Latest news with #Manhattanhenge
ABC News
a day ago
- Climate
- ABC News
Crowds spill onto New York streets and block traffic to catch glimpse of 'Manhattanhenge' sunset
Crowds have spilled onto the streets of New York to catch a glimpse of a beloved phenomenon that bathes Manhattan streets in orange twice a year. "Manhattanhenge" occurs when the Sun perfectly aligns with the borough's street grid and sinks below the horizon, framed by a canyon of skyscrapers. Sidewalks and parks were packed to watch the unique sunset on Thursday, local time, which occurs on a handful of spring and summer evenings. The first Manhattanhenge of the year took place on Wednesday evening, but was repeated again on Thursday. Thursday's sunset was briefly visible, but mostly blocked by clouds. It will occur again on July 11 and 12. Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson coined the term in an article published in the National History magazine in 1997. The future television host was part of an expedition led by Gerald Hawkins, the scientist who first theorised that Stonehenge was constructed as an ancient astronomical observatory. It struck Dr Tyson, who is a New York local, that the biannual sunset alignment that occurs in Manhattan could be compared to the Sun's rays striking the centre of the Stonehenge circle on the summer solstice. The summer solstice is an annual event that refers to when a hemisphere experiences its longest stretch of daylight over a 24-hour period. Manhattanhenge doesn't take place on the summer solstice itself, though. The two events are separated by about three weeks before and after the solstice. AP
Montreal Gazette
2 days ago
- Climate
- Montreal Gazette
Montreal weather: This outlook is par for the course
Montrealers had a taste of summer, and now we're back to spring as May inches toward June. Expect increasing cloudiness early this morning and a good chance of showers in the afternoon. The temperature will hit a high of 19 C with a UV index 5, or moderate. The overnight low will be 14 C. According to EarthSky, the photogenic phenomenon Manhattanhenge could happen in New York Thursday. This happens when the sun aligns with the city's cross-streets 'to illuminate the 'canyons' created by the tall city buildings. If you leave now, you'll still miss it, so instead stay home, wait till nightfall and hope the clouds clear enough to spot the stars Pollox and Castor hanging out above the sliver of moon. This story was originally published
Fast Company
2 days ago
- General
- Fast Company
Manhattanhenge 2025: Here's how to see the city skyline frame the sun
Twice a year, New Yorkers and visitors are treated to a phenomenon known as Manhattanhenge, when the setting sun aligns with the Manhattan street grid and sinks below the horizon framed in a canyon of skyscrapers. The event is a favorite of photographers and often brings people out onto sidewalks on spring and summer evenings to watch this unique sunset. The first Manhattanhenge of the year takes place Wednesday at 8:13 p.m., with a slight variation happening again Thursday at 8:12 p.m. It will occur again on July 11 and 12. Where does the name Manhattanhenge come from? Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson coined the term in a 1997 article in the magazine Natural History. Tyson, the director of the Hayden Planetarium at New York's American Museum of Natural History, said he was inspired by a visit to Stonehenge as a teenager. The future host of TV shows such as PBS's Nova ScienceNow was part of an expedition led by Gerald Hawkins, the scientist who first theorized that Stonehenge's mysterious megaliths were an ancient astronomical observatory. It struck Tyson, a native New Yorker, that the setting sun framed by Manhattan's high-rises could be compared to the sun's rays striking the center of the Stonehenge circle on the solstice. Unlike the Neolithic Stonehenge builders, the planners who laid out Manhattan did not mean to channel the sun. It just worked out that way. When is Manhattanhenge? Manhattanhenge does not take place on the summer solstice itself, which is June 20 this year. Instead, it happens about three weeks before and after the solstice. That's when the sun aligns itself perfectly with the Manhattan grid's east-west streets. Viewers get two different versions of the phenomenon to choose from. On May 28 and July 12, half the sun will be above the horizon and half below it at the moment of alignment with Manhattan's streets, according to the Hayden Planetarium. On May 29 and July 11, the whole sun will appear to hover between buildings just before sinking into the New Jersey horizon across the Hudson River. Where can you see Manhattanhenge? The traditional viewing spots are along the city's broad east-west thoroughfares: 14th Street, 23rd Street, 34th Street, 42nd Street, and 57th Street. The farther east you go, the more dramatic the vista as the sun's rays hit building facades on either side. It is also possible to see Manhattanhenge across the East River in the Long Island City section of Queens. Is Manhattanhenge an organized event? Manhattanhenge viewing parties are not unknown, but it is mostly a DIY affair. People gather on east-west streets a half-hour or so before sunset and snap photo after photo as dusk approaches. That's if the weather is fine. There's no visible Manhattanhenge on rainy or cloudy days, and both are unfortunately in the forecast this week. Do other cities have 'henges'? Similar effects occur in other cities with uniform street grids. Chicagohenge and Baltimorehenge happen when the setting sun lines up with the grid systems in those cities in March and September, around the spring and fall equinoxes. Torontohenge occurs in February and October.
