Manhattanhenge 2009: Photos

If you have never experienced Manhattanhenge, you are truly missing out.

Manhattanhenge (otherwise known as the Manhattan Solstice) is an event that occurs twice per year in which the setting sun aligns itself with the streets of Manhattan's street grid. The term comes from Stonehenge, where the sun aligns with the stones on the solstices. The term "Manhattanhenge" was coined back in the year 2002 by Neil deGrasse Tyson, an astrophysicist at the American Museum of Natural History.

At sunset, if you're heading down one of the north-south avenues on the west side looking east, you can see the phenomenon indirectly, as you will be struck by light that is reflected off of the windows which are aligned with the grid. If you're on the east side, however, you can look west and see the sun shining down a canyon-like street.

Manhattanhenge usually falls on May 28 and July 12 or July 13. The dates are evenly spaced around the annual Summer Solstice. The two mornings of sunrise along the center lines of the Manhattan grid are usually December 5 and January 8. Those dates are evenly spaced around the Winter Solstice.

Here are some breathtaking recent photos from Manhattanhenge. If you're in New York, or heading to New York, you really must try to be there on these dates as this is something that you won't want to miss...