Manhattanhenge: New Yorkers disappointed by cloudy sunset

Clouds "ruined" Manhattanhenge

New Yorkers gathered to see Manhattanhenge, but not everybody was happy with the photo opportunity.

Cloud coverage left some spectators disappointed with Wednesday's sunset. The city's famous grid system usually frames the setting sun, casting a warm glow over the concrete jungle.

The biannual phenomenon draws hordes of onlookers, tourists and locals alike, who vie to capture the perfect image.

But on Wednesday Twitter users grumbled that the show was "ruined" by clouds.

Others complained about the overcast sky making it a "bust" and a "dud".

Manhattanhenge watchers will have another chance on Thursday, but only half the setting sun will be on display between the skyscrapers.

The previous two nights of Manhattanhenge this year happened in late May.

The next time to catch the sunset show will be in 2024.

What is Manhattanhenge?

This is when the sunset aligns perfectly with Manhattan's skyscrapers, which were built on the city's street grid layout.

Similar "henge" phenomena also occur in other cities with large amounts of skyscrapers and long straight streets - such as Chicago, Montreal and Toronto.

There will be another chance to catch a sunnier Manhattanhenge on Thursday

As far as sunset goes, the event happens in May and July, and for two nights each. There's also a sunrise version that occurs in the winter.

It happens about three weeks before and three weeks after the summer solstice.

Who coined the term?

Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson first used the term Manhattanhenge in 1997, inspired by its likeness to Stonehenge, where the sun aligns with concentric circles of vertical stones on each of the solstices.

This is how it should look: Manhattanhenge on May 30, 2023

"As a kid, I visited Stonehenge in the Salisbury Plain of England and did research on other stone monuments across the British Isles. It was deep within me," says deGrasse Tyson.

"So I was, in a way, imprinted by the emotional power that terrestrial alignments with the Sun can have on a culture or civilisation."

How do you see it?

You can catch the view again on Thursday 13 July at 20:21 local time.

Viewers above 14th Street and below 155th Street can catch the spectacle.

The New York City Department of Parks and Recreation recommends these streets for a great view: 57th Street, 42nd Street, 34th Street, 23rd Street and 14th Street.

While 42nd Street is a popular viewing spot, any east-west street will offer a generally good view - just be sure to head as far east as possible.