Manhattanhenge 2025: Where and When to Soak Up the Solar-Powered Event in New York City
Manhattanhenge is a unique solar phenomenon in which the setting sun aligns perfectly with New York City's street grid
The first of four Manhattanhenges of 2025 occurs on May 28
Neil deGrasse Tyson first coined the term in 1997New York is gearing up for golden hour with the first Manhattanhenge of 2025.
The phenomenon, first coined by astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson in 1997, describes a special solar scenario in which the setting sun aligns perfectly between New York's towering skyscrapers and street grid.
The solar-powered celestial celebration is a highlight of the year for New Yorkers, and it even has famous fans, like And Just Like That... star Sarah Jessica Parker.
"You want the buildings to rise up around you, and so I don't recommend ascending buildings or watching this from rooftops," Tyson told the American Museum of Natural History of witnessing the solar event.
He added, "If you watch Manhattanhenge from a rooftop, it's just another sunset," he said.
So, when will Manhattanhenge occur and how can New Yorkers watch it? Grab your sunglasses and your camera, because here's everything to know about the best way to witness the magical New York moment.
Manhattanhenge describes the time the setting sun aligns perfectly with New York's street grid, allowing the celestial star to take center stage between the city's skyscrapers. It happens four days a year.
"Manhattanhenge happens as the sun works its way north on the horizon and towards the summer solstice, and on the way back towards the winter solstice
The term Manhattanhenge was inspired by Stonehenge, the prehistoric English monument that aligned with the movements of the sun.
Other cities, including Chicago, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Boston, also experience a similar "henge" effect in other points throughout the year.
The first Manhattanhenges of 2025 will occur on May 28 and May 29.
A "Half Sun on the Grid" will happen on May 28 at 8:13 p.m. ET and a "Full Sun on the Grid" will appear on May 29 at 8:12 p.m. ET
According to the American Museum of Natural History, "Half Sun on the Grid" is when the sun is partially obscured by the horizon, framed by the city grid, and a "Full Sun" is when it appears in full, just above the horizon.
If the Manhattan grid actually matched with the geographic north-south line, then Manhattanhenge would sync up with the spring and fall equinoxes, "the two days on the calendar when the Sun rises due east and sets due west," Tyson explained.
"But Manhattan is rotated 30° east from the geographic north, shifting the special days elsewhere in the calendar," he added.
The best vantage points to witness Manhattanhenge are along the city's major streets that run east/west and offer a clear view across the island towards New Jersey. Those main streets include:
14th Street
23rd Street
34th Street
42nd Street
57th Street
Other prime spots include the Tudor City Overpass in Manhattan and Hunter's Point South Park in Long Island City, Queens.
Manhattanhenge is a popular event, one that quickly attracts crowds. Time Out New York recommends getting to your vantage spot about 30 to 40 minutes before showtime.
'The whole street can get shut down with people just taking it over,' Dr. Jackie Faherty, an astronomer at the American Museum of Natural History told the New York Post. 'You have to be in the middle of the street to see the phenomenon, and there's this other pesky thing in the middle of the street, which is cars — you have to get away from the cars.'
The magical Manhattanhenge effect only lasts a few minutes, so soak up every second!
"When the sun peaks its first rays of light beyond that building, the crowd tends to go wild," Faherty told Space.com.
"It's the entry moment, like, is it going to come? Is it going to come? And then pow, it's there," she continued. "Then you get to see it do its dance all the way down, kiss the grid, light you up in all these gorgeous colors, before its dramatic exit."
After May 28 and May 29, the next Manhattanhenge will light up the sky on July 11 and July 12.
The American Museum of Natural History will be hosting a Manhattanhenge event on July 11, which includes a "lecture and viewing event celebrating the last opportunity to see the Manhattanhenge effect in 2025."
Read the original article on People
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Insider
4 hours ago
- Business Insider
My 2 kids and I are living with my parents before moving to Chicago. I'm learning asking for support isn't a weakness.
