uptowngirl
uptowngirl

Manhattanhenge

Have you heard of the phenomenon called Manhattanhenge? Apparently there are days in the year during which the sun sets in perfect alignment with the primary sections of the Manhattan street grid forming a sort of modern day stonehenge? One of the days was today but since the hour has passed maybe we should look out for the dates in July 2010 which have been determined by Neil deGrasse Tyson, the director of the Hayden Planetarium, at the American Museum of Natural History.

http://www.newyorkcityfeelings.com/2010/05/manhattanhenge-2010.html
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hhusted
hhusted 2yrs+
I never even thought about it. Interesting to note that the sun sets in ways that affect the landscape. Thanks for the link.
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BroadwayBK
BroadwayBK 2yrs+
Man! I'm sorry I missed this - it looks like it would have been cool to see.
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ajadedidealist
ajadedidealist 2yrs+
That's so cool! I miss all the fun stuff, astronomy-wise. Oh well; I'll keep my eyes peeled for the next non-scary lunar eclipse
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hhusted
hhusted 2yrs+
I have always been interested in the sky and space. Anything that is related to it drives my curiosity.
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Uraniumfish
Uraniumfish 2yrs+
Wow, I can't wait for the July one. That's so cool to know, uptowngirl.
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NeverSleeps
NeverSleeps 2yrs+
I seem to miss all the astronomy-related events, too. I'm never awake for any lunar eclipses or meteor showers...
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Uraniumfish
Uraniumfish 2yrs+
Living in such a dense city, it seems like we're pretty much removed from the cycles of nature. I haven't seen a star in how long?
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Uraniumfish
Uraniumfish 2yrs+
Um, weeel, except for the celebrities in SoHo--har har har-okay, sorry, awful joke. Couldn't resist.
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BroadwayBK
BroadwayBK 2yrs+
Yeah, whatever is going on in the sky is a mystery to my New York-based naked eye. The only place I've ever been where you really get a good sky view is the Florida Everglades - but who wants to stay there very long? Too many mosquitoes.
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NeverSleeps
NeverSleeps 2yrs+
Why would anyone find themselves in the Florida Everglades to begin with?

I loved astronomy in college, but I honestly don't remember much about it. Stargazing would surely make a charming date. Is there anywhere you could possibly do that in NYC? Do you have to head out to Jersey?
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DBlack
DBlack 2yrs+
@NeverSleeps Probably need to get some distance between you and the city because the city lights obscure starlight, as is the case with all metropolitan areas. But then again, a little road trip combined with stargazing is also equally romantic for a date.
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uptowngirl
uptowngirl 2yrs+
@BroadwayBK Yuck I hate blood sucking mosquitoes who seem to make a beeline for my arms and legs.. I am so thankful that they don't really come out in droves during the hot , humid NYC summers which seem to draw out all sorts of other creepy, crawlies.
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hhusted
hhusted 2yrs+
@Everybody: I love to gaze at the sky at night, especially on the night of the full moon. The sky is bright enough where I can see many stars. But, I do agree with many of you when I say it is hard to see the sky in the city with all the lights around. When I was on Long Island once, I was in a park and saw the sky. It was a cloudless night. What a view.
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uptowngirl
uptowngirl 2yrs+
@Everyone more than stars, I love to look out for the moon.. actually, once a year I do a religious fast during a Hindu Festival called Karva Chauth . The fast is undertaken for the long life and good health of your husband(!) ..before you ask there is no such fast for the wife :)..anyway I do the fast with water though there are folks who do it without ..the fast entails that you eat something before sunrise and then nothing at all until moonrise..It often happens that on that particular day the moon on the East Side of Manhattan only appears after 10pm. By that time I am dying of hunger but boy am I glad to see the big, white full moon(the festival usually coincides with the full moon) ..because of this I habitually look out for the moon..
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JenMac
JenMac 2yrs+
I love it when the moon is huge and has that Orange -ish hue. It's a pity we don't get to see the sky much in these parts.

I love, however, when I say I've been really emotional this week and my girlfriends say, "it's because of the full moon." Classic.
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BroadwayBK
BroadwayBK 2yrs+
@NeverSleeps I've only seen the Everglades from I75, on my way to Miami and back. But I've never seen such a beautiful starry sky anywhere else.

@uptowngirl Mosquitoes are something of a constant in Florida...almost, anyway. I certainly do not miss them.

@JenMac There is something to be said for the full moon either making people crazy, or just drawing the crazies out of their homes. I swear. Or maybe it's just the full moon talking?
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Uraniumfish
Uraniumfish 2yrs+
Do women feel the need to drink the evening before their cycles?
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hhusted
hhusted 2yrs+
According to an article written by a scientist, when the moon is full, it seems to affect not only the gravitational pull of the earth, but it also intensifies the magnetic field surrounding the planet. When the magnetic field gets stronger, it causes the magnetic field around our bodies to also get stronger. This in turn causes our brains to produce more neurotransmitters than normal. When this occurs, the behavior of people undergoes changes and intensifies. Therefore, people go into mood swings, etc.
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ajadedidealist
ajadedidealist 2yrs+
Well, @uraniumfish, I feel the need to curl up in bed and cry the evening before mine...
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NeverSleeps
NeverSleeps 2yrs+
Oh, no. This is not turning into a PMS conversation!
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Uraniumfish
Uraniumfish 2yrs+
@NeverSleeps Yeah, no, let's not have the full blown PMS conversation, please. But I do want to know if anyone feels more alcoholic than usual the day before.
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NeverSleeps
NeverSleeps 2yrs+
@Uraniumfish Oh... I thought you were joking.
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DBlack
DBlack 2yrs+
Anyone ever actually seen a lunar eclipse?

And, ladies, it would be such a shame to veer away from astronomy and into PMS....
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hhusted
hhusted 2yrs+
@DBlack: I saw a lunar eclipse. I used appropriate precautions of course. It was an awesome site.
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uptowngirl
uptowngirl 2yrs+
@DBlack I have seen a couple of solar eclipses but have yet to see a lunar eclipse..
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hhusted
hhusted 2yrs+
@Uptowngirl: The solar eclipses were truly amazing as well. Such a site to see.
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