Blood moons? Old news. Lunar eclipses? To some observers, frankly un-spectacular. Aurora borealis? Good luck spotting that. If you're in the market for a celestial phenomenon that really makes its presence known in New York City, there's one word you should have on the tip of your tongue: Manhattanhenge.
Also known as the Manhattan Solstice, Manhattanhenge occurs when the sun comes into perfect alignment with parts of the city's street grid for a few blissful summer evenings. It happens every year around late May and mid-July, twice with a full sun and twice with a half sun, weather permitting. ("Full sun" and "half sun" refer to how much of the solar disk is visible above the horizon.)
"It's perfectly framed by the concrete jungle of New York City I like to call it 'astronomy in your face,'" said Dr. Jackie Faherty, an astrophysicist at American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) who has become the museum's henge-whisperer. "Manhattanhenge is the event of the summer for the celebration of astronomy."
It's an ideal NYC activity, whether you're interested in grabbing a sunset selfie with Helios' avatar behind you, or you just want to soak in the scene as locals and tourists thrust their iPhones toward the sky and jockey for position in the middle of 42nd Street as if they were extras from World War Z.
According to Faherty, it's beloved because it's an epic sunset happening at a time of year when New Yorkers are already flocking outdoors and looking for any reason to stay outside. It's also, as with everything related to sunsets, romantic, and provides a unique photo opportunity for our social media age. (Cityhenges also happen in other urban areas on a grid, including Chicago, Toronto and Montreal.)
"It is a fantastic picture with the sun lighting up the canyons of New York City, and those beautiful golden light hues of red and yellow and orange," Faherty said. "And so it becomes a special bonding moment for New Yorkers and visitors to the city."
You can find this year's dates, which were announced by MTA Away, below:
While the observable phenomenon goes back as long as Manhattan has had a grid, the actual term Manhattanhenge was first coined in the late 1990s by Neil deGrasse Tyson when he was working as an astrophysicist at the Hayden Planetarium at AMNH.
"He started to promote it as director of the planetarium, and as an homage to Stonehenge, which is probably the most famous henge or dedicated structure to a solar position," explained Faherty, AMNH's senior scientist in the Department of Astrophysics. "He decided that Manhattan gets to have its own henge."
Faherty started working at the museum around 2002, and despite Tyson spreading the info about Manhattanhenge on his "Starstruck" email list, it took several years to take off. "We'd get the emails from the director, and I was always like, 'Oh, yay!'" Faherty said. "And I would invite my friends, we would go outside and look for it, and no one was out there. This was not a popular phenomenon yet it had not spread."
She took it upon herself to start doing public programs on it at AMNH to bring more attention to the phenomenon. And as Tyson's fame grew, more and more people "started to pick up on it that way. Now it is what it is. It went viral. As an astronomical phenomenon might, this one went viral."
Around a decade ago, Tyson passed the Manhattanhenge baton to Faherty, who now calculates its dates and times each year. It's become one of her favorite parts of the job because of how much joy it brings to the city.
"You get people that are so friendly with each other all of a sudden," she said. "New Yorkers aren't known for talking to each other on the street, but this is a very curious city. So you could be out on a Manhattanhenge sunset moment, and cars are stopping and people are in the middle of the street, and everybody's just like, 'What's going on?' And you unify over that and chat, and that is beautiful and fun. You can learn something...and you can have a good conversation."
Faherty says there are tons of places in the city to watch the phenomenon, from 14th Street up to Washington Heights. She notes that despite the borough's symmetry, you should be mindful of things that break the grid and could get in the way of your view, like hills, buildings or Central Park. You may want to find the widest street possible to really get the full effect, but any street that has buildings you love will suffice.
Her top spots to view it include 145th Street (close to Broadway), 72nd Street, and 42nd Street, which remains the most popular spot for a reason. On 42nd Street, she particularly recommends either going to the Tudor City overpass or heading to Pershing Square by Grand Central the latter of which technically isn't legal because people end up blocking the taxis, but is a "super fun" spot always filled with professional photographers. She adds that Gantry Plaza State Park in Long Island City gets pretty great views as well.