This spring, I moved back in with my parents. Again. The first time was early in the pandemic, when my daughter was a newborn and the world felt like a terrifying science experiment. We had been living in Brooklyn, and when the hospital barred partners from delivery rooms, we started calling doctors, midwives, anyone who might deliver our baby in the rural town in New Jersey where my parents live. Nobody was interested: it was a pandemic. Finally, my mom begged her own doctor, who said yes. True New Yorkers, we didn't have a car. My dad picked us up in his little red one, which we packed the car with diapers, onesies, and our desperate hopes. We thought we'd stay for two weeks. We stayed for five months. That time was a blur of fear, early parenthood fog, and endless coffee, made every morning by my dad, who claims this is the secret to my parents' 40-year marriage. We walked the baby in loops around the neighborhood, discovering a covered bridge across the river and a nature path that looped around the local playground. We watched old movies. I yelled at my dad for finishing a jigsaw puzzle we were supposed to do together. It was chaos. It was unexpectedly sweet. It was our version of making it work. I'm back under their roof again — now, with two kids Now I'm back, but this time I have two kids, ages 3 and 5. My husband recently started a new job in Chicago, and while we search for a home and finish the school year, the kids and I are here in New Jersey with my mom and dad. I braced myself for stress. For tight quarters, intergenerational friction, the awkwardness of not really having my own kitchen. (Why are there three opened jars of Dijon mustard in the fridge? Who knows? Not me.) I was preparing for the grind of solo parenting without the solo space. But what I got instead surprised me: a crash course in co-parenting. A soft, sometimes messy, always helpful reminder that parenting doesn't have to be a two-person — or one-person — job. I realized I don't have to do it alone while I'm living with them My mom makes lunches and snacks and champions the "car bagel" every school morning. She helps with laundry and is always ready to distract a cranky kid with a game of Chutes & Ladders, a hunk of cheddar, or both. My dad reads bedtime stories in his big, cozy voice. He's taken over bike lessons — my daughter is almost ready to try to ride training-wheel free — and has become fluent in the nuanced language of playground drama. ("No, Zadie, Sammy is the one with the orange shorts. The other one is mean.") There's something both vulnerable and liberating about relinquishing control. About letting other grown-ups take the reins without needing everything to be done my way. It's not just logistical help (though, wow, it's amazing to take a shower without three interruptions). It's emotional support. It's feeling like I'm not parenting in a vacuum. Living together is teaching me what a 'village' can look like My parents aren't perfect. Neither am I. But somehow, in this full house of Goldfish crumbs and "Moana" many times over, we've landed on a rhythm that works. It turns out, "the village" doesn't have to be a mythical concept or a Pinterest fantasy. Sometimes it's just your parents down the hall, quietly loading the dishwasher while you collapse onto the couch. I've learned that letting people help is an act of trust. That asking for support isn't weakness — it's resilience. That family can look like a lot of things: one big house, three generations, and a nightly debate about who tucks in and who checks in with a kiss five minutes later (not four, not six). In a few weeks, we'll move into our new life in Chicago. I'll miss the unexpected closeness of this time. The way my kids light up when they (plus their stuffy sidekicks) see their grandparents first thing in the morning. The way my dad makes me coffee, even when I forget to ask. This season has been exhausting and beautiful and loud. It's reminded me that parenting, at its best, is never a solo act. It's a chorus — sometimes off-key, often out of sync, but somehow perfectly imperfect.
