If you haven’t yet heard of the Manhattanhenge phenomenon this video will educate you. And it will enlighten the rest of us who just thought it looked pretty.

Manhattanhenge is a term coined by Neil DeGrasse Tyson 10 years ago. It describes the twice-yearly event of the sun setting between the buildings in Manhattan.

For just two days each year a the full disc of the sun is visible just as it sets on the Manhattan horizon. These are the days when the sun lines up with the New York street grid.

It happens around the end of May and again in the middle of July. This is because it effectively changes direction after the summer solstice. It’s an impressive sight, made even more impressive now I know the science behind it.