Monday, July 10, 2017

Last Two Days of New York's 'Manhattanhenge' Are Here for 2017

Eric Chaney
Published: July 10,2017

Manhattanhenge 2009 sunset viewed from Tudor City bridge over 42nd Street.
(Getty Images/Steve Kelley)
The urban solar phenomenon "Manhattanhenge" will make its second appearance this year starting Wednesday night, offering unique photo opportunities for enthusiasts.
However, the viewing might not be all that great.
A frontal boundary will stall near the New York City area Wednesday into Thursday, which could provide a focus for scattered showers and thunderstorms in the area, and therefore, cloud cover, said weather.com meteorologist Christopher Dolce. The chance of showers and storms may be lowest on Wednesday with the odds increasing for Thursday.
Manhattanhenge, coined by Museum of Natural History Hayden Planetarium Director Neil deGrasse Tyson, is created when the setting sun aligns with the city's street grid, creating a ray of light between the buildings.
"For Stonehenge, the special day is the summer solstice, when the Sun rises in perfect alignment with several of the stones, signaling the change of season," Tyson wrote for the American Museum of Natural History. "For Manhattan, a place where evening matters more than morning, that special day comes twice a year, when the setting Sun aligns precisely with the Manhattan street grid, creating a radiant glow of light across Manhattan's brick and steel canyons, simultaneously illuminating both the north and south sides of every cross street of the borough's grid. A rare and beautiful sight."
Every street that runs west to east will be cast in a warm glow as the sun sinks in the western sky Wednesday and Thursday.
If you can't make it, don't worry. These dates aren't actually the only ones to watch the sun set between New York City buildings, Business Insider reports. Designer Andrew Hill created an interactive "NYCHenge" map to show all the days and times of the year that opportune sunsets occur.
Hill's map also reveals that New York City also isn't the only place to see accidental "henge" sunsets: In fact, almost any city on a grid can witness them.
However, if you are going out to see the spectacle this week, ABC7 reports that there are plenty of good vantage points to get the best shots, including 14th, 23rd, 34th and 42nd streets.
In anticipation of Wednesday and Thursday's Manhattanhenge, here are a few photos from previous events.
Chrysler Building and street at sunset in New York City.
(Getty Images/Tetra Images)
Crowd of people on 42nd street taking pictures and waiting for Manhattanhenge.
(Getty Images/Sascha Kilmer)
Amazing sunset from Tudor City bridge over Street in New York City, Manhattanhenge.
(Getty Images/Steve Kelley)
Sunset seen through a valley cutting across Manhattan on 4th of July. This moment is complemented by FDNY (Fire Department of New York) water show.
(Getty Images/John F. Wenceslao)
Twice a year, 3 weeks before and after summer solstice the setting sun provides a spectacular view in the streets of Manhattan; here people in 42nd Street enjoy this event.
(Getty Images/Siegfried Layda)
.aken at Tudor City Place on 42nd Street
(Getty Images/Nan Zhong)

The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.

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