May 26, 2009
Manhattanhenge dates for perfect on-the-grid sunset
Although Monday’s weather was practically perfect, Manhattan’s still a few more days away from the sun’s center-stage on-the-grid show known as Manhattanhenge.
 A spokesman for the American Museum of Natural History today confirmed the dates for 2009:
Half Sun on the grid:
Saturday, May 30 — 8:17 P.M. EDT
Sunday, July 12 — 8:25 P.M. EDT
Full Sun on the grid:
Sunday, May 31 — 8:17 P.M. EDT
Saturday, July 11 — 8:25 P.M. EDT
The -henge term was coined by Neil deGrasse Tyson, the director of the Hayden Planetarium in the Department of Astrophysics at the American Museum of Natural History. The details:As you may know, had Manhattan’s grid been perfectly aligned with the geographic north-south line, then the days of Manhattanhenge would be the spring and autumn equinoxes, the only two days on the calendar when the Sun rises due-east and sets due-west. But Manhattan’s street grid is rotated 30 degrees east from geographic north, shifting the days of alignment elsewhere into the calendar.
Some of the best viewing locations are on the east ends of 14th, 23rd, 34th. 42nd and 57th streets.
Image source: Hayden Planetarium.
May 26, 2009 1:25 PM in Cheap Stuff, Kids, Midtown, Romance, Sightsology
Comments (0)
®Copyright 2004 - 2010, All Rights Reserved
|
