With dreams taking off from

23.5 degrees

Meeting at 23.5 degrees The only landmark in Taiwan that allo

ws visitors to enter, the Tropic of Cancer Solar Exploration Center is located in Shueishang Township, Chiayi County. It is exactly within the area where the Tropic of Cancer passes through. Rongdian Road, which is in the opposite side, can lead to Shueishang Airport. With No.1 highway passing by, the Center is not only an important sightseeing spot but also a place we Chiayi citizens take pride in.

We grew up at San-hoe village in Shueishang Township, which is only minutes away from the Solar Exploration Center. The previous Solar Exploration Center was nothing but a memorial landmark without any interesting facilities for us to stay. It was not until I went to elementary school that the Chiayi County government began to spend money restoring and formulating it to be the Solar Exploration Center for recreation and learning science.

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Meeting at 23.5 degrees

We are because we live near the Tropic of Cancer Solar Exploration Center. I don’t need to drive a long distance like some of the visitors who come here for special trip. Besides, the school I attended, Bei-huei elementary school, lies right between the Solar Exploration Center and Shueishang Airport. I often visit or join activities here. I like this place because it is becoming interesting and fun. Therefore, we decide to introduce this fascination ‘good place’ to the public, hoping that they can share and enjoy our happy paradise.

Meeting at 23.5 degrees

The story of the tropic of cancer

The Tropic of Cancer passing through Chiayi leaves a perpectual track here. It is not only our hometown but also the exact place where the sun is the closest to the earth in summer. There are nine Tropic of Cancer landmarks in the world. Three of them were located in Taiwan: Shueishang township in Chiayi, Rui-sui and Feng-bin townships in Hualian. The other six landmarks were scattered over Guangdong, Guang-xi, and Yunnan in China. The following introduces the landmark in Chiayi of all generations:

The first generation

Built in 1908 when Taiwan was Japanese colony to celebrate opening of the railway. The first Tropic of Cancer landmark in the world was built by the railway in the village of Xia-liao in Shueishang township.

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The second generation

The original landmark was wrecked by a typhoon in 1917. It was rebuilt with wood four years later.

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The third generation

Made of mud stone in 1923 to commemorate visiting of Japanese Mikado to Taiwan when he was still an archduke.

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The fourth generation

Constructed between 1934 and 1936. It was damaged by Caoling earthquake on December 16 in 1941 and was demolished in 1942.

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The fifth generation

Built in 1942. The Chiayi Airforce renovated it as a small park in 1968.

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The sixth generation

When the first term construction was finished in 1995, local citizens laughed at its shape as UFO. It was the renovated as the Tropic of Cancer Observation Center with the support of the Magistrate Chen Mingwen. The second term construction was finished on October 22 in 2005 and was then officially opened.

The sun primary school

Together at 23.5 degreesOur school is located beside the Tropic of Cancer. Because it’s near the Solar Exploration Center and the only primary school in the world with the Tropic of Cancer going through, we called ourselves “the sun school.” There are “traces of the sun” everywhere in the campus. For example, the Sundial square, a public artwork in our school, was functioned by the sunshine. Our school basis curriculum of all grades was a multiple issue developed on the foundation of the Solar Exploration Center. The students are interested in it. In addition, the science club in our school was proceeding with science games and topics exploration to make us learn the principles and new knowledge. It can be said that every student in my school is the real “sunny guy.” Welcome to have a visit to our school.

The sun primary school

There are “traces of the sun” everywhere in the campus

The Sundial Square The Sundial Square is a public artwork related to

the sun. It’s a hanging sundial composed of three-fourth in a 5- meter circle.

From 8:00 in the morning to 4:00 in the afternoon, the sun projects light of numbers formed with stars of different size on the ground. Only at the precise clocks can the stars be complete. Because the sunshine drifts south and north with change of seasons, the projected numbers move in accordance with the winter and summer solstice.

Judging from the above introduction, you can find the Sundial Square is a great place for teaching. Through it, students get to understand time’s change in a day, observe the sunshine from different seasons, and realized their relation with the sun.

 

Welcome to visit this wonderful place !