{"id":59223,"date":"2024-05-28T13:56:06","date_gmt":"2024-05-28T13:56:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/b6878166-a120-482c-ba36-818b6179a9d5"},"modified":"2024-05-28T14:50:18","modified_gmt":"2024-05-28T14:50:18","slug":"see-the-sun-kiss-the-big-apple-manhattanhenge-has-arrived-and-this-is-how-you-can-see-it","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/rss_feed\/see-the-sun-kiss-the-big-apple-manhattanhenge-has-arrived-and-this-is-how-you-can-see-it\/","title":{"rendered":"See the Sun kiss the Big Apple! Manhattanhenge has arrived, and this is how you can see it"},"content":{"rendered":"

How to see the Sun set between Manhattan’s skyscrapers. <\/p>

By <\/p>

Published: Tuesday, 28 May 2024 at 13:56 PM<\/p>

\n\n

In New York City, the gridiron layout of streets means that four times each year, people gather to watch the Sun \u2018kiss the grid\u2019, in what\u2019s known as Manhattanhenge or the Manhattan Solstice.<\/p>

Manhattanhenge \u2013 in tribute to England\u2019s neolithic monument Stonehenge \u2013 describes four days when either the setting Sun or the rising Sun is aligned with the streets that run east to west in Manhattan.<\/p>

During each one of these events, onlookers stand in the middle of any of the numbered east-to-west streets on the grid and witness \u2013 by looking east (for a sunrise) or west (for a sunset) \u2013 the Sun sitting on the horizon between the borough\u2019s famous skyscrapers.<\/p>

