Here Comes Manhattanhenge 2025!

“Manhattanhenge” (Manhattan henge), popularized by renowned astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson of the American Museum of Natural History, refers to times when the Sun aligns with the streets in New York City (east-west) and becomes framed by skyscrapers as it sets. The term is a nod to Stonehenge, a prehistoric observatory in Wiltshire, England, which aligns with the rising Sun on the summer solstice. Learn more about this beautiful phenomenon, including dates for Manhattanhenge 2025.

Ironically, the term “henge” from the name Stonehenge has nothing to do with astronomy. It’s an ancient precursor to our word “hinge,” and refers to a place where two things join together. Stonehenge, then, means something like, “the place where all those stones are stacked together.”

The use of “henge” for places where the Sun lines up with the surrounding architecture has since spread. Although Manhattanhenge is perhaps one of the most dramatic displays of the phenomenon, due to its location on the Atlantic seaboard, other communities built on grid plans boast their own “henges.” There’s Chicagohenge, Torontohenge, Montrealhenge, and even MIT-henge at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (which may actually have preceded Manhattanhenge as the first modern usage of the term).

What Causes Manhattanhenge?

Most of Manhattan’s east-west streets are aligned at about a 29° angle clockwise from true east-west. So, twice each year, a couple of weeks before and a couple of weeks after the summer solstice, when the azimuth for sunset is 29° northward of due west, the setting Sun aligns with the east-west streets at the moment it sits on the horizon. This is known as Half Sun Manhattanhenge because half of the Sun is below the horizon.

The exact date of the Manhattanhenges varies each year, depending on the date of the summer solstice, but they usually fall around at the end of May and mid-July.

Dates for Manhattanhenge 2025

Here are the dates for Manhattanhenge 2025.

• May 28, 2025: 8:19 p.m. (half Sun)
• May 29, 2025: 8:20 p.m. (full Sun)
• July 12, 2025: 8:29 p.m. (full Sun)
• July 13, 2025: 8:28 p.m. (half Sun)

The best streets to capture the event are the larger cross streets that ensure the best views of the west-northwest horizon (toward New Jersey), including 14th, 23rd, 34th, 42nd, and 57th streets. Neil DeGrasse Tyson notes, “The Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building render 34th Street and 42nd Street especially striking vistas.” Hunter’s Point South Park across from the East River from 42nd Street is another good vantage point during the summer.

Just don’t stand in the middle of the street when viewing or trying to capture a photo!

We want to make sure our readers view Manhattanhenge safely; remember to avoid damage to your eyes and never look directly into the Sun, especially through an unfiltered camera lens.

What Is “Reverse” Manhattanhenge?

A similar phenomenon happens near the winter solstice, usually in January, but with the rising Sun instead of the setting Sun.

Reverse Manhattanhenge 2025 Dates:

• January 11-12, 2025
• November 29-30, 2025

Typically, the Sun lines up with streets shortly after 7 a.m. The best spots to see the phenomenon are at 41st Street & 5th Avenue. But keep in mind, the time window to see Reverse Manhattan henge is more narrow than during the summer. Catch the Sun just as it reaches street level.

Reverse Manhattanhenge also doesn’t get as much attention, in part because fewer people are outdoors on cold mornings (brrrr!), and because fewer people are awake during sunrise than at sunset.

Full Sun Manahttanhenges are generally considered to be more exciting events and draw better attention.

Join The Discussion

Are you looking forward to Manhattanhenge 2025?

Have you ever seen Manhattan henge on 14th Street? Share your experience (and photos!) with us in the comments.