Thousands of New Yorkers and tourists gathered to photograph a natural phenomenon known as Manhattanhenge. This is when the setting sun is perfectly aligned with the east-west numbered streets of New York City's grid system. Manhattanhenge occurs twice a year either side of the summer solstice, around 28 May and 12 July. The phenomenon gets its name from the way that Stonehenge is aligned with the setting sun on the summer solstice.

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The sun sets behind Times Square Mark Kauzlarich/Reuters
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The sun sets along 42nd Street during Manhattanhenge, as seen from Hunters Point South Park in Queens Drew Angerer/Getty Images
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People stand in the middle of 42nd Street in Times Square to take pictures as the sun sets over Manhattan Mark Kauzlarich/Reuters
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People take photographs of the Manhattanhenge sunset from Hunters Point South Park in Queens Drew Angerer/Getty Images
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The Manhattanhenge sun sets along 42nd Street Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Instagram and Twitter have been flooded with fantastic Manhattanhenge photos. IBTimes UK publishes some of the best in this gallery.

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