happy alignment day
Today, 28 May, is one of the most special least-regarded days in New York City's year. Thanks to the tilt of the Earth's axis and the fact that the Manhattan directions are actually some 30 degrees off from true east-west, on this day of the year, the sun rises and sets directly in line with Manhattan's street grid.
I've cobbled together an image, exaggerated for effect, in case it's unclear what I'm talking about.
Gothamist refers to this mostly overlooked phenomenon as Manhattan-henge. Although I do rather like the idea of archaeologists in some far distant future puzzling over the design of the City and wondering what weird festivals or ceremonies might've taken place on this day, I'm not a fan of the name. A few years ago I dubbed it Alignment Day, and until someone suggests something better, I will stick with that.
One of the best things about growing up in small-town Hawai'i was the night sky. The stars in my backyard would stack up well against just about anywhere in the world. For all the plusses and minuses of the City, the stars are perhaps the thing that I've given up to live here that I miss the most. So little things like Alignment Day, that remind me that I'm on a planet orbiting a star, are kind of nice.
Plus it's an excuse to round up some friends and go for a drink. "Hey, it's Alignment Day, let's have a beer."
Oh and if you're finding this entry late, don't despair, there are actually two Alignment Days every year, the other one being on the far side of the Summer Solstice, on 12 July.
Happy Alignment Day!
I've cobbled together an image, exaggerated for effect, in case it's unclear what I'm talking about.
Gothamist refers to this mostly overlooked phenomenon as Manhattan-henge. Although I do rather like the idea of archaeologists in some far distant future puzzling over the design of the City and wondering what weird festivals or ceremonies might've taken place on this day, I'm not a fan of the name. A few years ago I dubbed it Alignment Day, and until someone suggests something better, I will stick with that.
One of the best things about growing up in small-town Hawai'i was the night sky. The stars in my backyard would stack up well against just about anywhere in the world. For all the plusses and minuses of the City, the stars are perhaps the thing that I've given up to live here that I miss the most. So little things like Alignment Day, that remind me that I'm on a planet orbiting a star, are kind of nice.
Plus it's an excuse to round up some friends and go for a drink. "Hey, it's Alignment Day, let's have a beer."
Oh and if you're finding this entry late, don't despair, there are actually two Alignment Days every year, the other one being on the far side of the Summer Solstice, on 12 July.
Happy Alignment Day!
posted by gloomyjoe at 12:32 AM
<< Home