Manhattanhenge returns to NYC this month – here's how to see the spectacular sky show
Manhattanhenge is making its heavenly return to the Big Apple at the end of the month.
The annual phenomenon — when New Yorkers watch in awe as the setting sun aligns perfectly with the city grid — is back for two evenings in May and two more in July.
'You can't miss it if you're outside at sunset,' said Dr. Jackie Faherty, an astronomer at the American Museum of Natural History in Manhattan, to The Post on Monday.
'It's really what I like to call astronomy in your face: The sun is beaming down the grid of Manhattan, and it's a reminder that we're on this rock that's moving around.
'It's an astronomy lesson that's also a gorgeous sunset picture in the greatest city in the world,' Faherty said.
4 The best nights for the annual phenomenon will be at the end of this month and again in July.
William Miller
What is Manhattanhenge?
The golden crosstown views happen each year before and after the summer solstice, when the sun sets just north — and later, south — enough to align with Manhattan's grid.
While the sun will meander between crosstown streets from May 28 and July 12 in what Faherty calls the 'Manhattanhenge Effect,' the sun won't perfectly align with the grid save for four sunsets this year.
4 Observers standing on the Pershing Square Bridge on Park Avenue watch the setting sun align perfectly with 42nd Street during Manhattanhenge a few years back.
Getty Images
What are the Manhattanhenge 2025 dates?
A 'half sun' framed by city buildings – and partly cut off at the horizon in a picture-perfect view – will be visible Wednesday, May 28, at 8:13 p.m. and Saturday, July 12, at 8:22 p.m., Faherty said.
A 'full sun' will be visible Thursday, May 29, at 8:12 p.m. and Friday, July 11, at 8:20 p.m.
Faherty recommends arriving between 30 and 40 minutes beforehand at your desired location to ensure a good spot and a full show.
'You'll be able to just watch for a while, because the light starts to change and the sun makes a grand entrance, she said. 'It's got an anticipation factor.'
4 Manhattanhenge fans crowd 42nd street and Second Avenue in Manhattan.
William Miller
Best Manhattanhenge viewing spots
The best views in Manhattan will be along 14th Street, 23rd Street, 34th Street, 42nd Street, 57th Street and the Tudor City Overpass, Faherty said.
Hunter's Point South Park in Long Island City, Queens, and Gantry State Park are other optimal viewing locations — as well as anywhere in the outer boroughs so long as you can see all the way to New Jersey.
Since 42nd Street in Midtown is known as the 'mecca' for Manhattanhenge viewing, the crowds can build quickly, the astronomer said.
'The whole street can get shut down with people just taking it over,' Faherty said. 'You have to be in the middle of the street to see the phenomenon, and there's this other pesky thing in the middle of the street, which is cars – you have to get away from the cars.'
4 The sun rises over 42nd Street during a 'reverse Manhattanhenge' in November 2024.
Getty Images
How unique is a 'henge' to a city?
Midtown Manhattan may not just be the best spot to view a 'henge' in the city but perhaps the world — as New York City's unique grid allows for ideally framed, famously unobstructed views of the sun, Faherty said.
'There might be a street or two or three streets [in other cities] that you can recommend' for henge viewing, 'but we have the whole grid: as long as you can see towards New Jersey, you can catch Manhattanhenge,' she said.
Aside from stellar sunset views, New Yorkers will have plenty of other astronomical sights on deck this season, too — in the form of meteor showers.
The Eta Aquariids sky show will be peaking May 5 and 6, the Eta Lyrids on May 8 and the Perseids in August, the latter of which will be 'the one to look forward to,' Faherty said.
But the experts contends the 'star' of the show is still Manhattanhenge – which the museum will be paying tribute to at a public viewing event in July.
