28 May 2007

Observing Location	Park Ave & 34 St, New York, NY
Observational Period	1900-2100 EDT
Atmospheric Conditions	Cloud Cover Hazy Temperature 80°F ±1°F Wind Calm Humidity Low Feels Like slightly warm It had been very hazy last night and this morning and is just burning off now. There was still haze low on the horizon to the west and south. Transparency Good Seeing
Instruments	CoolPix 950 digital camera w/wide angle adapter – Charlie CoolPix 995 digital camera - Peter
Observing Party	Charlie Ridgway

Target Manhattan Henge Constellation Tau Category Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20070528.2010 EDT Comments There is some confusion as to when this date “officially” occurs. Neil deGrasse Tyson, of the American Museum of Natural History, has been the primary promoter of the event and at different times has posted web pages and sent emails containing different dates. So if you go out on the web to search you may find that it is today or that it isn’t until the 30th. There is a little bit of slosh in the exact date, but the sun did set as advertised tonight. Because Manhattan island is oriented about 30° from due north (is that True North of Magnetic North), and the streets are all oriented perpendicular to Manhattan North (at least above 14 St), the Sun is only visible on at sunrise and sunset between the concrete canyon walls on two days during the year. Manhattan Henge Sunrise Sunset 10 December 28 May 2 January 11 July Information from AMNH When I first looked at this picture I thought I had caught the Sun beginning to peak around the buildings on the left but this is a false henge … it is a traffic light at the other end of 34 St. The sun begins to blossom into 34 St. Almost there Cropped from Above Between the pedestrian and vehicular traffic, not to mention the other photographers, it is hard to get a clear view until after it is over.

Target Venus Constellation Gem Category Planet Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20070528.~2045 EDT Comments Object Class Classical Planet Phase Waning Gibbous Elongation ° % Illuminated 55.7% Distance Light Time (from Earth) AU ms Distance (from Sun) Au Angular Size 21.1" Magnitude -4.2 Altitude 30°49’ It is hard to see it in this image but Venus is there to the upper left of the bump on the parapet of the building to the left of the Empire State Building. This image was made hand held with 4x digital zoom. It has been reduced to about 1/3 of its original size to fit in this space.

Peter had brought his tripod and was planning to wait to get a picture of Mercury but he had to keep rolling back the time when it would be appearing between the buildings and we finally gave up on it.

We did see Mercury though on out way to the subway at Grand Central Terminal.

Peter's post of the event is here