Manhattanhenge set to grace New York City skyline amidst uncertain skies
Manhattanhenge is a unique annual celestial event that occurs about three weeks before and after the summer solstice, when the sun aligns perfectly with the east-west streets of Manhattan at sunset.
NEW YORK – While New York City eagerly anticipates Manhattanhenge, uncertain skies threaten to obscure the borough’s radiant display.
The first alignment of the setting Sun with Manhattan’s street grid is scheduled for 8:13 p.m. ET Wednesday. However, the FOX Forecast Center said clouds would likely obscure the evening display.
“Conditions … not looking so great,” FOX Weather Meteorologist Kendall Smith said.
(FOX Weather)
For those unfamiliar, Manhattanhenge is a unique annual celestial event that occurs about three weeks before and after the summer solstice along the east-west streets of Manhattan at sunset. The remarkable sight ultimately transforms the borough’s architecture into a dramatic, glowing canyon.
THESE PHOTOS OF THE SUN WILL PUT YOUR 4K TV TO SHAME
The widest cross-town streets on Manhattan’s east side offer the prime vantage points for viewing Manhattanhenge.
(FOX Weather)
The best locations to view Manhattanhenge include 14th Street, 23rd Street, 34th Street, 42nd Street and 57th Street.
“It really is a sight to behold,” said FOX Weather Meteorologist Stephen Morgan, who has been among the many New Yorkers and visitors alike who are known to flock to prime viewing spots to capture this fleeting, magical moment.
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People stop to watch the sunset along 42nd Street in Times Square the day before “Manhattanhenge” on July 11, 2024 in New York City.
(Craig T Fruchtman/Getty Images) -
People stop to watch the sunset along 42nd Street in Times Square the day before “Manhattanhenge” on July 11, 2024 in New York City.
(Craig T Fruchtman/Getty Images) -
People photograph the sun setting along 42nd Street from Park Avenue during the summer Manhattanhenge on July 11, 2022, in New York City.
(Craig T Fruchtman/Getty Images) -
The sun sets over Manhattan on 42nd street during “Manhattanhenge” in New York, July 11, 2022.
(YUKI IWAMURA/AFP) -
The sun rises above 42nd Street during a reverse ‘Manhattanhenge’ in New York, New York photographed from Weehawken, New Jersey on November 24, 2021.
(YUKI IWAMURA/AFP) -
The sun sets along 42nd Street, during the so called “Manhattanhenge”, on July 13, 2020, in New York City.
(JOHANNES EISELE/AFP) -
A view of the sunset from 42nd street during the ‘Manhattanhenge’ on May 29, 2023 in New York.
(Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu Agency) -
A person holds up a phone to take a photo of the sun set during Manhattanhenge in Times Square on July 11, 2022 in New York City.
(Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty Images) -
People take photos as the sun sets on 42nd Street in Midtown during Manhattanhenge on July 11, 2022 in New York City.
(John Lamparski/Getty Images)
Your best bet: Thursday evening
While Wednesday night’s viewing might be a wash, there’s good news for hopeful spectators, the FOX Forecast Center said. Manhattanhenge will occur again on Thursday evening, when there is a better chance of breaks in the rain.
If this week’s events are a bust, mark your calendars for July 13, when another opportunity to witness Manhattanhenge will arise.
Stay with FOX Weather, as we will share any captivating images that emerge from this week’s alignment.
Neil deGrasse Tyson talks to FOX Weather’s Nick Kosir about “Manhattanhenge.” He coined the term to describe a phenomenon that is now widely anticipated.
How did Manhattanhenge phenomenon start?
Renowned astrophysicist and science expert Neil deGrasse Tyson first coined the phrase in the 1990s, and it has since become an annual tourist attraction.
Tyson said he was influenced by England’s Stonehenge, a prehistoric monument known for its alignment with the Sun.
The 13-foot-high stones align with the solstices and some other celestial events, but their exact purpose remains unclear and is debated by historians.
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