See Manhattanhenge at Sunset Tonight
New York, the center of the world, is so important that it has its own astronomical event. Tonight at 8:20 pm Manhattanhenge, as the setting sun aligns with the grid of Manhattan streets, from any block in the city, it looks like it’s on the horizon right in the middle of the road. (It looks especially majestic on such main streets as 14, 34 and 42).
This happens twice a year, on two days during the equinox period (in 2017 it is May 30 and July 12). On the dates immediately adjacent to the two (May 29 and July 13), the sun is in the middle of each quarter a little later, when it is halfway below the horizon, according to the Farmer’s Almanac (which updates its Manhattanhenge guide every year with exact dates of the year) …
The same thing happens with the rising sun on December 5 and January 8, but who needs to get up so early?
All of this happens, says astrophysicist Neil de Grasse Tyson, because outside the equator, the sun sets in a slightly different place every day:
It is important to note that the skyline beyond Manhattan is clearly visible, so the sun does not close. While gridded cities such as Chicago, Baltimore, Toronto, and Montreal have their own hedges , none can match New York’s beauty.
Taking a good photo is not easy as you compete with everyone in New York to capture the cosmic interaction of nature and civilization with your damn phones. Just enjoy the moment in real time and then check out all the pathetic little photos on Instagram.