It is time for New Yorkers to be excited about the sun setting.
Manhattanhenge is upon us. Four of the most striking sunsets in New York City can be seen when the weather cooperates.
The name is a nod to the ancient rock structure in the English countryside that is aligned with the sunsets and sunrises during the summer and winter. The pre-modern monument was built for religious and spiritual reasons. The grid of New York City was not designed with sunsets in mind, but it has ended up functioning in a similar manner. Every May and July, it can bring people together to look at our geographic location in the sky as the sun sets, disappearing perfectly along the city's broad west-eastern corridors.
An event like Manhattanhenge can stop the whole of the city.
The sunsets of Manhattanhenge illuminate the streets with a glow of deep tangerine and bubble gum pink, transforming the bustling streets into a place to pause and say, "WOW."
The American Museum of Natural History says that it is so famous because it is a gorgeous sunset. It is a beautiful thing.
You can see it twice in the spring and once in the summer on the longest day of the year.
Manhattanhenge occurs two times this Memorial Day weekend.
The sun is setting at 8:13 p.m. The time is Eastern.
Monday, May 30, is a full sun.
You will get two more chances to see a grid-perfect sunset in July.
The sun sets at 8:20 p.m. on Monday, July 11.
The sun sets at 8:21 p.m.
The combination of the approaching summer solstice, the grid design of the city and the natural shape of the island of Manhattan allowed us to witness this event.
The ice sheet atop North America began to melt some 18,000 years ago, carving out Manhattan island and the landscape of the city.
We think that Manhattan Island runs north-south. Carol Krinksy, an American architectural historian, said that it runs northeast to southwest.
She said that the western setting sun allowed for the show to be put on.
The grid system was designed for Manhattan before New York City. The official design of the city was put in motion by the Plan of 1811. Most home buyers don't want to purchase lots cut into weird angles, so this was mostly for the real estate market.
Above 14th Street and below 155th Street there is a grid. The summer solstice is when the Earth tilts away from the sun. The structures built by people interact with the natural world.
The city is an extension of the universe, according to an astronomer at Columbia University.
Manhattanhenge helps us find patterns in our surroundings and make sense of them.
At some point, someone is going to have a question, he said. This can lead to those moments where we suddenly have an urge to explain what we are seeing.
You can get a view above 14th Street from anywhere within the grid system.
You really have to be in the middle of the street for the full effect, which is a tad dangerous, because you also need a clear view of New Jersey.
Pick a street with wide avenues and a median that you can stand on and watch from. The view will be blocked if there is a big hill.
The doctor recommends 72nd Street instead of 42nd Street. The area above Grand Central Station in the taxi line is a great place to view the crowds further downtown. The New York Police Department tries to keep people out of the location, but it can be quite chaotic.
Outside of Manhattan, Manhattanhenge is visible. There are a number of places in Brooklyn or Queens where you can see New Jersey. She recommends the Gantry State Park in Queens for the best experience off the island.
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