Credit: Ultima Gaina \/ Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Equinoxes, solstices and the Sun<\/strong><\/h2>
Exactly where the Sun sets and rises changes constantly throughout the year.<\/p>
At each equinox, in March and September, the Sun rises due east and sets due west across the world.<\/p>
In the Northern Hemisphere, after March\u2019s equinox, the Sun appears to rise in the northeast and set in the northwest.<\/p>
This culminates at the June solstice, when it appears to stop (solstice means \u2018Sun standstill\u2019) before moving back to rise due east and set due west at the September equinox.<\/p>
The Sun then appears to rise and set further south, with the December solstice marking the furthest southeast sunrise and southwest sunset.\u00a0<\/p>
Why Manhattanhenge happens<\/strong><\/h2>
When the pattern of solstices is imposed on Manhattan\u2019s gridiron street layout, it produces a Manhattanhenge effect.<\/p>
If the borough\u2019s streets were aligned perfectly with the cardinal points, Manhattanhenge would take place on the equinoxes.<\/p>
However, that\u2019s not the case, because the gridiron is aligned 29\u02da clockwise from true east\u2013west.<\/p>
In practice, that produces two groups of two days, each 22\/23 days on either side of the date of the June solstice, when the Sun sets 29\u02da north of due west (being 270\u02da).<\/p>
That precise azimuth means that the Sun must set on the grid of Manhattan.<\/p>
$\"Equinoxes$
Credit: BBC Sky at Night Magazine<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Best days and times for Manhattanhenge 2024<\/strong><\/h2>
You should always take care when observing the Sun.<\/p>
The most impactful view of Manhattanhenge is when half of the Sun\u2019s disc is visible on the grid at sunset, because you get to see the Sun \u2018kiss the grid\u2019.<\/p>
In 2024, those dates and times are Tuesday 28 May at 8:13pm EDT and Saturday 13 July at 8:21pm EDT.<\/p>
These \u2018kiss the grid\u2019 evenings both come with a bonus evening, when you can see the entire Sun\u2019s disc sit on the grid just before the moment of sunset begins.<\/p>
In 2024, these \u2018full Sun\u2019 dates will be Wednesday 29 May at 8:12pm EDT (the day after the first \u2018kiss the grid\u2019 sunset) and Friday 12 July at 8:20pm EDT (the day before the second \u2018kiss the grid\u2019 sunset).<\/p>
Manhattanhenge at sunrise<\/strong><\/h2>
These are the headline acts, the attention-grabbing moments that the media reports and that people will travel to see.<\/p>
The Manhattanhenge effect also works at sunrise, but since 5 December and 8 January \u2013 either side of the December solstice \u2013 are generally bitterly cold and cloudy in Manhattan, few are in a position to watch the rising Sun sit on the grid.<\/p>
$\"It's$
It’s not just Manhattan! Other cities have ‘henges’ too, like Torontohenge in Canada. Credit: Rene Johnston\/Toronto Star via Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Other famous city henges<\/strong><\/h2>
Other examples of similar alignments include Chicagohenge<\/a> (on the dates of the equinoxes), Torontohenge<\/a> (16 February and 25 October) and even Milton Keynes-henge<\/a> (where the main streetframes the rising Sun on the June solstice).<\/p>
What makes Manhattan the standout is the clear horizon beyond its grid, thanks to the Hudson River.\u00a0<\/p>
Although the \u2018kiss the grid\u2019 sunsets get all the attention, for those with a keen astronomical eye,the Manhattanhenge effect extends from the first event on 28 May to the last on 13 July, when theSun can be seen crossing the grid as it sets each evening.<\/p>
It means 46 evenings of fabulous sunsets, clear skies allowing.<\/p>
$\"42nd$
42nd Street is one of the best streets for viewing Manhattanhenge. Credit: Andrey Denisyuk<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Best places to see Manhattanhenge<\/strong><\/h2>
The best views looking west at sunset are in the eastern half of Manhattan, above 14th Street and below 155th Street, with prime spots including 14th, 23rd, 34th, 42nd and 57th Streets.<\/p>
The most popular places to watch Manhattanhenge include the junction of 14th Street and Third Avenue, Tudor City Bridge and Central Park\u2019s Great Lawn.<\/p>
If you want a good spot, it pays to get there early, at least a few hours before sunset. <\/p>
Seven of the best places to view Manhattanhenge are:<\/p>
E 14th Street and Third Avenue<\/li>
E 23rd Street and Fifth Avenue or Broadway<\/li>
W 34th Street and Fifth Avenue<\/li>
Tudor City Bridge, E 42nd Street<\/li>
W 57th Street and Eighth Avenue<\/li>
Great Lawn, Central Park<\/li>
W 79th Street and Columbus<\/li><\/ol>
You can see these spots in our map below.<\/p>
$\"Map$
Map showing the best places to view Manhattanhenge. Click to expand. Credit: BBC Sky at Night Magazine<\/figcaption><\/figure>
How to photograph Manhattanhenge<\/strong><\/h2>
A clear sky is the key to photographing a Manhattanhenge sunset.<\/p>
Clouds will completely kill this spectacle, so check weather forecasts.<\/p>
You can get a good shot with any camera or smartphone, but you can take both close-ups and wide angles if you use a camera with a zoom lens.<\/p>
$\"Be$
Be prepared to fight the crowds when photographing Manhattangenge. Credit: AerialPerspective Images \/ Getty images<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Never look through the viewfinder when photographing a sunset \u2013 only look at the image on the camera\u2019s rear screen.<\/p>
You\u2019ll need to stand in the middle of the street, so care is of course needed.<\/p>
***Have you seen or photographed Manhattanhenge? Share your experiences and images with us via contactus@skyatnightmagazine.com<\/a>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>***
***This article appeared in the June 2023 issue of BBC Sky at Night Magazine<\/em><\/strong><\/p> <\/body><\/html>\n***
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How to see the Sun set between Manhattan’s skyscrapers. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":59224,"template":"","categories":[1],"acf":{"readingTimeMinutes":"5"},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2024\/05\/see-the-sun-kiss-the-big-apple-manhattanhenge-has-arrived-and-this-is-how-you-can-see-it.jpg",1200,800,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2024\/05\/see-the-sun-kiss-the-big-apple-manhattanhenge-has-arrived-and-this-is-how-you-can-see-it-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2024\/05\/see-the-sun-kiss-the-big-apple-manhattanhenge-has-arrived-and-this-is-how-you-can-see-it-300x200.jpg",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2024\/05\/see-the-sun-kiss-the-big-apple-manhattanhenge-has-arrived-and-this-is-how-you-can-see-it-768x512.jpg",768,512,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2024\/05\/see-the-sun-kiss-the-big-apple-manhattanhenge-has-arrived-and-this-is-how-you-can-see-it-1024x683.jpg",800,534,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2024\/05\/see-the-sun-kiss-the-big-apple-manhattanhenge-has-arrived-and-this-is-how-you-can-see-it.jpg",1200,800,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2024\/05\/see-the-sun-kiss-the-big-apple-manhattanhenge-has-arrived-and-this-is-how-you-can-see-it.jpg",1200,800,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"How to see the Sun set between Manhattan's skyscrapers.","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed\/59223"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/rss_feed"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/59224"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=59223"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=59223"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}

