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What is Reverse Manhattanhenge and how can I see it?

The scenic event is happening tomorrow morning!

Anna Rahmanan
Written by
Anna Rahmanan
Senior National News Editor
Sunrise in NYC
Photograph: Shutterstock
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Everyone knows about Manhattanhenge, the incredibly photogenic event that New Yorkers look forward to a few times a year, when the sunset perfectly aligns with Manhattan's east-west grid. But did you know there's also a Reverse Manhattanhenge happening right now?

To put it simply, the celestial occurrence is the "winter edition" of its more popular counterpart, basically an upside-down version of it that happens during the colder months and focuses on sunrise hours, as opposed to sunset times.

Specifically, the first Reverse Manhattanhenge of the year happened this morning but, if you missed it, worry not! Experts are predicting the sunrise to align with the city's unique grid once again tomorrow morning a little after 7am. 

Just as is the case with Manhattanhenge, the best cross streets to catch the occurrence and snap some memorable photos are 14th, 34th, 42nd, 57th and 79th Streets, as they’re wide blocks with interesting buildings. 

Some things to keep in mind: it's very cold early in the morning, obviously, so make sure to bundle up while finding the perfect spot to gaze at the scene. Although not as popular as its summer counterpart given that, well, it's freezing and most people are not out and about during sunrise hours, Reverse Manhattanhenge is certainly something to see, so expect crowds to gather across blocks. Try to get to your destination slightly early. 

Most importantly, remember to look west to east to catch the beauty in all of its glory!

We live in a concrete-heavy city, so we'd like to stress the importance of reveling in these fairly sporadic manifestations of natural wonders that remind us that there's beauty outside our (very beautiful!) skyscrapers and urban lifestyle. Go out and enjoy them!

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