July 12, 2017

"The most popular spots are 42nd Street, with its flashing signs, as well as 57th, 34th, 23rd and 14th Streets."

"There you will see people bobbing in and out of the crosswalk, hoping to snap the perfect sunset. Because you have to be in the middle of the street to see Manhattanhenge, remember that safety comes first." (NYT)

And it's not just Manhattan:
There’s also Chicagohenge, Bostonhenge, Phillyhenge, Torontothenge, and Montrealhenge, among others.

“If your streets are anywhere close to east or west, my default statement is you’re going to have a ‘henge,’” Shane Larson, an astronomer at the Adler Planetarium in Chicago, told The New York Times last year. “You just need to find out when.”

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Madisonhenge is in danger of being crushed by a dwarf.

Earnest Prole said...

remember that safety comes first

Screw you, New York Times -- if I wanted to hear from my nosy aunt I'd just call her.

Snark said...

This is cool.

Henry said...

It is cool. And even if you don't put it on your calendar and don't give it a name, you notice.

In a social media way cityhenge reminds me of this social media:

100 Views of Mount Fuji

But one of my favorite haiku is this, by Basho:

falling mist...
the day when Mt. Fuji is unseen,
most fascinating!

mockturtle said...

I don't think there is a Seattlehenge. Yet.

Crimso said...

Sometimes I feel like the world is becoming unhenged. Just plain looney.

David Begley said...

I can't believe Althouse left out the most famous Henge of all: Carhenge in Alliance, Nebraska.

Ann, Do a Google photo grab of it. You will be awed.

I imagine a big gathering there for the solar eclipse.

David Begley said...

Let me put it this way. You have not lived a full life unless you have been to Carhenge.

MadisonMan said...

My Madisonhenge occurs when I can't walk down the SW Commuter Path without being blinded by the Sun.

MadisonMan said...

It must be horrible to live someplace where you can only rarely see the sunset.

California Snow said...

Phoenixhenge is every day on the L101 West where the sun is directly in your face (just below your car's sun visor) the whole drive home. I thank Gaia. So, so nice.

Todd Roberson said...

Indianapolishenge is quite nice this time of year on Market Street just east of the intersection with Delaware. Since the sun is just offset to the south it peeks around the edge of the Soldiers and Sailors Monument at Monument Circle. Enjoyed it this evening as I had a late evening at the office.

Quaestor said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Quaestor said...

If you know the date of your local "henge" and the bearing — for example, S 43ยบ 56' 13" W — you can calculate your latitude. Similarly, if you know your latitude and the bearing of your approximately east-west street, you can calculate the date of your "henge".

stlcdr said...

Insert "snarky comment pretending to be insightful on how this is a positive/negative reflection on (meta)-modern society."

Narayanan said...

What about sunrise henges? Too transient?! Too Abrupt from dim to bright?