Sunset wows New York City sky watchers

Streaks of golden light bathed the urban canyons of the Big Apple on Tuesday evening as it was treated to a spectacle dubbed “Manhattanhenge,” when the setting sun aligns perfectly with the middle of the western-facing streets.

The warm evening glow of sunlight was made even more intense because of smoke wafting into the region from wildfires in Nova Scotia.

Along certain thoroughfares of New York City — including 14th, 23rd, 34th, 42nd and 57th streets — unobstructed views toward the horizon made the scenes especially magnificent.

Large crowds packed these places, among others. Eyewitnesses stared westward and pointed their smartphones high above their heads to capture the magical moment when the sun dipped below the horizon.

While sunset hues are orange and red because blue light is scattered as it passes through more of the atmosphere, Tuesday’s wildfire smoke enhanced them by scattering the light even more.

Many observers say the best moments of Manhattanhenge occur as the sun’s disk begins to disappear below the horizon, but gatherings begin about a half-hour prior.

The phenomenon is named after the dramatic sun alignment that occurs at England’s Stonehenge on the summer and winter solstices. In New York, the spectacle is made possible by the city’s grid and flat terrain. The grid is not perfectly oriented east to west and north to south, but rather rotated 29 degrees from true north. That slight offset means that Manhattanhenge occurs near Memorial Day when sunset migrates northward as the summer solstice nears. It happens again as sunset begins to return southward in July.

A similar wintertime Manhattanhenge phenomenon occurs around the December solstice in New York City.