New York City To Get ‘Manhattanhenge’ And ‘Blue Moon’ This Weekend

InnovationScienceNew York City To Get ‘Manhattanhenge’ And ‘Blue Moon’ This WeekendByJamie Carter,Senior Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. An award-winning reporter writing about stargazing and the night sky.Follow AuthorMay 26, 2026, 03:38pm EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.The setting sun moves across 42nd Street as people stand on the Pershing Square Bridge on Park Avenue during Manhattanhenge on July 13, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Gary Hershorn/Getty Images)Getty ImagesNew Yorkers are in for a rare double celestial treat this weekend as a “Blue Moon” coincides with the first “Manhattanhenge” sunsets of 2026.On Thursday and Friday evenings, the setting sun will align perfectly with Manhattan’s famous street grid, while a seasonal Blue Moon will rise shortly after sunset on Friday — giving skywatchers a chance to witness two striking astronomical events within minutes of each other.The combination is expected to draw photographers, tourists and locals onto Manhattan’s east-west streets for one of the city’s most iconic urban skywatching spectacles.What Is ‘Manhattanhenge?’“Manhattanhenge” occurs when the setting sun aligns precisely with Manhattan’s grid of streets, creating the illusion of the sun suspended between rows of skyscrapers.The phenomenon happens because Manhattan’s grid is rotated about 30 degrees east of true north. As the sunset position migrates northward, approaching the summer solstice, there are four evenings each year when the geometry aligns perfectly with the streets.According to the American Museum of Natural History, the first 2026 dates are:Thursday, May 28, at 8:14 p.m. EDT — “half sun on the grid.”Friday, May 29, at 8:13 p.m. EDT — “full sun on the grid.”The “half sun” event is often considered the more photogenic moment because the sun appears to “kiss the grid,” with half the solar disk dipping...