“Thousands of people flood the streets to look at Manhattanhenge”
Leave it to the genius that is Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson to coin the term “Manhattanhenge” based on his stonehenge research in the British Isles, referring to the two time a year phenomenon when the sunset aligns perfectly with New York City’s Manhattan street grid.
And guess what? The half sun on the grid will be visible TODAY in just a couple of hours at 8:16PM EDT, followed by a full sun view to follow tomorrow at the same time.
YES, this is the perfect opportunity to Insta the madness and get hundreds of likes (we hope), and YES you should get to the High Line promptly around 8:15 or according to the American Museum of Natural History “on the east side of Manhattan (but looking west, toward New Jersey—and the setting Sun). Cross-streets including 14th, 23rd, 34th, 42nd, and 57th offer good views. The Empire State Building and Chrysler Building at 34th and 42nd make nice backdrops for photos.”
Here’s the Manhattanhenge schedule:
Half Sun on the Grid
Thursday, May 29 8:16 P.M. EDT
Saturday, July 12 8:25 P.M. EDT
Full Sun on the Grid
Friday, May 30 8:18 P.M. EDT
Friday, July 11 8:24 P.M. EDT
More from Tyson and Manhattanhenge:
(via The High Line, The American Museum of Natural History, and The Gothamist; photo by Kaitlin Duffy)
