What is Manhattanhenge? Here's when and where you can see the phenomenon
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Clouds obscure the view of the setting sun on 42nd street in New York, Tuesday, May 28, 2024. Twice per year, New Yorkers and visitors are treated to a phenomenon known as Manhattanhenge, when the setting sun aligns with the Manhattan street grid and sinks below the horizon framed in a canyon of skyscrapers.Mary Conlon / /AP -
Clouds obscure the view of the setting sun on 42nd street in New York, Tuesday, May 28, 2024. Twice per year, New Yorkers and visitors are treated to a phenomenon known as Manhattanhenge, when the setting sun aligns with the Manhattan street grid and sinks below the horizon framed in a canyon of skyscrapers.Mary Conlon / /AP
Anyone who knows Manhattan like a New Yorker knows it’s a city that never sleeps–-and knows when to capture the best angle for the solar spectacle known as Manhattanhenge.
Twice annually—weeks before and after the summer solstice—residents and tourists raise their phones to capture Manhattan’s sun aligning with the city grid, creating a spectacular sunset.
Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson coined it Manhattanhenge. It’s when the sun sets exactly along the streets of Manhattan, lighting up the city with a golden hour light.
Jackie Faherty, an astronomer at the American Museum of Natural History, shares how Manhattanhenge can draw crowds of spectators.
“Manhattanhenge really grew to be as popular as it is because it's an epic photograph. Iconic buildings, gorgeous light, perfect time of day, usually warm, kids are out of school. All the things that you want out of summer happen around Manhattanhenge,” she said.
For some experts, Manhattanhenge is easy to notice because of how the grid is structured . John McCoy, the deputy director of the Urban Park Rangers, says Manhattanhenge is special in this way.
“What makes it fun and interesting and unique is that there's that consistency throughout most of the island of Manhattan,” he said.
The consistency is a result of Manhattan being built from a grid system.
“Manhattan specifically is a gridded city. A decision that got made by city planners. As soon as they laid down the grid of Manhattan, making the avenues long they’re roughly north, south and 90 degree angles to the cross streets, they created a bullseye for the sun to hit,” Faherty said.
Even though Tyson likened Manhattanhenge to the sunset views at solstice in Stonehenge, England, city planners did not intentionally build Manhattan for the purpose of having epic sunsets.
“When we had people building the grid of Manhattan in the early 19th century, they didn't realize that when the sun was going to arc at a certain time of year, we'd be seeing the sun right down the streets of Manhattan,” he shared.
If you happen to be in New York this Wednesday evening, Faherty has a note of caution.
“Don't try and watch Manhattanhenge from below the grid. Once you get below 14th Street, it gets messy,” she said. The best spot—the mecca of Manhattanhenge—is on 42nd Street.
Transcript
LEILA FADEL, HOST:
New York may be known as the City that Never Sleeps, but over the last couple of days, it may have at least slowed down to take in a spectacular sunset when the sun sets exactly along the cross streets of Manhattan.
STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:
Oh, this is an amazing thing to see, which is known as Manhattanhenge, a comparison to sunset views in Stonehenge, England, in the winter and summer solstices. Jackie Faherty is an astronomer at the American Museum of Natural History.
JACKIE FAHERTY: It's the time when the concrete jungle of New York is completely lit up by sunset light, by golden hour light.
FADEL: Crowds come every year around the end of May and mid-July to marvel at something unique to this island city.
FAHERTY: Manhattanhenge really grew to be as popular as it is, I think, because it's an epic photograph - iconic buildings, gorgeous light, perfect time of day, usually warm.
INSKEEP: And unique to the island of Manhattan.
FAHERTY: Manhattan specifically is a gridded city, a decision that got made by city planners. As soon as they laid down the grid of Manhattan, making the avenues long that are roughly north-south, and 90 degree angles to the cross streets, they created a bull's-eye for the sun to hit.
FADEL: John McCoy is deputy director of the Urban Park Rangers. He says city planners did not intentionally build Manhattan for the purpose of having epic sunsets.
JOHN MCCOY: We had people building the grid of Manhattan in the early 19th century. They didn't realize that when the sun was going to arc at a certain time of year, that we'd be seeing the sun right down the streets of Manhattan as it sets over the sky in sort of the western part of the city.
FADEL: So where are the best views?
INSKEEP: Well, Faherty knows.
FAHERTY: I always get myself in trouble for this because I've given away my best spots. I would say the mecca of Manhattanhenge is on 42nd Street.
INSKEEP: Oh, 42nd Street, middle of Manhattan, going through Times Square - but I want to tell you, Leila, you can see it almost everywhere. In fact, I used to live in Queens a little bit to the east of Manhattan, and had an apartment with a view of the skyline. So, man, we could see it. We could see it from our windows. It was a beautiful thing.
FADEL: Beautiful. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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