Manhattan's Street Grid Creates Accidental Sun-Aligned Phenomenon Known as Manhattanhenge
In 1811, the planners of Manhattan's street grid inadvertently created a phenomenon known as Manhattanhenge, where the setting sun aligns perfectly with the city's east-west streets four times a year. This alignment creates a striking visual effect as the sun casts a golden corridor of light through the urban canyons of midtown Manhattan. The grid was originally designed for real estate purposes, not astronomical alignment, but the result is a visually compelling event. The term 'Manhattanhenge' was coined by Neil deGrasse Tyson, director of the Hayden Planetarium, who first documented the phenomenon in 2002. The alignment occurs because the grid is rotated about 29 degrees east of true north, causing the sun to align with the streets on specific dates in late spring and mid-summer. 
