Twice a year the sun comes in perfect alignment with New York city’s east-west streets – this event is called “Manhattanhenge” or “Manhattan Solstice”. For this to occur, a city should be laid in perfect north-south east-west grid. Yet another amazing phenomenon that can be experienced in the city.

Just imagine a big ball of fire setting in between the sky scrapers. Or a ball of fire at the end of the street and all the cabs are going in and out of it! At this particular time the mighty sun is a spectacle setting in between the skyscrapers of Manhattan. There are plenty of way to imagine it, but certainly worth experiencing it.

This was my attempt to capture that very moment in time, unfortunately not a successful one. Right when the sun should have aligned between the two buildings, a cloud in the horizon covered it. But it was still majestic to see the color changes, and a treasured experience- waiting there for that perfect moment. I walked a number of blocks to pin down the best place to see it. The streets were partially blocked. There were hoards of people with all sorts of cameras and equipment waiting for hours at end to capture this small moment in time. Waiting over bridges, on the side of the street and crossing streets again and again between traffic so as to get that perfect shot from the middle of the street. The first shot shows the sun about to appear between the two buildings, casting light over the glass buildings- but will actually disappear behind the clouds.

The other shot with the airplane flying puts a lot into different perspectives. All the activity going on between these two rows of buildings. The possibility of the sun coming in perfect alignment, the clouds blocking it- but actually responsible for the wonderful colors, the shimmering of the glass buildings as the sun approached and then this airplane flying right over the cloud covered sun. I always wonder what a scape it would have been if the plane flew across right when the sun was in alignment!

Well, there is always next time, and hopefully I will be at the right place at the right time. Till then enjoy this Solstice.