Manhattanhenge is not only a New York phenomenon: what other cities have their own -henges
'13.07.2022'
Nadezhda Verbitskaya
Manhattanhenge is making headlines again as the phenomenon comes to an end this year. If you live in New York, you have probably heard something about Manhattanhenge. It happens as the sun sets clearly between the buildings that make up the iconic cityscape. People stop to take pictures of this event, which happens less often than you think (2 times a year, or 4 - if you count with a stretch, we will tell you more about it later), reports Lifehacker.
What is Manhattanhenge
According to the American Museum of Natural History, the real Manhattanhenge only happens twice a year. Two days a year, the setting sun aligns exactly with Manhattan's street grid, casting a brilliant blaze of light over Manhattan's brick and steel canyons and illuminating both the north and south sides of each area's cross street.
Sometimes you see less informed people post sunset photos from Manhattan and mislabel them "Manhattanhenge". Although sunsets are always beautiful, they are not always the true Manhattanhenge. It is noteworthy that two days of the real Manhattanhenge pass in the spring and in the middle of summer. But the day after each of them is also considered a kind of Manhattanhenge, since on this day half of the solar disk sets below the horizon clearly along the Manhattan street grid. In the present days of Manhattanhenge, the full disk of the Sun is above the horizon. However, all four of these days are suitable for photography.
On the subject: Manhattanhenge 2022 will be today: the best streets to watch
The name is a reference to Stonehenge, a prehistoric structure of upright stones in England. Every year on the summer solstice, the sun rises in accordance with the row of these stones, which in those days informed people about the onset of a new season.
Do all cities have their -henge
The American Museum of Natural History has good news for those who live outside of New York: “Note that any city whose streets are laid out in a rectangular grid can determine the days when the setting sun coincides with this grid.” That is, in fact, the days of the henge in this city.
And now for the bad news: “But a closer look at such cities around the world shows that they are far from ideal for this purpose.” That is, there simply cannot be a really beautiful henge in most cities.
What makes Manhattanhenge so successful is the straight lines of New York's urban grid, the clear view of the skyline, and the tall, vertical buildings that line these streets and frame the sunset scene. There are, however, some cities that have their own very distinct and beautiful henges. Baltimore has its own version of this phenomenon, as well as Chicago and Toronto.
