Planetary Geology on Earth

[+Cathy]

With the Perseverance Rover more than halfway to Mars equipped with a tracking code trackable on Geocaching.com, Geocaching HQ and the Geological Society of America are excited to give geocachers the opportunity to view and learn about geological features on Earth that also exist on Mars. Therefore, we are introducing a new series of EarthCaches: Planetary Geology on Earth.

 

Read more about this cool new variety of EarthCache:

• The Geological Society of America  has a new web page for Planetary Geology on Earth going live today: Planetary Geology & EarthCache Sites
• The Geocaching Blog just introduced it last week. New EarthCache twist: Planetary Geology on Earth
• In the Help Center: Planetary geology on Earth

 

Some of these new EarthCaches have already been created and you can see them here: Planetary Geology on Earth.  More will be joining them in the coming months and beyond. If you're interested in contributing, use the resources linked above, especially the Help Center page, for guidance. It's really cool that you can visit geological features on Earth, and learn that the same geological features exist on other planets!

[+MissJenn]

Exciting! And if you are active on social media, please consider using this hashtag: #geocachingtomars

 

[+GeoawareGSA1]

I'm very excited that we can be a part of this fun and educational initiative! Earth and Mars have so much in common, and EarthCaches are a great vehicle for demonstrating their connections.

--Matt Dawson, Geological Society of America (GSA)

(GeoawareGSA1)

[+rragan]

Further on this topic now that Perseverance has landed. 
 

The recent extension to Earthcaches showing geology and features of planetary bodies exemplified on Earth is a perfect fit for the naming scheme to be used with the Perseverance Rover. 

 

"As Perseverance explores the Martian surface, the science team will assign unofficial names to especially interesting regions, features, and samples. This naming system is similar to the one used to name the Mars locations that the Curiosity rover has explored on Mars.

For Perseverance, the team has divided up the entire landing site, Jezero Crater, into squares. Each square will be matched to national parks and preserves on Earth with similar geology. As a nod to the diversity of the international science team, the plan is to find matching sites in countries that have contributed to the mission. As the rover explores Jezero Crater, any time the team sees an interesting feature, they will name it for a corresponding location here on Earth."

 

Creating a matching Earthcache would let us explore Mars by proxy. 

[+pookeen]

Hi there.

 

Just came across this and love the idea behind it. I have a possible candidate Earthcache and I‘m wondering If I need to resubmit it somewhere. I can’t find info on that.

Here is a link to it in its original form, name unchanged and with a section mention a previous Mars rover mission, etc.  https://coord.info/GC8202Q

 

Any suggestions,

Thanks in advance.

[+Cathy]

On 2/19/2021 at 3:27 PM, pookeen said:

Hi there.

 

Just came across this and love the idea behind it. I have a possible candidate Earthcache and I‘m wondering If I need to resubmit it somewhere. I can’t find info on that.

Here is a link to it in its original form, name unchanged and with a section mention a previous Mars rover mission, etc.  https://coord.info/GC8202Q

 

Any suggestions,

Thanks in advance.

 

Submit it like a regular EarthCache, and make sure to name it Planetary Geology on Earth: ___________________ 

 

More information is in the Help Center here: Planetary geology on earth

[geoawareUSA9]

On 2/19/2021 at 6:27 PM, pookeen said:

Just came across this and love the idea behind it. I have a possible candidate Earthcache and I‘m wondering If I need to resubmit it somewhere. I can’t find info on that.

Here is a link to it in its original form, name unchanged and with a section mention a previous Mars rover mission, etc.  https://coord.info/GC8202Q

 

Not to contradict @CathyH, but it may not have been clear to her that your earthcache was already published. There is no additional review process per se for changing an existing earthcache over to a Planetary Geology on Earth earthcache. But I'm a geoaware, and I took a look at it.

 

The first requirement is for your cache to otherwise meet the earthcache guidelines, and your local geoaware already determined that by publishing the cache.

