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Manhattanhenge on May 30, 2023
New Yorkers gathered for the biannual Manhattanhenge extravaganza on Tuesday night.
The city’s famous grid system framed the setting sun, casting a warm glow over the concrete jungle.
The phenomenon often attracts thousands of viewers, both tourists and locals, who compete to capture the perfect image.
The first night of Manhattanhenge occurred on Monday, with only half of the setting sun in sight.
On Tuesday, the full sun showed between the skyscrapers at sunset.
The next time to see the show will be in July.
What is Manhattanhenge?
This is when the sunset lines up perfectly with the skyscrapers of Manhattan, which were built on the city’s street grid layout.
Similar “henge” phenomena also occur in other cities with large numbers of skyscrapers and long, straight streets, such as Chicago, Montreal, and Toronto.
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People take photos of Manhattanhenge on May 30, 2023
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People gather to see Manhattanhenge on May 30, 2023
As for the sunset, the event occurs in May and July, and for two nights each. There is also a version of the sunrise that occurs in the winter.
It happens about three weeks before and three weeks after the summer solstice.
Who coined the term?
Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson first used the term Manhattanhenge in 1997, inspired by its resemblance to Stonehenge, where the sun aligns with concentric circles of standing stones on each of the solstices.
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The view on 42nd street in Manhattan
“As a child, I visited Stonehenge on England’s Salisbury Plain and did research on other stone monuments in the British Isles. It was so into me,” says deGrasse Tyson.
“So, in a way, it imprinted on me the emotional power that Earth alignments with the Sun can have on a culture or civilization.”
How do you see it next time?
It will take place on July 12 at 8:20 p.m. and on July 13 at 8:21 p.m. local time.
Spectators above 14th Street and below 155th Street can see the show.
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Manhattanhenge as seen from Weehawken, New Jersey, across the Hudson River
The New York City Department of Parks and Recreation recommends these streets for great views: 57th Street, 42nd Street, 34th Street, 23rd Street, and 14th Street.
While 42nd Street is a popular viewing spot, any street from east to west will generally offer a good view, just be sure to head as far east as possible.