'Manhattanhenge really brings the city together,' she said. 'It's a very unifying event.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Ozempic sperm? Weight loss drugs can mess with fertility — for both men and women
GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy might help you ditch the food baby, but they could also affect your ability to make a real one. Ayla Barmmer, a registered dietitian and reproductive health expert, told The Post that about 15% of her patients using the medications have struggled to conceive. Within that group, she said roughly 40% have reported problems such as irregular periods, delayed ovulation and even declining sperm quality linked to their rapid weight loss. But in a surprising twist, some women have experienced the opposite effect on their fertility, giving rise to the so-called 'Ozempic baby.' Barmmer explained what's behind these conflicting outcomes — and shared her top recommendations for anyone taking a GLP-1 who is thinking of starting a family. GLP-1 drugs help people slim down by curbing their appetite — but that can lead to serious nutrient deficiencies if you aren't careful. 'Clinical dietitians and endocrinologists have already documented shortfalls in protein, vitamin B12, vitamin D, iron, calcium and folate among GLP‑1 users, especially once weight loss exceeds 10% of baseline,' Barmmer said. Those missing nutrients are key players in egg and sperm development, hormone production and embryo health. To make matters worse, sudden weight loss or undereating triggers the brain's alarm system. As a result, the hypothalamus pumps the brakes on reproductive hormone production to save energy. 'Women tend to experience cycle changes first, whereas men more often present with falling testosterone, lower semen volume and reduced motility after significant weight loss,' Barmmer said. For women, this can also cause luteal-phase defects, where the uterine lining doesn't thicken enough to support pregnancy. But it's not all bad news for baby-making. GLP-1s have sparked a flood of social media posts from women stunned to find themselves pregnant just months after starting the drugs — including those who were once told they couldn't conceive. Barmmer said the fertility boost likely comes from the drugs' ability to improve insulin sensitivity and reduce systemic inflammation. Take polycystic ovary syndrome, a top cause of infertility in women that often leads to irregular or missing periods. 'For those with PCOS, which is the No. 1 endocrine disorder worldwide, GLP-1s have been shown to restore ovulation due primarily to the positive impact on insulin sensitivity,' she explained. Barmmer also noted GLP-1 receptors have been found in the lining of the uterus, ovaries and testes — where they may fight inflammation and the buildup of fibrous tissue that harms fertility. That could help ovarian follicles thrive and embryos implant. It might even boost sperm quality, improving concentration and motility. 'There is this delicate line where there are benefits for fertility as long as nutritional needs are met,' Barmmer said. If you're on a GLP-1 and hope to grow your family one day, you probably don't need to quit the drugs cold turkey. 'Much of the risk is attributed to not paying careful attention to meeting nutrient needs while losing weight, which can be mitigated,' Barmmer said. Some of her patients have continued using the medication while her team adjusts their diet and monitors nutrient levels through regular lab work. Others have chosen to taper off eight to 10 weeks before trying to conceive, giving the drug time to clear their system. 'The worst case scenario is to start trying to conceive with depleted in key nutrients that impact conception, the health of the pregnancy and even the baby's long-term health,' Barmmer warned. 'This goes for both women and men because men's preconception nutrition status has a profound impact on the risk for pregnancy complications,' she added. To support fertility while on a GLP-1, Barmmer recommends consuming at least 1.4 grams of protein per kilogram of your target body weight each day. You should also include a source of healthy fat in every meal and keep your calorie intake above 30 kilocalories per kilogram to prevent your reproductive system from slowing down. Barmmer encourages her patients to focus on foods rich in protein, iron, choline, omega‑3 fatty acids, zinc, selenium and antioxidants. She recommends getting lab work every three months to make sure nutritional needs are being met. 'This is a vital time to work with a registered dietitian, particularly one who is also a fertility expert,' she said. And no, standard prenatal vitamins aren't enough on their own. While helpful, Barmmer said they don't deliver the extra protein, omega‑3 fats or calories needed for reproductive cell development and early embryo growth. They also can't fix common gastrointestinal side effects associated with GLP-1s — like nausea, early satiety or malabsorption — that can limit nutrient uptake. Even still, 'a very nutrient-dense, comprehensive and thoroughly tested prenatal multivitamin and omega-3 fatty acid supplement are absolutely necessary,' Barmmer said. If pregnancy is on your immediate to-do list, she recommends stopping GLP-1s at least eight weeks before trying to conceive to allow your ovulation or semen quality to return to normal. If your period has been missing or your nutrition is off-track, it might take longer. Bottom line: You don't necessarily have to break up with your weight-loss medications to start a family — but you do need a game plan. 'When GLP‑1 therapy is combined with intentional, nutrient‑dense eating, the right supplement protocol and careful monitoring,' Barmmer said, 'many clients move from 'weight‑management mode' to 'family‑building mode' with healthy, predictable cycles and robust semen quality.' 'The key is giving the body both the biochemical signals and the raw materials it needs to support optimal reproductive health,' she added.
