Manhattanhenge on the horizon: The best times and places to view New York City’s ultimate sunscape
The phenomenon takes the stage with a partial alignment on Thursday night, followed by the highly anticipated full alignment on Friday.
FILE: Crowds gather in NYC to witness Manhattanhenge sunset
Crowds gathered on the streets of Manhattan on Monday, May 29, as a Manhattanhenge sunset glowed on Memorial Day.
NEW YORK CITY, NY — New Yorkers are just days away from that time of year again.
The setting sun is about to fall in perfect alignment with Manhattan’s east-west grid, creating a glowing corridor between the city’s towering skyscrapers. It is time for Manhattanhenge!
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The phenomenon takes the stage with a partial alignment on Thursday night, followed by the highly anticipated full alignment on Friday.
The sun rises behind the skyline of midtown Manhattan over 42nd Street during a Manhattanhenge sunrise in New York City on January 12, 2026, as seen from Weehawken, New Jersey. (Gary Hershorn/Getty Images / Getty Images)
So, prepare your cameras now, because the stunning view only lasts a few short minutes and occurs only four times a year.
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The phenomenon was coined "Manhattanhenge" by astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson in 1997.
According to PBS News, Tyson thought "that the setting sun framed by Manhattan's high-rises could be compared to the sun's rays striking the center of the Stonehenge circle on the solstice."
But unlike Stonehenge, designed and built to align with the summer solstice, Manhattanhenge occurs roughly three weeks before the summer solstice and three weeks after, happening by architectural coincidence.
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The "half-sun" view is set to take place at 8:14 p.m. on Thursday. Meanwhile, the "full-sun" view will grace the New York City sky at 8:13 Friday night.
People take pictures of the sun setting over Manhattan on 42nd Street during the so called "Manhattanhenge" on July 12, 2019, in New York City. (JOHANNES EISELE/AFP / Getty Images)
The New York City Department of Parks and Recreation lists the following locations to catch the most epic views:
- 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 department also recommends getting to your preferred location early and facing west towards the sunset, while moving further east to grab the best shot of the afterglow, illuminating the towering buildings.
A person holds up a phone to take a photo of the sun set during Manhattanhenge in Times Square on July 11, 2022 in New York City. (Alexi Rosenfeld / Getty Images)
Planning on catching these picture-perfect views? Be sure to send in all your best shots and videos to Foxweather.com/connect!
And if you miss this month's glowing cityscape, July will bring the final two chances of the year to witness the phenomenon.
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The sun will align perfectly with the city grid on July 11 and 12.