Hell's Kitchen, prepare yourself! After witnessing an earthquake and a solar eclipse in the same week, another cosmic phenomenon is coming your way, this time the twice-yearly phenomenon known as Manhattanhenge, where the setting sun perfectly aligns with Manhattan's street grid, creating a magical effect that has locals and tourists flocking to take Instagram-worthy photos.
After only being partially visible last night, the sun's orb will completely intersect with the “cave” of Manhattan skyscrapers at 8:12 tonight. It will half-intersect again at 8:21 on Saturday, July 13, and then completely intersect at 8:20 on July 14.
The phenomenon is named after the ancient rocks of Stonehenge in England, where the sun rises in perfect alignment with several stones on the summer solstice each year, signaling the change of seasons.
Neil deGrasse Tyson, in an article for the Natural History Museum calculating when Manhattanhenge will occur each year, points out that this year's spectacle will (roughly) coincide with Memorial Day and baseball's All-Star holiday.
“Future anthropologists might conclude, through the sun, that people who called themselves Americans worshiped war and baseball,” he writes.
The best places to watch the sunset are along W 57th Street, W 42nd Street, and W 34th Street. If you absolutely must leave Hell's Kitchen, you can also watch the sunset from 23rd Street and 14th Street (although we can't honestly recommend it).
Tag us on social media @W42ST or send us your photos of Manhattanhenge for a chance to be featured in tomorrow morning's newsletter.
