Search Here

This weekend is going to be phenomenal for those that live in Manhattan and if you are one of them enjoy the Memorial Day in the glorious sunset when the sun lines up with the streets of Manhattan. The event takes place two times a year and is known as Manhattanhenge.

Manhattanhenge occurs when the setting sun is perfectly aligned with east-west street grids in Manhattan. The glowing sun could be seen standing on the streets amid the buildings and skyscrapers facing north and south.

The events take place for two days two times a year on opposite sides of summer solstice. On the day one of the event, the sun lights up the city as bright half-disk and as a shining full orb on day two. This can be vice versa and it depends on the horizon the sun sets.

"[The phenomenon occurs] 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," writes Neil deGrasse Tyson, head of the Hayden Planetarium in New York City, according to USA Today.

The first of two events this year would reportedly occur on Sunday and Monday, May 29 and 30 at around 8:12 p.m. and the second would appear on July 11 and 12. Though the event appears in New York City, it is not only place that experiences the phenomenon. Just like Manhattanhenge there are also Bostonhenge, Chicagohenge, Montrealhenge, Phillyhenge, and Torontothenge.

"In the 1800s when they made these 90-degree angles they created a bull's-eye for the sun to hit," said Jackie Faherty, an astrophysicist at the American Museum of Natural History. "Manhattanhenge are the days of the year when the sun hits the bull's-eye," she added, reported The New York Times.

With a wonderful event around the corner all you have to do is to assemble on the streets of Manhattan on Sunday at around 8pm. For those that can't make it, don't worry, you have the next one coming again on Jun 11 and 12. You can also book a ticket for $15 for the session on history of the phenomenon by American Museum of Natural History during the second event.