What is Manhattanhenge, New York’s spectacular urban solar phenomenon?

The wait was worth it and New York was once again the scene of a spectacular “Manhattanhenge”, the phenomenon that only happens twice a year in the famous city of perfect blocks and skyscrapers.

That moment when the sunset rises between the buildings and casts a warm glow over the concrete jungle often attracts for thousands of tourists and New Yorkers looking for the perfect image.

The first night of Manhattanhenge took place on Monday, with only half of the sunset in sight.

But on Tuesday, the sun shone brightly between the skyscrapers at sunset.

Now we have to wait until July for the next time this show can be seen.

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What is Manhattanhenge?

This is when the sunset is perfectly aligned with Manhattan’s skyscrapers, built to the grid layout of the city’s streets.

This type of phenomenon similarly occurs in other cities with a large number of skyscrapers and long straight streets, such as Chicago, Montreal and Toronto.

But the one in New York tends to be the most popular, with its two nights a year in May and July approximately three weeks before and after the summer solstice.

There is also a sunrise version that takes place in winter.

Who coined the term?

Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson first coined the term Manhattanhenge in 1997. inspired by its resemblance to Stonehengethe prehistoric monument found in England where the sun aligns with concentric circles of upright stones at each of the solstices.

“As a child I visited Stonehenge in rural Salisbury and researched other stone monuments in the British Isles. I had it deep down,” explains deGrasse Tyson.

“So in a way I was struck by the emotional power that the alignment of the Earth with the sun can have on a culture or civilization,” he added.

When is next?

The next time will be on July 12 at 8:20 PM and on July 13 at 8:21 PM local time.

Spectators above 14th Street and below 155th Street can watch the show.

While 42nd Street is a popular vantage point, any street from east to west generally offers good views, just be sure to go as far east as possible.