Manhattanhenge: Tonight Is Your Last Chance to View This Spectacular Phenomenon in 2014
While there is no shortage of stunning views in New York City, some are more expensive to own than others. But here’s one that won’t cost you a cent and belongs to everyone – well, at least for the two times a year the Neil deGrasse Tyson coined “Manhattanhenge” makes its spectacular appearance.
You’ve no doubt heard of Stonehenge, the curiously placed ring of large upright stones in Wiltshire, England; on the solstices, the sun aligns with the stones producing one of nature’s most dazzling special effects. Not to be outdone, the upright stone and steel buildings of Manhattan have their own version of this marvel of nature. The Manhattan Solstice, as it’s sometimes referred to in typical NYC fashion, is the phenomenon where the setting sun aligns with the ‘east to west streets’ of the main street grid and provides a breathtaking “only in New York” view, sitting squarely between the corridors created by New York’s tallest skyscrapers.
The first Manhattanhenge of 2014 was on May 29th but if you didn’t get to see it, your last chance to witness this spectacle of sun and steel this year is today at 8:24 pm, and according to the American Museum of Natural History’s website, the further east you are in Manhattan, the better your viewing opportunity will be.
If you miss it, Saturday provides a bit of a consolation prize, when a perfect half-sun aligns ‘river to river’ with the grid at 8:25 pm. So set your reminders to the setting sun and kick off your weekend in brilliant fashion.
[Via American Museum of Natural History]
Photos via Wikimedia Commons
