A Challenge For Cryptology Fans

[Devonai]

I am working on certain elements of mystery for my current novel, and I've come up with a cryptogram for the protagonists to solve.  I want to post it to the forum to see if anyone can derive the correct answer.  The first person to post the correct answer will receive a free signed copy of my first novel.

The context is that government investigators find the cryptogram written in a journal, and have to determine whether or not it is just nonsense, or if there is a hidden meaning.  There are two pages of cryptograms, recreated here.  I think it's pretty tough, but it would not surprise me if someone here gets it right.

Following this line, this is what the protagonists see on page one:

183693878

Two and then a space.  Two and then a point.  Together they dance, past the pivot into the distant past.

BT57WD78UZ

One and then a space.  Two and then a point.  Together they dance, past the pivot into the distant past.

TI24XF35KA

Two and then a space.  Two and then a point.  Together one is the pivot, and the other the focus to come.

CS59PLH7GY

One and then a space.  Two and then a point.  Together one is the pivot, and the other the focus to come.

AE14NB96DJ

175665149

And on page two:

23188926

One who was a king, less bright than his queen.

WE63CD58PM

One who was the music or the instrument that played it.

QR47SF22IE

A cart or a beast, or the beast that pulls the cart to some.

AT18GI36JZ

A beast not seen by modern eyes, coiled around those familiar.

DR75YHG9CA

211866259

There are several stages required to arrive at the final answer.  If someone gets part of the way there, I will post a clue on how to get to the next stage.  Good luck, and have fun!

[seeker_two]

That's an awful complicated way for someone to order tacos.... 

[Fly320s]

It says, "The sheriff is near."

[bedlamite]

It says, "The sheriff is near."

[Devonai]

Okay, I've modified the original cryptogram to make the first stage far easier.

[Devonai]

18 36.9 38.78

Two and then a space.  Two and then a point.  Together they dance, past the pivot into the distant past.

BT57WD78UZ

One and then a space.  Two and then a point.  Together they dance, past the pivot into the distant past.

TI24XF35KA

Two and then a space.  Two and then a point.  Together one is the pivot, and the other the focus to come.

CS59PLH7GY

One and then a space.  Two and then a point.  Together one is the pivot, and the other the focus to come.

AE14NB96DJ

17 56.6 51.49

Page two:

2 31.8 89.26

One who was a king, less bright than his queen.

WE63CD58PM

One who was the music or the instrument that played it.

QR47SF22IE

A cart or a beast, or the beast that pulls the cart to some.

AT18GI36JZ

A beast not seen by modern eyes, coiled around those familiar.

DR75YHG9CA

21 18.6 62.59

[seeker_two]

OK.....so you want the nachos with the peppers on the side....why can't you just order in Spanish like everyone else?.... 

[Devonai]

Here's a hint: The correct answer is a specific location on the globe.

[seeker_two]

Here's a hint: The correct answer is a specific location on the globe.

Which globe?.... 

[Jim147]

What caliber for polar bear?

I thought I was getting it but now I'm getting cold.

I used to own a Vega.

Whatever you do, don't cut the blue wire!

I'm on top of the world.

If I wasn't so tired. This might be fun.

It's too cloudy tonight. I can't see any stars.

jim

[Devonai]

Earth.

Jim, you're a third of the way there.

[Devonai]

I appreciate the feedback so far.  Shall I post the solution?

[Jim147]

I appreciate the feedback so far.  Shall I post the solution?

How about sometime next week.

I might get chemically stimulated enough to work on it this weekend. I haven't had time to look at it since my other late night ramblings.

jim

[Devonai]

The answer is: The Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant.

Here's how you arrive at that answer:

1. The numbers at the top and bottom of the page are stellar coordinates (as Jim correctly surmised).  Plug those numbers into Google with the correct spaces and decimal points and you not only get the right star, but you get the very book I got the info from in the first place.

2.  Determine the degree separation of the two stars on each page to two decimal places.  This gives you a four digit number.  Each digit of this number corresponds to a line on the same page.  Choose the corresponding letter in the line of alphanumeric code and translate it into its corresponding number using the oldest code in the book: A=1, B=2, etc.

3.  This will give you an eight digit number.  Plug this into Google with the correct spaces and decimal points for lat and long and you get the location of Chernobyl.

[kgbsquirrel]

Clever using stellar coordinates instead of Lat/Lon or grid squares. I think I shall have to become more familiar with them.