The first Manhattanhenge of 2026 returns this week to New York City.
“Manhattanhenge,” coined by astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, is a phenomenon where the sun perfectly aligns with Manhattan’s street grid, allowing it to be seen directly between the city’s skyscrapers.
The bi-annual occurrence, happening in May and July, is a “unique urban phenomenon in the world, if not the universe,” the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) said on their website.
“In spite of what pop culture tells you, the Sun rises due east and sets due west only twice per year. On the equinoxes: the first day of spring and of autumn,” the museum noted.
Manhattanhenge doesn’t coincide with the equinoxes because the street grid is rotated 30 degrees east from geographic north, and while any city crossed by a rectangular grid can likely identify days where the sunset aligns with their street grid, most cities around the world are “less than ideal” for this purpose.
Manhattan provides a clear view to the horizon and tall buildings that create a vertical channel to frame the sun, creating a unique viewing and photographic opportunity.
Here is where and how you can see Manhattanhenge this week and get a stunning view of sunset during golden hour in the Big Apple:
New Yorkers will be able to see a half sun on the grid at sunset on Thursday, May 28 at 8:14 p.m. ET, according to the AMNH. The sun will be partially blocked by the horizon, hence the half sun, but it will still be in the city’s grid.
Friday, May 29, will offer a full sun on the grid view, happening at 8:13 p.m. ET. The sun will appear whole, just above the horizon.
Later in the summer, sunset lovers can catch the phenomenon again with a full sun on Saturday, July 11 at 8:20 p.m. ET and a half sun on Sunday, July 12 at 8:21 p.m. ET.
The best view of Manhattanhenge is at Manhattan’s main thoroughfares that run east and west, such as 14th Street, 23rd Street, 34th Street, 42nd Street and 57th Street.
It can also be viewed from Tudor City Overpass on East 42nd Street in Manhattan and Hunter’s Point South Park in Long Island City, Queens.
The AMNH recommends finding a spot as far east as possible that still has views of New Jersey across the Hudson River. The idea is to look at the sunset through the frame of the skyscrapers so it doesn’t look like any other normal sunset.
When looking to the west across avenues from Manhattan, make sure you have a clear view of the horizon in the direction of New Jersey across the Hudson River.
You have to act fast because Manhattanhenge only lasts a few minutes. However, since it’s become a popular event that often crowds the streets, it’s recommended to get to your spot about 30 minutes early.
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