And even if it's raining or overcast on the Manhattanhenge days, that doesn't mean you're out of luck. There'll be tons of gorgeous sunsets to witness between May 29th and July 12th because of what she has termed the "Manhattanhenge effect."
"The effect days can be just as gorgeous," she said. "Because what's happening between those two days is that the sun is still crossing your grid, it's really low in the sky. So you're in the golden hour, you're in that same moment where the beautiful sun rays are close to the horizon, and they're lighting up the canyons in yellows and oranges."
Because I am only human and not above the occasional attempt at capturing mother nature's je ne sais quoi on my phone, here are some tips on how to best photograph a sunset with your iPhone. And if you've never caught Manhattanhenge before, Gabe Elder made the video below showing the crowds of camera-emboldened onlookers in all their awkward glory at the Tudor City overpass in 2018.
Read more:
NYC's astronomical event of the summer: Here are the 2022 Manhattanhenge dates - Gothamist
- Astronomy clubs want to help you enjoy the eclipse safely - NPR - March 16th, 2024 [March 16th, 2024]
- You Can See a Rare, Bright Comet This Month. Will It Be Visible During the Solar Eclipse? - Smithsonian Magazine - March 16th, 2024 [March 16th, 2024]
- Solar Eclipse Path Map Shows States Where Sun Will Be Blocked Out - Newsweek - March 16th, 2024 [March 16th, 2024]
- Deep-space astronomy sensor peers into the heart of an atom - Space.com - March 16th, 2024 [March 16th, 2024]
- Physics and Astronomy Colloquium - Professor Paul Cassak; Department of Physics and Astronomy, West Virginia ... - The University of Iowa - March 16th, 2024 [March 16th, 2024]
- United Nations prioritizes discussion of Dark and Quiet Skies - Astrobites - March 16th, 2024 [March 16th, 2024]
- The burning acid behind ant stings was spotted around two stars - WAPT Jackson - March 16th, 2024 [March 16th, 2024]
- The oddities known as Centaurs may sprout their tales after jumping to new orbits - Astronomy Magazine - March 16th, 2024 [March 16th, 2024]
- Pair of astronomy brothers to host eclipse viewing event - KAIT - March 16th, 2024 [March 16th, 2024]
- How to watch the solar eclipse online - Astronomy Magazine - March 16th, 2024 [March 16th, 2024]
- How does a black hole get to the center of a galaxy, and does the galaxy revolve around it? - Astronomy Magazine - March 16th, 2024 [March 16th, 2024]
- The eclipse gives astronomy clubs an opportunity to shine - Voice Of Alexandria - March 16th, 2024 [March 16th, 2024]
- AI 'for all': How access to new models is advancing academic research, from astronomy to education - Source - Microsoft - March 16th, 2024 [March 16th, 2024]
- KU Department of Physics & Astronomy professor receives prestigious NSF award for black hole research - Salina Post - March 16th, 2024 [March 16th, 2024]
- Inspect impressive Mare Imbrium Astronomy Now - Astronomy Now Online - March 16th, 2024 [March 16th, 2024]
- The Sky This Week from March 15 to 22: A conjunction of Venus and Saturn - Astronomy Magazine - March 16th, 2024 [March 16th, 2024]
- Pons-Brooks and M31 - Astronomy Magazine - March 16th, 2024 [March 16th, 2024]
- The slightly weird mathematical coincidence behind an eclipse - Astronomy Magazine - March 16th, 2024 [March 16th, 2024]
- APOD: 2024 March 17 NGC 7714: Starburst after Galaxy Collision - Astronomy Picture of the Day - March 16th, 2024 [March 16th, 2024]
- How to Safely View the Eclipse National Radio Astronomy Observatory - National Radio Astronomy Observatory - March 16th, 2024 [March 16th, 2024]
- NOIRLab releases jaw-dropping images, video of remnants from massive star explosion | Astronomy.com - Astronomy Magazine - March 16th, 2024 [March 16th, 2024]
