As described on the Hayden Planetarium website:
[T]wice a year ... the setting Sun aligns precisely with the Manhattan street grid, creating a radiant glow of light across Manhattan's brick and steel canyons, simultaneously illuminating both the north and south sides of every cross street of the borough's grid. A rare and beautiful sight.
The so-called "Manhattanhenge" days for 2012 are May 29-30 and July 11-12 (with the super-photogenic half-disk configuration on May 29 and July 12).
CNN offered these suggestions from the planetarium's director:
"For best effect, position yourself as far east in Manhattan as possible. But ensure that when you look west across the avenues you can still see New Jersey," Tyson says. "Clear cross streets include 14th, 23rd, 34th. 42nd, 57th, and several streets adjacent to them. The Empire State building and the Chrysler building render 34th street and 42nd streets especially striking vistas.”
Sure enough, on May 30, dozens of shutterbugs gathered near Herald Square. It was far too cloudy for the Manhattanhenge effect, but we all dutifully observed and photographed the sunset anyway.
It was pretty enough, even if not quite as rare and beautiful as one might have hoped.
No comments:
Post a Comment