New Yorkers, get ready for the latest solar extravaganza.
Every year in late May, and again in mid-July, residents and tourists flood the streets of Manhattan for spectacular views of the sun setting in the west, flanked by the city’s famous streetscape. The event, nicknamed Manhattanhenge, attracts more people every year, some coming so close to each other that they block the streets.
“I think of it as in-your-face astronomy,” says Jackie Faherty, an astronomer at the American Museum of Natural History, who calculates the dates for Manhattanhenge every year. “It’s like a big science festival that will happen in the city.”
The event’s popularity likely goes beyond interest in science, added Dr. Faherty added: People love a good photo, and Manhattanhenge delivers.
When is Manhattanhenge?
This year, Manhattanhenge will take place on Tuesday, May 28 and Wednesday, May 29, and then again on July 12 and 13.
According to the American Museum of Natural History, the sun sets on Tuesday at 8:13 PM and on Wednesday at 8:12 PM, local time. In July, the sun sets at 8:21 PM on the 12th and at 8:20 PM on the 13th.
On consecutive days the sunset will look different. On May 28, the upper half of the sun will align with the city grid, but full sun will be visible the next day. Later in the summer, this pattern reverses: viewers will see a full sun on July 12 and the upper half of the sun on July 13.
Are clouds in the way?
Of the two options this week, Tuesday’s Manhattanhenge appears to be the best choice for a clear view of the setting sun.
Nearly cloudless skies were expected in New York on Tuesday at 8 p.m., according to a National Weather Service forecast issued Monday morning. The weather forecast also predicted clouds would cover about three-quarters of the sky at once on Wednesday.
Why should I see it?
Like April’s solar eclipse and the sun’s dancing aurora, Manhattanhenge is another example of how our home star brings people together.
Sunsets are one of the easiest ways to embrace “the wonder of the cosmos,” said Dr. Faherty, adding that they are all different. “You never know what the light will look or feel like when it sets, or what the atmosphere around you will be like.”
Longer days, warmer weather and the end of the school year in New York City make Manhattanhenge “just that little bit extra,” she said. “The whole thing is just a fun, relaxing summer party and celebration of astronomy.”
Why does Manhattanhenge happen?
The sunset between the urban canyons of New York is a result of the geometry of the sun and the earth.
The sun sets in a different location every day because the Earth is tilted on its axis as it revolves around the sun, said Dr. Faherty. If you looked west from the same spot in the spring, she explained, you would notice that the setting spot moved a little north relative to the horizon every day.
After the summer solstice, which takes place on June 20 this year, the sun begins to move south again. “It’s ping-ponging between the solstices,” said Dr. Faherty. “And that’s because we’re orbiting the sun, like we’re making loops around a circuit.”
That’s also why there are two chances to see Manhattanhenge, in May and in July; the dates fall on either side of the summer solstice. Between these dates, viewers will still be able to see the sun rise behind the city’s skyscrapers as it sets, although it will appear at different heights in the sky.
It’s a season of “epic sunsets in New York City,” said Dr. Faherty.
How did Manhattanhenge start?
In the 19th century, city planners designed New York City as a grid: the avenues run roughly north to south, and the side streets are laid out at 90-degree angles, roughly east to west.
As long as this grid has existed, people have likely noticed the phenomenon, said Dr. Faherty.
The first mention of this effect made by Dr. Faherty is a 1997 comic strip published in the journal Natural History. Neil deGrasse Tyson, director of the Hayden Planetarium, coined the name “Manhattanhenge” in 2002, inspired by the ancient Stonehenge monument in England.
Since then, the excitement around the event has grown every year. “People got it and it caught on like wildfire,” said Dr. Faherty.
Where can I see Manhattanhenge?
One of the most popular places to view this special sunset is the Tudor City Viaduct, a pedestrian walkway above 42nd Street. From the viewpoint you have a good view of the Chrysler Building.
Another favorite location for photographers is the Park Avenue Viaduct, a few blocks west, near Grand Central Station. But pedestrians are not allowed there, and police will likely show up to clear any gathering crowds.
But any street that runs east-west in Manhattan and has a good view of New Jersey is fair game. For the best views (and photos), Dr. Faherty to find a wide road surrounded by remarkable city structures.
On 34th Street you will see the Empire State Building; elsewhere on 42nd Street, you might want to put Times Square in your frame. Wide roads such as 14th Street, 23rd Street and 57th Street are also popular. Uptown on 145th Street and Hunters Point in Queens offer unconventional views.
“You have to stand in the middle of the street to fully appreciate it,” said Dr. Faherty, so keep safety in mind when choosing a spot.
Does the effect ever occur at sunrise?
A similar effect occurs at sunrise in November and January, about six months after sunset at Manhattanhenge. Dr. Faherty calls this Reverse Manhattanhenge.
But the dates for Reverse Manhattanhenge are more difficult to calculate, she said, because the sun rises in the east over the city’s other boroughs.
“The Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens – they’re big, they have a lot of topography,” said Dr. Faherty. “There are a lot of other things that get in the way.”
That adds challenges in determining when there is a clear view of the rising sun. And because the weather is not so good, Reverse Manhattanhenge usually attracts a smaller crowd.
John Keef reporting contributed.