Yes, I missed the Supermoon because of fog, and the Transit of Venus because of cloud cover, but tonight was going to be different. Tonight I was going to see Manhattanhenge for the very first time. Manhattanhenge, for the uninitiated, is a phrase coined by the director of the Haydn Planetarium, Neil deGrasse Tyson, to describe the perfect alignment of the setting sun with Manhattan’s grid. It happens twice a year, and for ten minutes on those two very special days, you can see the sun set right in between the towering skyscrapers of wider streets such as 14th, 34th and 42nd Street as you look towards Jersey. Yesterday, the full sun set on the grid – but I couldn’t see it because I was doing a show as the sun went down. Tonight, however, I had the opportunity to watch the half sun on the grid so I arrived early and bagged my spot to watch the spectacle. The sun glinted along the buildings as it began its descent.
Here comes the sun, I am so ready to see my first Manhattanhenge
Crowds begin to gather
The sun peeks around the edge of the buildings…. along with a bunch of clouds…
Are you kidding me? Not again. Noooooo!
Noooooooooo!
I’m starting to take this personally
Cloudhenge
This is what it looked like yesterday, when I wasn’t there.
If I had been there, I’m almost certain that cloud cover would have obscured it.
Where's my backpack? 
Ahhh! Sorry you missed it. Maybe next time. Still wonderful photos.
BE ENCOURAGED! BE BLESSED!
The sky did turn some lovely colours, but those dastardly clouds just had to show up at precisely the wrong moment.
poor you!! try a lucky charm next time!
Haha, at this point I’m considering giving an offering to the weather gods. 🙂
go ahead and do it 🙂 a little bit of cow towing to the weather gods never hurt anyone 🙂
Ha ha! In India, you would have been told it was your “Karma” 😀 Gorgeous photos nevertheless!
Grin – I’m scratching my head trying to figure out how I transgressed so badly in the past to bring about such tragic weather karma 🙂
I’d never heard of it before, but loved the video. Your photos are also lovely, especially #4. Thanks so much for sharing this, Ailsa. 😉
It really is a cool event, I hear. Someday I hope to see it for myself 😉 Glad you liked my Cloudhenge 🙂
Just the idea of you being there to see it is awesome! Photos are anyway stunning sun or no sun
Thanks scrapydo, yes, the atmosphere in the crowd of onlookers was a lot of fun, and it was a pretty beautiful sunset despite the clouds 🙂
ever so beautiful, stunning really. You captured the moment sun or no sun
Thanks, James, you just made me feel a whole lot better 🙂
Thats made my day then! You have such a talent don’t question it
Aww, thanks James. Sending a big hug your way. xxx
aw happily received!
Maybe you need to focus on spectacular clouds instead! The weather might just be foxed and the sun/planets do the right thing for you!
I like the way you think, Madoqua 🙂
Perhaps you’re being saved for something special, a cosmic event that only you will capture… And all this practice will make it the perfect photo.
Yesss! Of course, Trish, that must be the reason! Why didn’t I think of that myself? I’m being prepared for my special cosmic purpose. Hee hee, that just made my day. 🙂
What a great street!
It really is, cocoa, it’s the street the Dakota Building is on – the one where John Lennon used to live. One of my favourite streets in all of Manhattan. xxx
I went last year and the sun behaved well then, but after your experience I don’t think I want to risk going again… 😉
Maybe you should try the reverse Manhattanhenge, coming up next—when the rising sun is aligned with the EAST end of the grid. But of course that will be sunrise in winter 🙂
Reverse Manhattanhenge, I’ve never heard of it! Does it have its own name? Egnehnattahnam springs to mind… 😉
Is that what the Indians called it? I didn’t know.
😉
Manhatttanhenge. The things I learn about through blogs ^^ Thanks for the share!
Glad I could broaden your education, Vividhunter 😉
I perfectly understand you. Every time when there’s a Moon eclipse, оr Meteor shower or anything like that, they are clouds on the sky! I am joking that I can predic the weather for a certain place if I know that I’ll be there when there’s Venus transit for example, and for sure the sky will be cloudy. Although I catched the last Supermoon and once a solar eclipse. But still your photos of almost Manhattanhenge are very beautiful.
