By Katy Galimberti, AccuWeather.com Staff Writer
May 30,2016; 8:37PM,EDT
In alignment with the New York City grid, the setting sun yields picturesque views between skyscrapers. Sky-watchers get two chances to catch the event every summer.
Manhattanhenge got its name from Stonehenge, a prehistoric monument in England which displays a similar happening. Once a year, the sun rises in perfect alignment with the stones.
The
phenomenon known as "Manhattanhenge" occurs twice each summer when the
sun perfectly aligns with New York City's street grid. (Flickr/Grisha Levit)The New York City version of the event gained popularity in 2002 thanks to astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson who coined the term in 2001.
"... 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," Tyson wrote in a blog post for the American Museum of Natural History.
Large crowds gather on 23rd and 42nd street for some of the best views in the city.
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Cloudy skies and rain inhibited views of the event on Sunday night, leaving many disappointed. Those headed out on Monday faced similar conditions.
The
sun sets along 42nd Street in Manhattan during an annual phenomenon
known as "Manhattanhenge," when the sun aligns perfectly with the city's
transit grid, Wednesday, May 29, 2013, in New York. (AP Photo/John
Minchillo)The next Manhattanhange will take place July 11-12, 2016.
Cloudy skies limited views of Manhattanhenge on Sunday, May 29. (Instagram photo/renato.p.santos)
Sky-watchers managed to capture some views of Manhattanhenge on May 29 despite cloudy conditions. (Instagram photo/jscalaj)Report a Typo
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