By West Side Rag
New Yorkers will have their first chance to see Manhattanhenge in 2026, starting this week.
Manhattanhenge is the phenomenon in New York City where the setting sun aligns with the city’s grid.
Specifically, on Thursday, the half-sun will align perfectly with the city’s grid at 8:14 p.m. For those who miss that, the full sun will then align on Friday at 8:13 p.m.
“For Manhattan, a place where evening matters more than morning, that special day comes twice a year, when the setting Sun aligns precisely with the Manhattan street grid, creating a radiant glow of light across Manhattan’s brick and steel canyons, simultaneously illuminating both the north and south sides of every cross street of the borough’s grid,” wrote scientist Neil deGrasse Tyson. “A rare and beautiful sight.”
The Manhattanhenge effect will take place daily between May 28 and July 12, but the half-sun and full-sun will only align perfectly with the grid on two additional dates besides this Thursday and Friday.
Those dates are Saturday, July 11, at 8:20 p.m. for the full-sun, and Sunday, July 12, at 8:21 p.m. for the half-sun.
In terms of best places to see the phenomena on the Upper West Side, you’ll want to look west on any of the neighborhood’s central intersections: 110th Street, 96th Street, 86th Street, or 72nd Street.
The New York City Parks Department recommends the following streets as the best to take in the Manhattanhenge effect.
- 57th Street
- 42nd Street
- 34th Street
- 23rd Street
- 14th Street
- Tudor City Overpass, Manhattan
- Hunter’s Point South Park in Long Island City, Queens.
The effect only lasts a few minutes, so you’ll want to arrive at your viewing destination early.
You can find out more about Manhattanhenge — HERE.
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