- JWST spots oceans' worth of water evaporating from a distant disk - Astronomy Magazine - March 16th, 2024 [March 16th, 2024]
- Radiation is vaporizing a young star's disk in the Orion Nebula - Astronomy Magazine - March 16th, 2024 [March 16th, 2024]
- APOD: 2024 March 12 A Galaxy Shaped Rocket Exhaust Spiral - Astronomy Picture of the Day - March 16th, 2024 [March 16th, 2024]
- Best laptops for astronomers and astrophotographers in 2024 - Space.com - March 16th, 2024 [March 16th, 2024]
- Why astronomers are worried about 2 major telescopes right now - Space.com - March 16th, 2024 [March 16th, 2024]
- The People Behind Webb | Webb - WebbTelescope.org - March 16th, 2024 [March 16th, 2024]
- X-ray image of universe reveals almost 1 million high-energy objects: 'These are mind-blowing numbers' - Space.com - February 1st, 2024 [February 1st, 2024]
- Galaxy named 'Nube' is almost invisible, baffling astronomers Earth.com - Earth.com - February 1st, 2024 [February 1st, 2024]
- Giant Star Seen 150 Days Before it Exploded as a Supernova - Universe Today - February 1st, 2024 [February 1st, 2024]
- UH astronomer named to prominent national astronomical society | University of Hawaii System News - University of Hawaii - February 1st, 2024 [February 1st, 2024]
- The Art of SeeingStates of Astronomy - Announcements - E-Flux - February 1st, 2024 [February 1st, 2024]
- Pluto isn't really a planet, but it might be Arizona's official state planet - Arizona Mirror - February 1st, 2024 [February 1st, 2024]
- Did You Know? Stars Near and Far Reveal Their Secrets to CSUN Scientists - California State University, Northridge - February 1st, 2024 [February 1st, 2024]
- Top 10 space stories of 2023 - Astronomy Magazine - February 1st, 2024 [February 1st, 2024]
- How we found the Milky Way's bar: This Week in Astronomy with Dave Eicher - Astronomy Magazine - February 1st, 2024 [February 1st, 2024]
- The best telescope to use with a smartphone - Astronomy Magazine - February 1st, 2024 [February 1st, 2024]
- JWST releases 19 awe-inspiring images of spiral galaxies - Astronomy Magazine - February 1st, 2024 [February 1st, 2024]
- Learning Shines Brightly at SuperKnova National Radio Astronomy Observatory - National Radio Astronomy Observatory - February 1st, 2024 [February 1st, 2024]
- The Crafoord Prize 2024 goes to three ERC grantees for their pioneering contributions to astronomy and mathematics ... - European Research Council - February 1st, 2024 [February 1st, 2024]
- The Moon's south pole is likely not the safest place for manned missions - Astronomy Magazine - February 1st, 2024 [February 1st, 2024]
- The moon could be perfect for cutting-edge telescopes but not if we don't protect it - Space.com - February 1st, 2024 [February 1st, 2024]
- February Astronomy: Spot the Milky Way and the Zodiacal Light While the Skies Are Darkest - Coachella Valley Independent - February 1st, 2024 [February 1st, 2024]
- You can stream an asteroid whizzing past Earth this weekend - Astronomy Magazine - February 1st, 2024 [February 1st, 2024]
- Chinese Astronomy at the Royal Observatory | Royal Observatory | Things to do in London - Time Out London - February 1st, 2024 [February 1st, 2024]
- Astronomers in Chile to scour universe with car-sized mega camera - - February 1st, 2024 [February 1st, 2024]
- Dark Matter Might Help Explain How Supermassive Black Holes Can Merge - Universe Today - February 1st, 2024 [February 1st, 2024]
- How far away is the sun? They went on a perilous journey to find out. - National Geographic - February 1st, 2024 [February 1st, 2024]
- Scientists spotted an asteroid hours before it burned up over Germany - Astronomy Magazine - February 1st, 2024 [February 1st, 2024]
- XRISM Unveils the Invisible: A New Era in X-Ray Astronomy - SciTechDaily - January 10th, 2024 [January 10th, 2024]
