Manhattanhenge 2023: How to see New York City’s famous sunset on Memorial Day - how to watch from the UK

New York City residents and tourists will have a front row seat for the phenomenon known as Manhattanhenge

New York City residents and tourists alike are in for a treat as the phenomenon known as Manhattanhenge will make an appearance for the first time this year. The event will take place as many US citizens celebrate Memorial Day.

Manhattanhenge is a term first coined by astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson in 1997. The event only occurs four times a year including two dates in May and two dates in July. The name pays homage to the prehistoric circle of large vertical rocks known as Stonehenge in the Salisbury Plain of England.

The Manhattanhenge spectacle occurs when the sun lines up with Manhattan’s grid streets, creating a perfectly aligned sunset. It gives those in New York City a perfect view of the sun as it sets.

The American Museum of Natural History says: “For Manhattan, a place where evening matters more than morning, that special day comes twice a year, when 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. These two days happen to correspond with Memorial Day and Baseball’s All Star break. Future anthropologists might conclude that, via the Sun, the people who called themselves Americans worshipped War and Baseball.”

So, when can you see Manhattanhenge and can you watch it from the UK? Here’s everything you need to know about the phenomenon.

When and what time is Manhattanhenge 2023? 

According to AccuWeather, the sunset can be seen on these four dates throughout 2023:

May

• Monday, May 29 (Memorial Day) at 8:13 p.m. ET
• Tuesday, May 30 at 8:12 p.m. ET

July

• Wednesday, July 12 at 8:20 p.m. ET
• Thursday, July 13 at 8:21 p.m. ET

How to watch Manhattanhenge 2023 in the UK

Those of you who can’t catch the phenomenon in person can watch a live stream via Ruptly.tv. The sunset should take place on Tuesday 30 at 1:12am UK time.