I have now seen Manhattanhenge three times while living in Queens, NY. For those who have also witnessed this truly magical event understand the excitement, anticipation, and buzz on the streets as people crowd on street corners… or just block traffic by standing in the street, to see the minutes of yellow, orange, red glow of the sun setting between NYC sky scrapers. Almost as soon as you see it, it has disappeared. Perhaps this is what keeps bringing us back!

Manhattanhenge, 18in x 18in, oil painting (2020)

No one knows how long New Yorkers have observed Manhattanhenge, though the name was officially given in 1997 by astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson. Read more from the “Science Man” in his BLOG here. We can thank this bi-annual phenomenon to the rectilinear grid streets laid out in the “Commissioners’ Plan of 1811,” which gave us straight streets aligned at a slight angle to the island of Manhattan.

For those interested in seeing for themselves - the phenomenal sunset happens twice per year, typically towards the end of May and in early July; the exact dates are different every year and are typically posted by national and local news sites online. I have seen it both from 41st street in Manhattan and the Long Island City waterfront where the memory for this painting was captured.

The sunrises are a bit more elusive because it happens EARLY in the morning. I for one am not an early bird, but someday will make the early AM trip to the westside of Manhattan. It is also hard to predict viewing the sunrise Manhattanhenge because to the east are the lovely developed skylines of Queens and Brooklyn, which may block the view.

Either way, the experience of Manhattanhenge is truly memorable and a powerful sight to see.