Manhattanhenge is here. On Thursday, May 28 and Friday, May 29, 2026, the setting sun lines up perfectly with Manhattan’s street grid, dropping a blazing orange disc right down the middle of the city’s east–west streets. It is one of the only nights of the year when New York’s concrete canyons turn into a natural observatory — and after a soggy Memorial Day, the forecast for the back half of this week is dry and clear, exactly the kind of low-horizon sky this spectacle needs.
Here is your no-nonsense plan for catching it, where to stand, and how to do it without stepping into traffic.
When to be in position
According to the Amateur Astronomers Association of New York, there are two nights this round:
- Thursday, May 28 — “Half Sun on the Grid” at 8:14 p.m. ET. The sun sits partially below the horizon, framed by the buildings.
- Friday, May 29 — “Full Sun on the Grid” at 8:13 p.m. ET. The full disc hovers just above the horizon down the centerline of the cross streets. This is the money shot.
The effect only lasts a few minutes, so plan to be locked into your spot at least 30 minutes early. Crowds gather fast on the popular streets. If clouds roll in, Manhattanhenge returns July 11 and 12, so a washout is not the end of the world.
Where to stand
The trick is simple: get on one of Manhattan’s main east–west thoroughfares and look west toward New Jersey across the Hudson. The Amateur Astronomers Association recommends these cross streets, where the grid opens up widest:
- 14th Street
- 23rd Street
- 34th Street (the classic — near the Empire State Building)
- 42nd Street (near Times Square and Grand Central)
- 57th Street
Position yourself as far east on the street as you can while still keeping a clear line of sight all the way to the Hudson. The deeper your view down the corridor, the more buildings frame the sun and the more dramatic the photo.
The best park-side spots
If you would rather skip the midtown crush, two open-space vantage points give you room to breathe and a skyline-wide view:
Hunter’s Point South Park — Center Boulevard, Long Island City, Queens. This waterfront park sits directly across the East River from Midtown and offers an unobstructed, panoramic look back at the grid as the sun sets behind it. Take the 7 train to Vernon Blvd–Jackson Av, then walk about 10 minutes toward the water. It is one of the most photographer-friendly henge spots in the city, with lawn space, benches, and the skyline as a backdrop.
Tudor City Overpass — East 42nd Street near First Avenue, Manhattan. This elevated pedestrian overpass looks straight down 42nd Street and is a longtime henge favorite because it lifts you above the traffic for a cleaner frame. It is small and fills up early, so arrive well ahead of 8 p.m. Closest transit is Grand Central–42nd St (4, 5, 6, 7, S), about a 10-minute walk east.
Pro tips for the shot
- Go wide, then zoom. A phone’s main lens captures the full street canyon; switch to your telephoto as the sun lands to compress the buildings and make the disc look huge.
- Tap to lower exposure. The sun will blow out your photo on auto. Tap the brightest part of your screen and drag the exposure down so you keep the orange color and the building silhouettes.
- Pick a curb, not the crosswalk. The best frames are from the sidewalk edge, not the middle of the road.
- Bring patience. You are sharing the moment with a lot of other New Yorkers. A little grace goes a long way.
Play it safe
The Amateur Astronomers Association is blunt about this, and so are we: do not step into the roadway to get your photo, and do not block traffic. Drivers are not expecting a crowd of people backing into the street with phones up. Stay on the sidewalk, use the crosswalks, and never stare directly at the sun for an extended time — even at sunset, take the same precautions you would with any solar viewing. Watch the kids, and keep dogs leashed and close in the crowds.
Manhattanhenge is free, it is uniquely ours, and it asks nothing of you but to show up, look west, and remember that the city you walk through every day was laid out by people who could not have imagined this — and yet here it is, twice a year, right on schedule.
Looking for more ways to use this rare stretch of dry, clear evenings? Check our running roundups of NYC parks and waterfront picks on HelpNewYork for what is open and worth the trip this week.
