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What is a Manhattanhenge?
- Do you know the Manhattanhenge? This term refers to the natural phenomenon in which the sun sets right in line with the streets of New York, creating an incredible ray of light that crosses the city from west to east.
- The name “Manhattanhenge” originates from the site of Stonehenge in England, a megalithic monument which has the distinction of having been built so that the sun rises in alignment with the stones during the summer solstice. Manhattan also has its mystical side!
- Each year, the chief astronomer of the New York Museum of Natural History has done his calculations. Here are the dates of the Manhattanhenge for 2018, knowing that there are two kinds of Manhattanhenge:
Manhattanhenge with half of the sun touching the horizon:
- May 29, 2018 at 8:13 p.m.
- July 13, 2018 at 8:21 pm.
Complete Manhattanhenge, with all of the sun touching the horizon:
- May 30, 2018 at 8:12 p.m.
- July 12, 2018 at 8.20 pm.
The two types of Manhattanhenge
Half sun on the horizon.
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Full sun on the horizon.
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Where to stand to attend the Manhattanhenge?
To enjoy this grandiose spectacle, here are my 4 recommendations:
- Position yourself in a straight street from West to East with a clear horizon. The New York Museum of Natural History recommends the 14th, 23rd, 34th, 42nd and 57th Streets in particular.
- In my opinion, two streets are best to attend the Manhattanhenge: 34th Street, for its view of the Empire State Building, and 42nd Street, for the perspective of the Chrysler Building. Another place worth a visit is the Gantry Plaza State Park in Queens, just across 42nd Street.
- Pick the location as far east as possible in Manhattan, so that the effect is even more impressive.
- I recommend that you arrive about 30 minutes before the times indicated by the Natural History Museum because these times correspond to the exact moment when the sun hits the horizon. But the phenomenon begins about thirty minutes before, while the sun is making a place between the buildings.
Photos of Manhattanhenge in New York
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