The autumn edition of Chicagohenge shines throughout the city tonight

Twice a year, during the spring and fall equinoxes, the sun's path aligns perfectly with the narrow corridors of Chicago's east-west streets, a phenomenon that's often referred to as Chicagohenge. The last time this natural event occurred back in March, Governor J.B. Pritzker was just days away from enacting the Illinois "stay-at-home" order.

Thanks to Chicago's grid layout, which plots most streets running east to west and north to south in line with the cardinal directions, Chicagohenge typically results in some spectacular interactions between the setting sun and the urban landscape. Just like the similarly named Manhattanhenge, if you position yourself correctly, you can spot the fiery orb at the center of our solar system nearly perfectly framed within the canyons created by buildings in the Loop.

If you're going to head to the Loop to snap a photo of the glowing vistas on Randolph or Madison Streets, the best time to show up is during the hour before the sun sets at 6:47pm. Naturally, we have to remind you to watch out for traffic (there's still a bit of it in the Loop these days), wear a mask and maintain some distance from your fellow natural phenomenon photographers. If you're not up for a trip downtown, you might be able to step outside your front door and snap a shot of the sun setting between the two-flats and apartment buildings on your own street.

And if all else fails, your Instagram feed will likely be flooded with Chicagohenge snaps this evening—enjoy!

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