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| Manhattanhenge (Photo: David Kernow) |
Manhattanhenge, also known as the Manhattan Solstice, happens semiannually during which the setting sun aligns with the Manhattan, New York 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."
During Manhattanhenge, an observer on one of the gridded east-west streets will see the sun setting over New Jersey directly opposite, from the street, along its centerline.
On his page on the Museum of Natural History website, Tyson, who coined the term, gave some tips on viewing this year's Manhattanhenge.
"For best effect, position yourself as far east in Manhattan as possible. But ensure that when you look west across the avenues you can still see New Jersey. Clear cross streets include 14th, 23rd, 34th. 42nd, 57th, and several streets adjacent to them. The Empire State building and the Chrysler building render 34th street and 42nd streets especially striking vistas," Tyson wrote.
He added, "For these two days, as the Sun sets on the grid, half the disk sits above and half below the horizon. My personal preference for photographs. But the day after, May 30th, and the day before, July 11, also offer Manhattanhenge moments, but at sunset, you instead will find the entire ball of the Sun on the horizon."
The neologism, Manhattanhenge, was derived from Stonehenge, where the sun aligns with the stones on the solstices with a similarly dramatic effect.
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