Thank you, Rois, ‘almost Manhattanhenge’ was almost as fun as the real thing 😉
Does it hold the same mystical significance for the city’s denizens as Stonehenge? 🙂
I’m pretty sure it’s just a sweet photo opportunity for New Yorkers, c & c – as far as I can tell, they don’t indulge in sacrificial offerings – although darting in front of yellow cabs to get a photo might inadvertently bring one about!
Still some very beautiful photos and something I’d never heard about!
Next year!
Thanks, Annie, and you’re right, next year – I am determined to get my perfect Manhattanhenge photo at some point 🙂
Oh, sorry the weather gods weren’t on your side. Good pics though. There is a place near my house where I want to take a photo of the sun rising over some rapids in a creek. I’ve calculated the dates — and for one I was out of town, the other day it rained. Maybe next year….
Here’s hoping 😉
Plus side. Your shots were beautiful all the same. 🙂
Thanks Gemma!
Beautiful shots you did, Ailsa! Manhattanhenge on the video is phenomenon. Thanks!
It really is the most spectacular sight, when conditions are right! xx
This is so cool! I’ve never heard of such a thing! What kind of shows do you do? Theater, tv? How fun!
Mostly classical theatre and radio, Nicole. I’ve done some onscreen stuff but nothing terribly interesting. I did once play a zombie – which according to my friends’ kids are way cooler than vampires. 🙂
The weather, wild animals – impossible to predict, but even the dud shots usually have magic to them – as did yours, Ailsa. I tell you what, though, that Neil deGrasse Tyson is doing great things for New York and the Planetarium, isn’t he?
He really is. I must admit I have a total astrophysics nerd crush on him – I used to work at a planetarium and am fascinated with all things astral – if you’re ever lost at sea, look me up – I can navigate at sea by the stars 🙂 Did you see Neil’s interview with Jon Stewart from last year: http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-january-18-2011/neil-degrasse-tyson
I’ve only seen him talking about the reclassification of Pluto, but his name keeps popping up about all sorts of things.
I’ll remember that about navigating by sea – northern hemisphere only, or both north and south? How clever of you!
Both – who knows which hemisphere you could get lost in! 🙂
Ah, yes, well … For me, i’ve never managed to get any sort of mind image of the northern sky, so I’m so glad I know who to call if I’m cast adrift … 🙂
Wow, I had no idea such a thing existed. Definitely something I’m going to look up next time I’m in New York, just in case!
Definitely, Silken, it’s quite an event. It can get pretty crazy along 42nd and 34th Street, with people stopping traffic to snag the perfect shot. It’s a lot of fun, and quite a spectacle.
I’m sorry I missed it… Maybe next year.The pictures are quite lovely.
Thanks, hope you get to see it next time round! xxx
Oh no figures huh! In Shanghai the WFT, or bottle opener, has a rectangular opening. I guess there is a day or 2 the sun is right in the middle of it. I would love to get that shot, but so much smog and lack of locations to see this make it pretty difficult.
I feel your pain since I just bought a new camera last week and I have missed the sunset everynight since! Clouds… clear all day until sunset and thick clouds JUST block the horizon!
It’s a conspiracy. I’m convinced of it 😉
Great info about the Shanghai bottle opener, I hadn’t heard of it until now, thanks for putting it on my radar. xxx
It is the tallest building in Shanghai, but won’t be for long. Another building is 3/4 way done and will be taller by a few floors when completed.
I’ll look and send you the links to previous posts I did with the ‘bottle opener’.
Please do, CTB, I’d love to see them.
will do when I get back… remind me so I don’t forget.
Have a wonderful time in Cuba!
Thanks… on our way in about an hour! 🙂
greetings by
http://a-to-z-archive.tumblr.com/post/28760221953/letter-m
Beautiful photo, frizztext, and I love that song, it always makes me smile. 🙂
I’m sorry Ailsa, my offer to show you around some of New Hampshire has officially been rescinded, I don’t need your kind of luck 😉
Kidding! You’re welcome any time!
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Beautiful photos!