New York Post
a day ago
- New York Post
Archaeologists discover ‘sensational' artifacts beneath 13th century medieval church
Archaeologists recently uncovered 'sensational' artifacts beneath a historic monastery in Poland — offering a glimpse into monastic life in the 18th century. The discovery was found near the Basilica of the Birth of the Virgin Mary in Chełm, Poland, roughly 40 miles east of Lublin. The medieval church was founded in the 13th century. Throughout its long history, the church has been affiliated with the Eastern Orthodox Church as well as the Ruthenian Uniate Church. It is currently Roman Catholic. Historians excavated a 17th-century Basilian monastery next to the church. The monastery, which once housed Greek Catholic monks who followed the rule of St. Basil, was built around 400 years after the church was established. In a statement, officials from the Lublin Voivodeship Conservator of Monuments (LWKZ) said the recent discovery was 'like no other.' 'This year's research season has yielded a sensational discovery,' said the statement, which was translated from Polish to English. 4 Archeologists made a discovery beneath a historic monastery which was found near the Basilica of the Birth of the Virgin Mary in Chełm, Poland. NurPhoto via Getty Images 'After dismantling the wooden floors on the upper level of the former Basilian monastery, hundreds of fragments of very rare heraldic tiles were found in the fill.' Officials wrote that the tiles were glazed 'in green and brown, and were made to order with specific symbolism, a bishop's coat of arms and titles.' 4 The artifacts discovered were heraldic tiles, glazed 'in green and brown, and were made to order with specific symbolism, a bishop's coat of arms and titles,' officials from the Lublin Voivodeship Conservator of Monuments said. Stanis¿aw Go¿ub via the Lublin Voivodeship Conservator of Monuments 4 'This year's research season has yielded a sensational discovery,' the officials said in a statement translated from Polish to English. NurPhoto via Getty Images 'Currently, work is ongoing to inventory, piece together and study these extraordinary artifacts,' the government agency noted. Historians estimate the tiles were crafted between 1711 and 1730. They were specifically designed to fit a stove, as indicated by their distinctive shape and size. Start your day with all you need to know Morning Report delivers the latest news, videos, photos and more. Thanks for signing up! Enter your email address Please provide a valid email address. By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Never miss a story. Check out more newsletters 'One of the reconstructed tiles had a faceplate shaped similarly to a square, measuring 25.8 cm x 25 cm x 9.5 cm (height of the chamber), while another measured 24.5 cm (length of one side) x 7.8 cm (height of the chamber),' the translated post added. The tiles' faceplates also bore distinct initials, including those of Józef Lewicki. He served as the monastery's superior before becoming bishop of the Chełm Eparchy in 1711. 4 The tiles' faceplates have distinct initials. Stanis¿aw Go¿ub via the Lublin Voivodeship Conservator of Monuments This remarkable find adds to a series of intriguing archaeological discoveries in Poland this year. In March, a pair of pedestrians stumbled across an ancient deadly weapon on the coast of the Baltic Sea. In the Polish city of Krakow, excavators at Wawel Royal Castle recently found a remarkable ring that dates back over 500 years.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Vera C. Rubin debut images: How to see the groundbreaking space photos from the world's largest camera
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. The new Vera C. Rubin Observatory is set to release its debut images — taken with the largest digital camera ever built — on Monday (Jun. 23). The world-first images and videos will be ultra-high-definition and will show off the observatory's highly anticipated, cutting-edge capabilities for the first time. Here's what you need to know. If you want to watch from home, a news conference will be streaming on YouTube in English and Spanish at 11:00 a.m. EDT on Monday. The link to watch is posted on the observatory's website, and is also embedded here. If you'd prefer to bask in the awe of the cosmos with friends, you may be able to attend a watch party near you — or even host one of your own. Groups will gather across the globe in planetariums and universities to admire the highly detailed images and videos as they are released. The observatory has shared links to a map of all registered watch parties, as well as a link to sign up to become a host. During the news conference, the observatory team will introduce the Rubin Observatory before showcasing the new images and discussing their significance. Watch parties may also hear from local scientists and special guests. Be sure to check out the details of a watch party before you attend to learn about any extra programming. The observatory, perched high on a mountain in the Chilean Andes, will peer at interstellar comets and dangerous asteroids, as well as larger objects, like twisting galaxies and exploding supernovas. Related: 'People thought this couldn't be done': Scientists observe light of 'cosmic dawn' with a telescope on Earth for the first time ever Inside Rubin lies the world's largest digital camera and six of the largest optical filters ever produced. Together, they allow researchers to observe different facets of the universe in many wavelengths of light and remarkably high detail. The camera will take a new high-resolution photo of the sky around every 40 seconds. The images will then be transmitted via fiber optic cables to a supercomputer in California, which will analyze the photos. When stitched together, the images can act as a time-lapse video of space, one that is planned to span 10 years. RELATED STORIES —Space photo of the week: Observatory, or alien planet? Boggle your mind with this 360-degree image —Vera C. Rubin Observatory: The groundbreaking mission to make a 10-year, time-lapse movie of the universe —3,200-megapixel camera of the future Vera Rubin Observatory snaps record-breaking 1st photos Using its groundbreaking instruments, the observatory is expected to contribute to current understanding of widely debated phenomena, including dark energy and dark matter — two components that are thought to make up a vast majority of the universe, but remain poorly understood. The new images could be the first of many that vastly improve our understanding of the cosmos. Whether you join a watch party or tune in from the comfort of your couch, these photos are not to be missed.
