Here Comes Manhattanhenge 2024: When and How to Watch

New Yorkers, get ready for the latest solar spectacle.

Each year at the end of May, and again in mid-July, residents and tourists alike flood the streets of Manhattan for a spectacular view of the sun setting in the west, flanked by the city’s famous streetscapes. Nicknamed Manhattanhenge, the event attracts more people each year, some gathering in crowds so dense they block the streets.

“I think of it as astronomy in your face,” said Jackie Faherty, an astronomer at the American Museum of Natural History who computes the dates for Manhattanhenge each year. “It’s like a huge science party that will occur in the city.”

The event’s popularity most likely goes beyond an interest in science, Dr. Faherty added: People love a good photo op, and Manhattanhenge delivers.

When is Manhattanhenge?

This year, Manhattanhenge occurs on Tuesday, May 28 and Wednesday, May 29, then again on July 12 and 13.

According to the American Museum of Natural History, the sun will set at 8:13 p.m. on Tuesday and 8:12 p.m. on Wednesday, local time. In July, the sun will set at 8:21 p.m. on the 12th and 8:20 p.m. on the 13th.

The sunset will appear different on consecutive days. On May 28, the top half of the sun will align with the city grid, but the next day, the full sun will be visible. Later in the summer, this pattern reverses: Viewers will see a full sun on July 12, and the top half of the sun on July 13.