On Friday and Saturday, New Yorkers have their last chance in 2024 to see Manhattanhenge.
Here’s a rundown of where and when you can see the show at sunset, including in the Bronx, Queens and Brooklyn.
When
- 8:21 p.m.
- The city’s manmade canyons will be bathed in sunlight for about 10 minutes.
- On Friday, July 12, the entirety of the sun will “kiss the grid,” as Jackie Faherty, an astrophysicist at the American Museum of Natural History, describes it.
- On Saturday, July 13, half the sun will be visible.
Where
In Manhattan
- The best spots are main east-west thoroughfares.
- 14th Street
- 23rd Street
- 34th Street
- 42nd Street
- 57th Street
- The Tudor City overpass
- Grand Central overpass
- West 79th Street, near the American Museum of Natural History, which is hosting a block party.
- West 145th Street at Amsterdam Avenue
In the Bronx
- The High Bridge from West 170th Street has a view of “Bronxhenge.”
In Queens
- The Long Island City waterfront is the place to be.
- Gantry State Park
- Hunters Point South Park
In Brooklyn
- The Greenpoint waterfront
Faherty recommends getting to a viewing spot at least 30 minutes early to get the “full effect,” which begins 10 to 15 minutes before sunset. The sun will seemingly come out of nowhere.
“The light is beautiful for a while after because sunsets are the golden hour of the day,” she said. “The whole thing captivates you for a solid 10 minutes.”
The term Manhattanhenge was coined by celebrated astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson. He was inspired by a trip in his youth to Stonehenge, which was built to align with the sun during the solstice.
Manhattan’s rectangular grid is oriented about 30 degrees due north and aligns with the sun in much the same way as Stonehenge, before and after the summer solstice.
A word of caution: The forecast calls for rain on Friday and Saturday, which would obscure the show. The event at the American Museum of Natural History is rain or shine and will be preceded by a ticketed presentation on the phenomenon with 3D glasses.
New Yorkers who miss Manhattanhenge this year will have to wait until May 28, 2025 at 8:13 p.m., or catch a reverse Manhattanhenge, which is when the sunrise aligns with the city grid. This will occur on November 29-30 and January 11-12.