Credit: Ultima Gaina \/ Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Equinoxes, solstices and the Sun<\/strong><\/h2>
Exactly where the Sun sets and rises changes constantly throughout the year.<\/p>
At each equinox, in March and September, the Sun rises due east and sets due west across the world.<\/p>
In the Northern Hemisphere, after March\u2019s equinox, the Sun appears to rise in the northeast and set in the northwest.<\/p>
This culminates at the June solstice, when it appears to stop (solstice means \u2018Sun standstill\u2019) before moving back to rise due east and set due west at the September equinox.<\/p>
The Sun then appears to rise and set further south, with the December solstice marking the furthest southeast sunrise and southwest sunset.\u00a0<\/p>
Why Manhattanhenge happens<\/strong><\/h2>
When the pattern of solstices is imposed on Manhattan\u2019s gridiron street layout, it produces a Manhattanhenge effect.<\/p>
If the borough\u2019s streets were aligned perfectly with the cardinal points, Manhattanhenge would take place on the equinoxes.<\/p>
However, that\u2019s not the case, because the gridiron is aligned 29\u02da clockwise from true east\u2013west.<\/p>
In practice, that produces two groups of two days, each 22\/23 days on either side of the date of the June solstice, when the Sun sets 29\u02da north of due west (being 270\u02da).<\/p>
That precise azimuth means that the Sun must set on the grid of Manhattan.<\/p>
$\"Equinoxes$
Credit: BBC Sky at Night Magazine<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Best days and times for Manhattanhenge 2024<\/strong><\/h2>
You should always take care when observing the Sun.<\/p>
The most impactful view of Manhattanhenge is when half of the Sun\u2019s disc is visible on the grid at sunset, because you get to see the Sun \u2018kiss the grid\u2019.<\/p>
In 2024, those dates and times are Tuesday 28 May at 8:13pm EDT and Saturday 13 July at 8:21pm EDT.<\/p>
These \u2018kiss the grid\u2019 evenings both come with a bonus evening, when you can see the entire Sun\u2019s disc sit on the grid just before the moment of sunset begins.<\/p>
In 2024, these \u2018full Sun\u2019 dates will be Wednesday 29 May at 8:12pm EDT (the day after the first \u2018kiss the grid\u2019 sunset) and Friday 12 July at 8:20pm EDT (the day before the second \u2018kiss the grid\u2019 sunset).<\/p>
Manhattanhenge at sunrise<\/strong><\/h2>
These are the headline acts, the attention-grabbing moments that the media reports and that people will travel to see.<\/p>
The Manhattanhenge effect also works at sunrise, but since 5 December and 8 January \u2013 either side of the December solstice \u2013 are generally bitterly cold and cloudy in Manhattan, few are in a position to watch the rising Sun sit on the grid.<\/p>
$\"It's$
It’s not just Manhattan! Other cities have ‘henges’ too, like Torontohenge in Canada. Credit: Rene Johnston\/Toronto Star via Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Other famous city henges<\/strong><\/h2>
Other examples of similar alignments include Chicagohenge<\/a> (on the dates of the equinoxes), Torontohenge<\/a> (16 February and 25 October) and even Milton Keynes-henge<\/a> (where the main streetframes the rising Sun on the June solstice).<\/p>
What makes Manhattan the standout is the clear horizon beyond its grid, thanks to the Hudson River.\u00a0<\/p>
Although the \u2018kiss the grid\u2019 sunsets get all the attention, for those with a keen astronomical eye,the Manhattanhenge effect extends from the first event on 28 May to the last on 13 July, when theSun can be seen crossing the grid as it sets each evening.<\/p>
It means 46 evenings of fabulous sunsets, clear skies allowing.<\/p>
$\"42nd$
42nd Street is one of the best streets for viewing Manhattanhenge. Credit: Andrey Denisyuk<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Best places to see Manhattanhenge<\/strong><\/h2>
The best views looking west at sunset are in the eastern half of Manhattan, above 14th Street and below 155th Street, with prime spots including 14th, 23rd, 34th, 42nd and 57th Streets.<\/p>
The most popular places to watch Manhattanhenge include the junction of 14th Street and Third Avenue, Tudor City Bridge and Central Park\u2019s Great Lawn.<\/p>
If you want a good spot, it pays to get there early, at least a few hours before sunset. <\/p>
Seven of the best places to view Manhattanhenge are:<\/p>
E 14th Street and Third Avenue<\/li>
E 23rd Street and Fifth Avenue or Broadway<\/li>
W 34th Street and Fifth Avenue<\/li>
Tudor City Bridge, E 42nd Street<\/li>
W 57th Street and Eighth Avenue<\/li>
Great Lawn, Central Park<\/li>
W 79th Street and Columbus<\/li><\/ol>
You can see these spots in our map below.<\/p>
$\"Map$
Map showing the best places to view Manhattanhenge. Click to expand. Credit: BBC Sky at Night Magazine<\/figcaption><\/figure>
How to photograph Manhattanhenge<\/strong><\/h2>
A clear sky is the key to photographing a Manhattanhenge sunset.<\/p>
Clouds will completely kill this spectacle, so check weather forecasts.<\/p>
You can get a good shot with any camera or smartphone, but you can take both close-ups and wide angles if you use a camera with a zoom lens.<\/p>
$\"Be$
Be prepared to fight the crowds when photographing Manhattangenge. Credit: AerialPerspective Images \/ Getty images<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Never look through the viewfinder when photographing a sunset \u2013 only look at the image on the camera\u2019s rear screen.<\/p>
You\u2019ll need to stand in the middle of the street, so care is of course needed.<\/p>
***Have you seen or photographed Manhattanhenge? Share your experiences and images with us via contactus@skyatnightmagazine.com<\/a>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>***
***This article appeared in the June 2023 issue of BBC Sky at Night Magazine<\/em><\/strong><\/p> <\/body><\/html>\n***
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