Updated
Updated · Space.com · May 18
Manhattanhenge Returns on 4 Dates in 2026 as Sunset Aligns With NYC Grid
Updated
Updated · Space.com · May 18

Manhattanhenge Returns on 4 Dates in 2026 as Sunset Aligns With NYC Grid

1 articles · Updated · Space.com · May 18
  • May 28-29 and July 11-12 are the four 2026 Manhattanhenge dates, with “half sun” views on May 28 and July 12 and “full sun” on May 29 and July 11.
  • 8:13 p.m. to 8:21 p.m. EDT is the viewing window, and the best west-facing sightlines are typically along 14th, 23rd, 34th, 42nd and 57th Streets.
  • 30 degrees of eastward tilt in Manhattan’s street grid creates the effect, because the setting sun reaches the needed 300-degree azimuth twice each year—before and after the June solstice.
  • Neil deGrasse Tyson, who popularized the phenomenon nearly 30 years ago, recommends arriving at least 30 minutes early as 34th and 42nd Streets can draw heavy crowds.
Is Manhattanhenge still 2026's top urban skywatching event compared to the year's planetary alignments?
Is the best way to see Manhattanhenge to actually avoid the official dates and massive crowds?
How could future city planners design spectacular 'Manhattanhenge' events into new urban grids?