 

Additionally, you already have a section of your lesson that discusses the similar feature on Mars, as well as a photo of the Mars feature, and it does appear connected. I would perhaps add a bit more information about "Old Soaker," and explain in a bit more detail why scientists do believe that it formed the same way as your Irish mudstone slab.

 

Otherwise, all you need to do is edit your cache to change the name to "Planetary Geology on Earth: Bit of crack at Dún Chaoin" (or as much of that which can fit - I know some earthcaches have had to truncate the old name in order to fit the "Planetary Geology on earth" bit in).

[+Cathy]

Check out the new update in today's blog: https://www.geocaching.com/blog/2021/03/experience-geology-on-mars-and-other-planets-without-leaving-earth/

[+pookeen]

On 2/22/2021 at 7:20 PM, CathyH said:

 

Submit it like a regular EarthCache, and make sure to name it Planetary Geology on Earth: ___________________ 

 

More information is in the Help Center here: Planetary geology on earth

Thank you for your help Cathy.

[+pookeen]

On 2/24/2021 at 6:05 PM, geoawareUSA9 said:

 

Not to contradict @CathyH, but it may not have been clear to her that your earthcache was already published. There is no additional review process per se for changing an existing earthcache over to a Planetary Geology on Earth earthcache. But I'm a geoaware, and I took a look at it.

 

The first requirement is for your cache to otherwise meet the earthcache guidelines, and your local geoaware already determined that by publishing the cache.

 

Additionally, you already have a section of your lesson that discusses the similar feature on Mars, as well as a photo of the Mars feature, and it does appear connected. I would perhaps add a bit more information about "Old Soaker," and explain in a bit more detail why scientists do believe that it formed the same way as your Irish mudstone slab.

 

Otherwise, all you need to do is edit your cache to change the name to "Planetary Geology on Earth: Bit of crack at Dún Chaoin" (or as much of that which can fit - I know some earthcaches have had to truncate the old name in order to fit the "Planetary Geology on earth" bit in).

Thank you.

 

I'll hopefully try and update it before the weekend.

 

Thanks again for the advice. 

[+Hockeyhick]

Hi all!

I just edited one of our Earthcaches, as it applies to the Planetary Geology on Earth. Could someone have a look and let me know if all is well?

https://coord.info/GC2NE8V

[geoawareUSA9]

12 hours ago, Hockeyhick said:

Hi all!

I just edited one of our Earthcaches, as it applies to the Planetary Geology on Earth. Could someone have a look and let me know if all is well?

https://coord.info/GC2NE8V

 

Looks good to me. And this time I am the local geoaware, so you've got that going for you.

[+Hockeyhick]

Thanks! We wanted a unique logging requirement process for all of our Earthcaches, and the Planetary Geology adds yet another facet.

Thanks again!

[+Simãopwr]

#geocachingtomars

2 new Planetary Geology on Earth Earthcaches:

GC7V6AT

GC8565Z

Both in Italy (MI & BG)

Both updated

 

#geocachingtomars

[+biberkuh]

Just created a new Earthcache in Karlsruhe, Germany related to this interesting topic

Planetary Geology on Earth: Red Stone 

GCAR7T6

 

 

Edited November 6, 2024 by biberkuh

[+EcoNature]

The  Planetary Geology & EarthCache Sites webpage suggested that any EarthCaches featuring planetary geology or Mars analogs here on Earth be shared on the geocaching forums. So, here is one located in Saskatchewan, Canada near the City of Saskatoon:

 Planetary Geology on Earth: Sand Dunes EarthCache GCB8K00

I thought it might tie in nicely with the newly released  "planet" treasures — but it turns out those are a different kind of adventure entirely!  But this earth cache was one I had been contemplating for awhile, and it tied in well with an analog to Cranberry Flats, and the similarities to Saturn's Satellite Titan, and to Mars dune features.  Thanks for having this idea to have Earth Caches relating to planetary geology.

Edited Wednesday at 03:24 AM by EcoNature