- New Astronomy Finding Uncovers the Mystery of Star Formation at the Edge of Galaxies - SBU News - Stony Brook News - January 10th, 2024 [January 10th, 2024]
- The Future Of Astronomy Lies In Artificial Intelligence - Forbes - January 10th, 2024 [January 10th, 2024]
- The 'Super Bowl of Astronomy' begins next week in New Orleans - Space.com - January 10th, 2024 [January 10th, 2024]
- Scientific American proposes policing the language of astronomy to make it beautiful and elegant, as well as ... - Why Evolution Is True - January 10th, 2024 [January 10th, 2024]
- 'Blob-like' home of farthest-known fast radio burst is collection of seven galaxies - Northwestern Now - January 10th, 2024 [January 10th, 2024]
- Astronomers revealed mysterious star formation by hearts of molecular clouds - Tech Explorist - January 10th, 2024 [January 10th, 2024]
- Spectroscopic sizing of interstellar icy grains with JWST - Nature.com - January 10th, 2024 [January 10th, 2024]
- Kip Thorne and the mind-bending science of Interstellar | Astronomy.com - Astronomy Magazine - January 10th, 2024 [January 10th, 2024]
- Here There Be DRAGNs National Radio Astronomy Observatory - National Radio Astronomy Observatory - January 10th, 2024 [January 10th, 2024]
- Unistellar's latest smart telescopes take the hassle out of backyard astronomy - Engadget - January 10th, 2024 [January 10th, 2024]
- 20 of the best places to view the 2024 total solar eclipse - Astronomy Magazine - January 10th, 2024 [January 10th, 2024]
- Northern Arizona astronomy: How old is our third generation sun? - Grand Canyon News - January 10th, 2024 [January 10th, 2024]
- Evidence builds that Kamo'oalewa is a chunk of the Moon accompanying Earth - Astronomy Magazine - January 10th, 2024 [January 10th, 2024]
- The Sky This Week from January 5 to 12: Visitors to the Scorpion - Astronomy Magazine - January 10th, 2024 [January 10th, 2024]
- AAS 243 NRAO Press Announcement - National Radio Astronomy Observatory - January 10th, 2024 [January 10th, 2024]
- Your guide to the sky in 2024 - Astronomy Magazine - January 10th, 2024 [January 10th, 2024]
- The best binoculars for astronomy in 2024 - Popular Science - January 10th, 2024 [January 10th, 2024]
- Are we visible to alien astronomers? This study makes the case - Astronomy Magazine - January 10th, 2024 [January 10th, 2024]
- Mystery of Star Formation Revealed by Hearts of Molecular Clouds - National Radio Astronomy Observatory - January 10th, 2024 [January 10th, 2024]
- Astronomers Solve the Mystery of Giant Radio Circles - AZoQuantum - January 10th, 2024 [January 10th, 2024]
- Early Evolution of Planetary Disk Structures Seen for the First Time - National Radio Astronomy Observatory - January 10th, 2024 [January 10th, 2024]
- XRISM's Revolutionary Insights into X-Ray Astronomy - AZoQuantum - January 10th, 2024 [January 10th, 2024]
- Vatican's chief astronomer talks about stars, beauty, truth - Aleteia - January 10th, 2024 [January 10th, 2024]
- Explore the cosmos in EAC Payson Campus astronomy workshops - Payson Roundup - January 10th, 2024 [January 10th, 2024]
- Neptune is more of a greenish blue than is commonly depicted - NPR - January 10th, 2024 [January 10th, 2024]
- First Yale Gravitational Wave Symposium sparks research innovation | Department of Physics - Yale University - January 10th, 2024 [January 10th, 2024]
- The best expensive telescopes for those ready to splurge - Astronomy Magazine - January 10th, 2024 [January 10th, 2024]
- Dinosaurs and a touch of astronomy | Education | paysonroundup.com - Payson Roundup - January 10th, 2024 [January 10th, 2024]
- Astronomical Illusions: New Images Reveal What Neptune and Uranus Really Look Like - SciTechDaily - January 10th, 2024 [January 10th, 2024]
- Book Review: Things That Go Bump in the Universe, by C. Rene James - The New York Times - December 16th, 2023 [December 16th, 2023]