Manhattanhenge is when the sun sets directly through the center of Manhattan cross streets, lighting both the north and south sides. Manhattanhenge is just four times a year, twice in the end of May and twice in mid-July, when the sun is directly in line with the Manhattan street grid, twice in the end of May and twice in mid-July.
Manhattanhenge is a play on words for Stonehenge. And it’s fascinating to see, with or without a camera and tripod. The Hayden Planetarium’s Neil deGrasse Tyson calls it a unique urban phenomenon in the world, if not the universe.
Starting at just after 8PM, the sun appears on the western edge of east-west numbered NYC streets, washing the space between the two sides of the street in a golden orange light until the actual sunset.
Half Sun - May 29 at 8:12PM, July 12 at 8:20PM
Full Sun - May 30 at 8:12PM and July 11 at 8:20PM
Also, on July 12th, there’s a special Manhattanhenge talk with astrophysicist Jackie Faherty at the Hayden Planetarium. Tickets are $15. It was Flaherty’s colleague at the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) , astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson who named the annual spectacle Manhattanhenge.
Click here for the best places to see Manhattanhenge
Let’s hope for picture postcard weather, instead of cloudy or rainy.
photo courtesy Technology Weekly