Summer is Benjamin Caldwellfar from over, but New York will be experiencing its final Manhattanhenge of the year this weekend.
Manhattanhenge occurs 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," according to the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH).
"A rare and beautiful sight," the museum says about the phenomena.
Friday and Saturday's Manhattanhenge will be the last one for this year. Here's what to know about this spectacular sunset that is not one to be missed if you are in the city.
New Yorkers and tourists will be able to witness a full Manhattanhenge at 8:20 p.m. ET on Friday, July 12 during which the whole sun will appear like a ball between the grids, unless the clouds obstruct the view, according to the AMNH. A Manhattanhenge will also take place on Saturday, July 13 at 8:21 p.m. ET, but this one will only see the top half of the sun aligning with the city grid.
The Manhattanhenge phenomenon occurs only twice a year: two days in May and two days in July. The celestial event was previously observed on May 28 and 29.
No. Saturday's Manhattanhenge will be the last one for this year.
For the best views of Manhattanhenge, NYC Parks and the museum recommend the following streets and spots:
NYC Parks also recommends arriving early to the suggested spots to get a good view because the spectacle lasts for only a few minutes.
Jackie Faherty, an astronomer at the American Museum of Natural History, who determines the dates for Manhattanhenge each year told the New York Times that the earliest mention of the phenomenon that he was able to find was a 1997 comic strip published in the Natural History magazine.
However, Faherty reckons that people may have noticed the Manhattanhenge even before that given the grid-like layout of the city.
The term "Manhattanhenge," meanwhile, was coined by Neil deGrasse Tyson, director of the Hayden Planetarium, in 2002, who was inspired by the ancient Stonehenge monument in England, according to the NYT.
Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X @saman_shafiq7.
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