Manhattan solstice
n.— « I’ve heard about a “Manhattan solstice,” when the sun supposedly lines up along the streets. Is it for real? When does it happen?…On May 28 and on July 13, the sun will fully illuminate every Manhattan cross street (not the curved or angled ones) on the street grid during the last 15 minutes of daylight, and it will set on each street’s center line. The sight is breathtaking.» —“Stonehenge in the City” by Michael Pollak New York Times May 21, 2006. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Sean in Oneonta, New York, says that when he was growing up in New Jersey, his family would pile in the car and set off on a surprise adventure, whether a short distance or long, and the kids would be told only that they were going on Buxtehude...
Asthenosphere, a geologist’s term for the molten layer beneath the earth’s crust, sparks a journey that stretches all the way from ancient Greece to the author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Plus: What the heck is a dogberg? It’s when...
There is also a “Winter Manhattan Solstice” where this happens at sunrise, also very beautiful.