HUDSON COUNTY — The sun has come closer and closer to being in alignment with the street grid of Manhattan and Hoboken when it sets each night. The closest alignment occurs two evenings a year, and makes for an interesting view from certain east-west streets, like 14th Street in Manhattan, near the PATH station.
Since Hoboken’s streets are similarly aligned to Manhattan’s, there is a similar effect. It is easiest to see when buildings are not blocking the view corridor, and on a cloudy day.
As one website explains, “Each May 28 and July 12, if it is clear, Manhattan floods dramatically with sunlight just as the sun sets precisely on the centerline of every street. Usually, the tall buildings that line the gridded streets of New York City’s tallest borough will hide the setting sun. This effect makes Manhattan a type of modern Stonehenge, although only aligned to about 30 degrees east of north.”
The photo at left was taken by a Hobokenite in May of 2008 in Manhattan near the 14th Street PATH.
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