Manhattanhenge 2022: Dates, times and where to see the sunset

MANHATTANHENGE is known as the time when the Sun will perfectly align with the Manhattan street grid.

Those in New York City will be able to see the rare “Manhattanhenge Effect” from a few locations on July 11 and July 12.

What are the dates and times of Manhattanhenge 2022?

In 2022, New Yorkers will have multiple opportunities to see the “Manhattanhenge Effect” as both a full Sun and a half Sun.

According to the American Museum of Natural History, viewers will be able to take in and enjoy the half sun for Manhattanhenge at 8:20pm and the full sun on July 11 and 8:21pm on July 12.

Those who want to view Manhattanhenge may want to do so on July 11 as the weather forecast for July 12 anticipates storms in the afternoon and cloudy skies in the evening, obstructing the normally mesmerizing view.

The half sun is different from the full sun in that it will appear to be sliced in half as it dips below the horizon.

For the view of the full sun, Manhattanhenge-goers will see the sun kiss the pavement in its entirety before dipping below the horizon.

“It’s so famous because it’s a gorgeous sunset,” Jackie Faherty, a senior scientist, and an astrophysicist at the American Museum of Natural History told the New York Times.

“The sun kisses the grid of one of the greatest cities, if not the greatest city in the world, and touches the whole corridor of the concrete jungle with these amazing golden hues. It’s a beautiful thing.”

Where can I see the sunset?

The best places that New Yorkers will be able to view the sunset is from Manhattan’s main east/west streets.

Some of the popular spots include:

• 14th Street
• 23rd Street
• 34th Street
• 42nd Street
• 57th Street

The American Museum of Natural History also notes that it can be viewed at the Tudor City Overpass in Manhattan and at Hunter’s Point South Park in Long Island City in Queens.

Why is it called Manhattanhenge?

Manhattanhenge occurs when the Sun appears between the grid of the city when it’s low in the sky and setting, according to the American Museum of Natural History.

It has been previously referred to as the Manhattan Solstice but was later changed to Manhattanhenge by famed astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson because the word solstice actually means “stopped sun” in the Latin language.

“Manhattanhenge comes about because the Sun’s arc has not yet reached these limits, and is on route to them, as we catch a brief glimpse of the setting Sun along the canyons of our narrow streets,” deGrasse Tyson wrote in the American Museum of Natural History’s website.

Carol Krinksy, an American architectural historian at New York University, told the Times that although many believe Manhattan runs North to South, it actually runs Northeast to Southwest, allowing the New York City grid to align with the setting sun four times a year.

The Commission of 1811 designed the city’s 90-degree grid system for real estate purposes because homeowners wouldn’t want to buy lots that were cut at odd angles.

“The grid system was designed for Manhattan before there was even an official New York City,” Krinsky said.

Caleb Scharf, an astronomer at Columbia University, told the Times that Manhattanhenge is like Stonehenge in that it helps viewers make sense of their surroundings and find patterns in the event.

“Things like this are deeply connected not just to the actual architecture of the universe around us, but to our interaction with it,” he said, adding, “The city is an extension of us.

“At some point, someone is going to have the question of, ‘Why is that happening?’”

“This can so often lead to those ‘Aha!’ moments where we suddenly have this urge to actually explain what we’re seeing, as opposed to just saying, ‘Oh, that’s nice.’”