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‘Austinhenge’ is back! See the twice annual sunset phenomenon
KUT • • science
Key Points:
- Austin experiences a twice-annual phenomenon called "Austinhenge," where the setting sun aligns perfectly with downtown streets, creating a tunnel of intense light that can be both disorienting and visually striking.
- This event occurs in early May and early August due to the city's downtown street grid being slightly tilted northwest to southeast, causing the alignment to miss the equinoxes.
- Similar "henge" events happen in other cities with east-west street grids, such as Manhattanhenge in New York and California Henge in San Francisco, all named after England's Stonehenge.
- Different neighborhoods in Austin, with varying street grid orientations, experience their own specific "henge days," which can be tracked using tools like the Hengefinder website or solar planning apps.
- Astronomy researcher Will Best highlights that such events reconnect people with larger cosmic cycles, offering a reminder of our place within the solar system.
