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The weather isn't really supposed to cooperate this weekend but here's to hoping that will change as the very first Manhattanhenge of 2021 is set to take over New York this Saturday and Sunday.
Also known as the Manhattan Solstice, the "celestial" event occurs when the sunset aligns with the city's street grid, effectively shedding light on every single cross street on the north and south sides of Manhattan.
Herds of New Yorkers take to the streets every year to witness the visually striking happening in person and snap endless photos, trying to do the magnificence justice—so do expect to brush elbows with a whole lot of folks if walking around town.
According to the Farmer's Alamanac, this season's Manhattanhenge is a dual one: you'll catch a half-sun on the grid on Saturday at 8:13pm and the full sun the next day, on Sunday at 8:12pm.
Although this will be 2021's very first Manhattanhenge, you should set your calendars for the next one, supposedly happening around July 13. In the winter, on the other hand, New Yorkers are treated to a different sort of solstice, this one benefiting from the alignment of the sunrise with the city's grid. Expect that to happen on December 5.
If you're looking to take in the experience in the very best way possible, we suggest heading to the city's widest crosstown thoroughfares: 14th Street, 23rd Street, 34th Street, 42nd Street and 57th Street.
In case you were wondering: the term Manhattanhenge was actually coined by astrophysicist and beloved native New Yorker Neil deGrasse Tyson in reference to the British prehistoric monument Stonehenge. In fact, taking in the sunrise during the New York happening is an experience akin to doing so while looking through the center of Stonehenge.
In addition to the solstice, here are other fun things do to around town this long weekend.