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
How a new planetarium show helped scientists unlock a cosmic secret
This scene from the new Hayden Planetarium Space Show "Encounters in the Milky Way" at the American Museum of Natural History shows our solar system's Oort cloud with a newly discovered spiral structure.
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Yahoo
Drinking Coffee Linked to Healthy Aging in Middle-Aged Women
The study followed 47,513 middle-aged female nurses under the age of 60 for three decades, starting in 1986. Credit - Getty Images—Copyright by Franziska & Tom Werner Good news for coffee lovers: A new study suggests drinking a cup—or several—each day could be linked to long-term health benefits. The study, presented on Monday at the annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition in Orlando, found that roughly 3,700 women who met researchers' criteria for 'healthy aging' typically consumed an average of 315 mg of caffeine per day when they were between the ages of 45 and 60, mostly from drinking coffee. And for the women in that group of 'healthy agers,' each extra cup of coffee per day was associated with a 2-5% higher chance of faring well as they aged, up to five small cups per day. 'We found that women who consumed moderate amounts of caffeinated coffee in midlife were more likely to age in good health,' Sara Mahdavi, an adjunct professor in the University of Toronto's department of nutritional sciences who led the research, told TIME in an email. 'That's not to say coffee is a cure-all, but for those who already drink and tolerate it well, it appears to be a positive part of a healthy lifestyle.' The study, which has not yet been peer reviewed or published, followed 47,513 middle-aged female nurses under the age of 60 for three decades, starting in 1986. Researchers asked the women questions about their diet, such as how much coffee, tea, cola, and decaffeinated coffee they drank. They then analyzed how many of those women met their requirements for 'healthy aging,' which they defined as living to age 70 or older; maintaining good physical, cognitive, and mental health; and being free from 11 major chronic diseases, including heart disease, stroke, Type 2 diabetes, and cancer, among others. In 2016, researchers determined that 3,706 of the women met their criteria, and found the link to their caffeine intake. The study didn't find any significant link between drinking decaf coffee or tea and the likelihood of healthy aging. And for soda, it found an opposite correlation: Each additional small glass was associated with a 20-26% lower likelihood of healthy aging. Read more: Should You Take a Vitamin D Supplement? Mahdavi said coffee is 'uniquely rich in bioactive compounds,' containing ingredients like chlorogenic acids and small amounts of micronutrients that may influence factors critical to how we age, such as inflammation, blood vessel function, and glucose metabolism. Tea and decaf coffee may also contain some of those ingredients, but in different concentrations. 'Cola, on the other hand, lacks these altogether and contains other ingredients that may work against healthy aging,' Mahdavi said. 'Our findings suggest that the observed benefits are specific to caffeinated coffee, not caffeine itself, and not to all caffeinated beverages.' While Mahdavi said the findings are significant, she also advised caution. The study found an association between coffee and healthy aging, but not a cause-and-effect relationship. Researchers pointed out that, generally, drinking up to two cups of coffee a day should be safe and could be beneficial for people, but drinking more than that may not be healthy for some, though it may offer additional benefits for others. And coffee can't replace other factors that affect aging, Mahdavi said. 'Women who aged best were also more likely to eat well, exercise regularly, and avoid smoking—those behaviors matter much more,' Mahdavi said. 'Also, more isn't necessarily better. The clearest benefits were seen with moderate coffee intake—about 2 to 4 cups a day. People who are sensitive to caffeine or have medical reasons to avoid it should still do so.' 'But for women in midlife who already drink coffee and feel well doing so, these findings are reassuring,' she said. Contact us at letters@