New York Times
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Manhattanhenge Through a Lens: Tips for Getting the Perfect Shot
Photographer Gary Hershorn hasn't missed a Manhattanhenge in more than a decade. Each year he joins the crowds attempting to capture the fleeting moment when the setting sun perfectly aligns with the island's grid. Over the years he has watched the city and the spectacle transform from behind his lens. 'It's one of those crazy New York events that capture everybody's attention,' he said. Mr. Hershorn, who is the director of photography for ABC News Digital, shared his best tips for capturing the celestial phenomenon, which is scheduled to happen Wednesday and Thursday night shortly after 8 p.m. The sun and the city's grid should align Wednesday evening beginning around 8:13 p.m., but Manhattanhenge will be hard to capture because the forecast calls for overcast skies and rain. Tonight is a 'bust,' Mr. Hershorn said. He may try tomorrow night instead, when there should be some sun come sunset. And if that doesn't work, there will be a second Manhattanhenge in July. Mr. Hershorn recommends viewing Manhattanhenge on a double wide street that has traffic in both directions, such as 14th Street, 34th Street or 42nd Street. He used to shoot along 34th Street to capture the Empire State Building in the foreground of his photos, but the construction of Hudson Yards obscured the view. The same went for 57th Street, a once-good vantage point now encroached upon by the newly built skyscrapers along Billionaire's Row. That leaves 42nd Street. The Park Avenue bridge next to Grand Central Terminal in Pershing Square provides elevation and a good view down the street, but is open to traffic, which means police officers will often shoo away crowds of spectators (and photographers), Mr. Hershorn said. His preferred perch is on a one-way bridge across 42nd Street between First and Second Avenue, though it has suffered from a narrowing perspective over the years, as trees on either of the street have grown larger, rendering what was once 100 feet of view into 25 feet. Also, as Instagram became more popular, the bridge became more hectic during Manhattanhenge. 'Ten or 12 years ago, you could walk up to that bridge an hour before Manhattanhenge happened, find a spot and have no problem doing it,' Mr. Hershorn said. 'In today's world, people are up there at like 9 in the morning.' When Manhattanhenge occurs during the winter, Mr. Hershorn gets a sunrise version by shooting from Weehawken in New Jersey, just across the Hudson River from Manhattan. The cliffs on the Jersey side give him the elevated perspective he looks for, and the sunrise effect is the same, he said. Long Island City in Queens, on the other side of the city, should work the same way for the sunset version of Manhattanhenge, but according to Mr. Hershorn, the United Nations headquarters on 42nd Street takes up too much of the foreground in the photos. 'It's one of those moments where the phone can actually produce a better quality image than a camera does,' Mr. Hershorn said. On a camera, adjusting the exposure for the shadows makes the sun too bright, and adjusting the exposure for the sun makes it impossible to see the street. But on a smartphone, a setting called HDR, or High Dynamic Range, balances the light better than a traditional camera. The sun is the star of Manhattanhenge, but the people it brings out can be just as interesting. 'It's a scene that you want to capture,' Mr. Hershorn said. 'It's a scene that you want to be a part of, like a party.' During this time, 42nd Street becomes 'hysterical,' he said, filled with honking taxi cabs and commuters trying to pick through the crowds. 'All I want to say to them is, just stop your life for five minutes and watch,' Mr. Hershorn said. 'Don't be in such a hurry to get somewhere. The people are not moving. So calm down, open your car door, stand up and just watch.'
