By Colin Lecher Posted 05.29.2012 at 5:01 pm 8 Comments

Manhattanhenge The sunset lines up perfectly with Manhattan twice a year. Wikimedia Commons

New Yorkers will be given an astronomical treat tonight as the sunset perfectly lines up across the borough of Manhattan, giving a luminescent flare to the south and north sides of every street in town.

Manhattanhenge, or the Manhattan Solstice, comes twice yearly, in the summer, with two days providing a half-covered sun and two offering the whole thing. Tonight is the first round of the half-covered variety, and tomorrow will be the first time it's out in full force (so be careful out there, photographers). The next half-iteration will be July 11, before another full version the next day.

There's a due-east sunrise and due-west sunset twice a year (the age-old wisdom isn't all that wise) and Manhattan is set about 30 degrees east of north. If it were perfectly aligned, it would fall on the more-famous solar event, the equinox.

You can do this with any metropolis that's aligned on a grid, but what sets Manhattan apart is its perfect, unobstructed view of the horizon across the Hudson River to New Jersey and the city's lofty, well-known buildings. For the best view, head as far east as possible while still able to look west and see New Jersey. Some clear cross streets include 14th, 23rd, 34th. 42nd, and 57th, but the Empire State building and Chrysler building on 34th street and 42nd street, respectively, give those streets an even more mind-blowing look.

Half sun on the grid:
Tuesday, May 29 — 8:17 p.m. EDT
Thursday, July 12 — 8:25 p.m. EDT

Full sun on the grid:
Wednesday, May 30 — 8:16 p.m. EDT
Wednesday, July 11 — 8:24 p.m. EDT

[Hayden Planetarium]

8 Comments

Link to this comment
JediMindset
05/29/12 at 6:22 pm

signs of our galactic brothers returning are present. we should indeed welcome all those that come in peace with open arms. the aunnuaki are in constant battle with the reptilian overlords that battle constantly with the Greys.
once they accomplish "bliss" all third eyes will be opened.

"religion is like a prison for the seekers of wisdom"

-Killah Priest

Link to this comment
xzzix
05/30/12 at 2:20 am

Jedimindset, based on what you just said,I think you should take a course in astronomy and physical geography. I feel embarrassed for you after seeing your post.

Link to this comment
Robot
05/30/12 at 8:01 am

xzzix,
Jedi is just pulling your string, you yo yo and watching you spin about, lol.
Besides Manhattan and POPSCI are playing too, by calling this sunrise Manhattanhedge. So loosen up a little and smile.

Link to this comment
JediMindset
05/30/12 at 1:18 pm

@xzzix

i love astrology!!

@Robot

the aununaki are on the way!!!

"religion is like a prison for the seekers of wisdom"

-Killah Priest

Link to this comment
scbj1909
05/30/12 at 4:10 pm

The sun's furthest north location is 23 1/2 degrees north of the equator on the summer solstice. Thus it should appear to rise and set perfectly east and west on that day along the line known as the tropic of Cancer (in the middle of Mexico) not in NYC. If the streets in NYC run slightly south of west to slightly north of east you could get the alignment you are talking about at sunset but never at sunrise since the sun is never north of east in NYC. Your reference to the equinox is completely wrong since that is when the sun crosses the equator 40 degrees south of NYC.

Link to this comment
BillWoods
05/30/12 at 5:01 pm

On the spring equinox, the sun rises and sets due east and west at every latitude. Thereafter for the next 6 months it rises and sets further north, reaching its most extreme on the summer solstice. The effect varies with latitude: On the equator, the sun will rise 23.5 deg north of east; on the Arctic Circle, its low point is due north. New York City is somewhere in between.

Link to this comment
Robot
05/30/12 at 7:04 pm

The sun always rises for my soul and each day is a new day!
Humbly I pray, praise is to Lord and thank you Jesus for forgiving me and giving me this day! Woo Hoo!

If you think my statement is unscientific, well so is ManhattanHedge too.

BONG! ng ng Nggg!

Link to this comment
scbj1909
05/31/12 at 1:47 pm

????
This is just wrong. Anywhere north of 23 1/2 degrees north the body sub point of the sun is to the south every day of the year. If you are standing on the Tropic of Cancer at noon on the summer solstice the sun will be directly overhead. It will then get further south every day until the winter solstice. At the equinox the sun is directly over the equator. At the winter solstice it is 23 1/2 degrees south of the equator.

For a science website, I am appalled at the lack of the most basic understanding of astronomy.



July 2013: The Future Of Flight

The incredible innovations, like drone swarms and perpetual flight, bringing aviation into the world of tomorrow. Plus: today's greatest sci-fi writers predict the future, the science behind the summer's biggest blockbusters, a Doctor Who-themed DIY 'bot, the organs you can do without, and much more.


Online Content Director: Suzanne LaBarre | Email
Senior Editor: Paul Adams | Email
Associate Editor: Dan Nosowitz | Email
Assistant Editor: Colin Lecher | Email
Assistant Editor: Rose Pastore | Email

Contributing Writers:

Kelsey D. Atherton | Email
Francie Diep | Email
Shaunacy Ferro | Email

circ-top-header.gif
circ-cover.gif