Weather Words: Manhattanhenge

Most people might not even notice that the sun doesn’t set in the exact same spot each night. Instead, it shifts slightly north or south along the horizon as the seasons change. This gradual drift usually goes unnoticed, until it lines up with something spectacular.

Twice a year in New York City, that something spectacular is Manhattanhenge. During this phenomenon, the setting sun aligns perfectly with the east-west streets of Manhattan’s grid, creating a stunning canyon of light between the skyscrapers. It typically occurs in late May and mid-July, drawing crowds of photographers and sunset-chasers eager to witness this urban spectacle.

If you are lucky enough to be in the city on May 28th and 29th, you can catch Manhattanhenge between 8:10 and 8:15 p.m.

The term “Manhattanhenge” was coined by astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, a nod to Stonehenge in England, where the rising or setting sun aligns with the ancient stones during solstices. What makes Manhattanhenge especially unique is that it’s a marriage of natural rhythm and human design. Manhattan’s street grid, established in 1811, is tilted slightly off true east-west, making this alignment possible. And for just a few minutes, the city’s concrete jungle becomes a perfectly framed homage to the cosmos.

Jennifer Gray is a weather and climate writer for weather.com. She has been covering some of the world's biggest weather and climate stories for the last two decades.