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Manhattanhenge 2025: What is it, and where are the best spots to see it this week?
Move over, Broadway — this week the sun will take center stage in New York City during golden hour with the first Manhattanhenge of 2025. The cosmic phenomenon happens when the setting sun perfectly aligns between the city's towering skyscrapers and the street grid, providing viewers with some of the most stunning images of a sunset in the Big Apple. The term 'Manhattanhenge' was first coined in 2002 by astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, who wanted to pay homage to Stonehenge, the prehistoric English monument that aligns with the movements of the sun. (The term is now an official word in the Oxford English Dictionary.) Here's when you can see Manhattanhenge 2025 and the best spots for viewing the vibrant spectacle. The phenomenon happens twice a year. Here are the dates and times to keep in mind, according to the American Museum of Natural History's website: Wednesday, May 28: A 'half sun on the grid' will happen at 8:13 p.m. ET. The sun will be partially blocked by the horizon but still framed by the city grid. Thursday, May 29: A 'full sun on the grid' will appear at 8:12 p.m. ET. The sun will appear whole, just above the horizon framed by the city grid. It's best to head outside about 30 minutes beforehand to secure a good viewing spot. Viewers can best see Manhattanhenge from the following main thoroughfares that run east and west. 14th Street 23rd Street 34th Street 42nd Street 57th Street Remember, the whole idea is to see the sun through the frame of the skyscrapers; otherwise, it will look like any other sunset. You'll want to position yourself as far east as possible on one of these thoroughfares. When you look to the west across the avenues, make sure you have a clear view to the horizon looking in the direction of New Jersey across the Hudson River from Manhattan. Manhattanhenge can also be viewed from these locations: Tudor City Overpass on East 42nd Street in Manhattan Hunter's Point South Park in Long Island City, Queens It will only last a few minutes! And Manhattanhenge has become a popular event, so it's recommended to go outside about 30 minutes beforehand to get a good spot. 'The whole street can get shut down with people just taking it over,' Dr. Jackie Faherty, an astronomer at the American Museum of Natural History, told the New York Post. '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.' Contrary to popular belief, the sun doesn't rise due east and set due west on the horizon every day. It only does that twice a year on the equinoxes: on the first day of spring and the first day of autumn. Since Manhattan runs north and south, why wouldn't we see Manhattanhenge on the equinoxes if the sun sets due west on those dates? That's because the Manhattan street grid isn't perfectly aligned with the geographic north-south line. 'Manhattan's street grid is rotated 30 degrees east from geographic north, shifting the days of alignment elsewhere into the calendar,' according to the Natural History Museum. If the weather this week is less than ideal, there will be another chance to view Manhattanhenge in July. July 11: A 'full sun on the grid' will appear at 8:20 p.m. ET. July 12: A 'half sun on the grid' will happen at 8:22 p.m. ET. We'll see another one this year because the sun creeps along the horizon northward day by day until the summer solstice, which is June 20. At that point, the sun makes its return back south until the first day of winter. That's why in July we'll see a full sun first, followed by a half sun. Other cities like Chicago and Baltimore with east-west streets on a grid also experience a similar Manhattanhenge effect. The key to a good view is a clear horizon beyond the city grid not obstructed by mountains, for example. Brittany Bell, a meteorologist for ABC7 news, posted that the best chances of viewing it this week will be on Thursday, during the 'full sun' view.
