stars - nothing more.

 

paul

[+StarBrand]

Geo = of or having to do with the earth

[+Ed & Julie]

Astrocaches!

 

love it how do I make this happen? refinement could be done easily - i think.

 

would there be interest in such a thing? just a little different.

 

even though this is out of the box (about 27 light years out) I still think that celestial caching could

 

give us all a link to our past as far as navigation is concerned.

 

GPS satellites are artificial stars - nothing more.

 

paul

 

www.astrocaching.com

 

Register the domain name and start your own listing service.

Your idea for a new type of xxx-caches does not qualify to be listed on geocaching,com.

 

Ed

[Jeremy]

I'll move this to the Waymarking section. The International Space Station waymark category seems similar.

[+Paul and Shona Royle-Grimes]

I am glad that this was moved here, I would like to respond to a few of the statements that appear above.

Geo = of or having to do with the earth

 

because all of the examples here are only unique because of their reference points to earth - celestial objects such as the north star are relevant only in reverence to the earth. i.e. the north star is just another star anywhere else in the universe except on earth. So with a username like "starbrand" I would think that you would have a more open mind. But oh well on to the next statement.

 

An earthcache is a geological formation on EARTH! The north star is in SPACE! Sorry, wouldn't work...

 

Once again. The north star is only unique because of the rotation of earth. This argument fails -

checkmate.

 

I'm with Toz-- don't exactly see how this is a virtual, unless one is required to actually visit the North Star (and snap a pic of themselves on the North Star with their GPSr )

 

No, many virtual caches that I have downloaded have questions about the location. i.e. a war memorial virtual might have questions about WWII that can be found on signs that you read at the memorial. You do not have to go back in time and take pictures at the battle of the bulge with other GPSrs.

 

All of this being said I tried to stay positive and seek wisdom, not cynical remarks from the uninformed.

 

I did call Groundspeak and they did find the idea interesting and exciting. I was instructed to come to the forums for help...

 

I receive the same kind of can't do, literal, obtuse thinking in many of the other activities that I participate in.

 

Fly fishing, Hunting, music, art, work, business, all have traditionalists- purists. These are the people who hold back progress and get their power trip by trivializing a newbie (which I am).

 

I thought that geocaching was a sport for the future and in being would have visionaries, and forward thinkers in it's ranks. If my idea has a better future at Waymarking fine, I simply would like to have my idea moved with expediency and not trifled with by those who are unable to see a fun idea that might require an open mind.

 

 

I call upon you brave waymarkers to join me in having a little fun looking up instead of down upon this sport!!

[+Glenn]

As far as using a celestrial object as a geocache. Unless it has fallen to earth it doesn't fit the current definition of a geocache. Once upon a time Geocaching.com allowed virtual and locationless caches. If you want to see the reasons why these types of caches are considered not compatable with Geocaching then do a forum search on uninspired virtuals and wow factor. You can still find virtuals listed on Geocaching.com because they have been grandfathered but no new virtuals are being listed. You will also find that a large number of virtual listings are not being taken care of by the lister. The listing requirements for Geocaching.com have been simplified. In short, you need to place a physical object with a log book and intend for a GPS to used at some point in the finding of the object.

 

I'm not entirely sure that I agree with the idea that locationless items should or even can be listed on Waymarking.com. I haven't checked out the Space Station waymark to see how they are trying to make it fit.

 

It isn't a matter of holding back progress. It is a matter of not going off on some wild tangent (like was done when locationless caches were introduced to Geocaching). I don't see why any and all ideas need to be incorporated into Geocaching.com. You can use a message board and test your ideas with a small group of friends, you don't need Geocaching.com. This will allow you to work out the details.

[+The Blue Quasar]

Believe it or not, I have to disagree with you guys.

 

Waymarking is supposed to be a more relaxed approach to GPS gaming. With the upcoming launch of Waymarking 2.0 and the full release to the Groundspeak population, we have to consider the ideas of things that do not conform exactly to a tight little box.

 

Waymarking, to me anyway, is more of the educational and interest value than Geocaching. That too is why Virtuals are here now.

 

We don't have a 'box' to think outside of yet, and people are going to propose other "Waymarking Games" and we as a group should be open to including them instead of trying to keep things tight and orderly.

 

If this person can craft an interesting description that can work on Waymarking, then we should support it. I'd rather see it attempted and fail than never explored. We will all learn from it, regardless of the outcome. It will have to be clearly explained and detailed so people understand how it works.

 

But if it is too vague, you have to expect problems. Actually expect problems anyway, but it sounds like you are no stranger to that and will be able to handle it.

 

The Blue Quasar

[+tozainamboku]

Believe it or not, I have to disagree with you guys.

 

Waymarking is supposed to be a more relaxed approach to GPS gaming. With the upcoming launch of Waymarking 2.0 and the full release to the Groundspeak population, we have to consider the ideas of things that do not conform exactly to a tight little box.

 

Waymarking, to me anyway, is more of the educational and interest value than Geocaching. That too is why Virtuals are here now.

 

We don't have a 'box' to think outside of yet, and people are going to propose other "Waymarking Games" and we as a group should be open to including them instead of trying to keep things tight and orderly.

 

If this person can craft an interesting description that can work on Waymarking, then we should support it. I'd rather see it attempted and fail than never explored. We will all learn from it, regardless of the outcome. It will have to be clearly explained and detailed so people understand how it works.

 

But if it is too vague, you have to expect problems. Actually expect problems anyway, but it sounds like you are no stranger to that and will be able to handle it.

 

The Blue Quasar

 

Hear, hear!

[Neos2]

I think Blue Quasar has hit it on the head about the nature of Waymarking--if you can come up with an interesting way to integrate the North star into a waymark, folks will support you. The key to that is actually coming up with an idea that will work as a waymark.

 

The problem at this point--from the perspective of others--is you idea so far is pretty fuzzy. Astronomy is waaaay cool (I teach Earth Science, and know of what I speak!). However, the North Star is fairly visible every clear night from each and every one of our front doorsteps here in the Northern hemisphere. Just being able to see it from anywhere any night is not waymark worthy. It's up to your to present it in some new and exciting way that will make people want to see if from another perspective. You will need to come up with a way to use the North Star as part of a waymark. Actually, other people suggested that you try to find a way to incorporate it into a regular cache, and you could do that, instead, if it's really a geocache you're after.

 

I recommend you look through other caches (perhaps some puzzles) and waymarks out there already to get an idea. Once you actually come up with an idea, the folks here will help you refine it. Some will do that more positively than others.

[+trainlove]

Since virtuals are grandfathered I have not actively searched out good ones to find except those that are in an area that I'll be traveling, but someone told me about an existing space based virtual.

 

I can't remember the details other than it having coords somewhere in Europe. It was the International Space Station. To log it you had to take a long duration film/celluloid photo with star trails and the space station being another trail at some angle to the stars. And you had to post the coords and time of where and when you took the photo.

 

Truth be told, this is really a Reverse Locationless Cache but back in the days when there were way too many cache types, the reviewers apparently got as confused as cache planters.