There’s no doubt summer in the city is magical, but twice a year, thousands of tourists and locals fall under New York’s spell at once. The phenomenon that’s come to be known as “Manhattanhenge”. The yearly event occurs when the setting sun aligns perfectly with the New York City’s downtown street grid, creating a glowing urban spectacle that delights both locals and tourists.
The term Manhattanhenge was coined by Neil deGrasse Tyson and a native New Yorker who likened the positioning of the sun at Stonehenge during the summer solstice to the sun’s alignment across the borough of Manhattan. Tyson stated that the name was inspired by a childhood visit to Stonehenge:”I visited Stonehenge as a kid at age 15 on an expedition that (Hawkins) was the expedition head…and that stuck with me, which is why I named this phenomenon in Manhattan where the sun sets along the street grid…I named that Manhattanhenge, sort of harkening back to my early days thinking about the alignment of the sun and structures that we might build.”
Explanation of the Manhattanhenge phenomenon
As per the Commissioners’ Plan of 1811, the street grid for most of Manhattan is rotated 29° clockwise from true east-west. Twice each year, a couple of weeks before and a couple of weeks after the summer solstice, when the azimuth for sunset is 29° northward of due west, the setting sun aligns with the east-west streets at the moment it sits on the horizon. The precise dates of Manhattanhenge depends on the date of the summer solstice, but it usually fall around May 28th and July 12th. A similar phenomenon happens near the winter solstice, usually around December 5th and January 8th, but with the rising sun instead of the setting sun.
Also of note is the Full Sun Manhattanhenge, during which the full ball of the sun is framed by the city’s structures. Full Sun Manhattanhenges usually take place a day or two after the May Half Sun Manhattanhenge, and a day or two before the July Half Sun Manhattanhenge. A similar phenomenon happens near the winter solstice, usually around December 5th and January 8th, but with the rising sun instead of the setting sun.
Dates for 2019 and best locations
Wednesday, May 29th at 8:13 p.m. EDT, you will see a “half sun” — that is, half above and half below the landscape.
Thursday, May 30th at 8:12 p.m. EDT, you will see a “full sun,” with the entire solar disk resting above the horizon.
If you miss out in May, you’ll get a second chance in July, on the 11th and 12th. On the first July date, a “full sun” will appear at 8:20 p.m. EDT, while on the second date, we get the “half sun” effect at 8:21 p.m. EDT.
For the clearest views, it’s best to position yourself on the widest crosstown streets, like 14th, 23rd, 34th, 42nd, and 57th Streets. Remember to look around for famous New York City landmarks to enhance the sense of place in your images. For example you have the Empire State Building on 34th Street, or the Chrysler Building and Times Square on 42ndStreet.