Notice the Ephemeral: Manhattanhenge

This Monday July 11 and Tuesday July 12, 2016 are Manhattanhenge.

Manhattanhenge — a term popularized by the astrophysicist extraordinaire Neil deGrasse Tyson — are the days when the setting sun aligns perfectly with the east–west streets of the main street grid of Manhattan.

manhattanhenge
Image by Shmuel

Monday, July 11 will have a “full sun,” as the  full solar disk sets just above the horizon. Tuesday, July 12 will have a “half sun” as the solar disk is partially hidden below the horizon. The sun sets at 8:20pm on both days.

slgc
image by slgckgc

Some of the best viewing spots of the “Manhattan Solstice” are at 23rd, 34th, and 42nd Streets. My favorite place to view is near 23rd Street.

 

manhattanhenge-traciparis
Image by Traci Paris

On July 12 an astrophycist will explain the phenomenon at the American Museum of Natural History. You can also join the Obscura Society for LIChenge, a walking tour and viewing party from Long Island City.

When was the last time you watched the sun set?

 

2 Comments

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  1. The Museum of Natural History is doing a special event on the 12th on this! Can’t wait to see all the great pics! 😁

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  2. Thanks for the heads-up on the AMNH event, Mad Hatters NYC. It looks fun and informative. I’ll add it to my post. More info here: http://www.amnh.org/calendar/manhattanhenge

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