Analysis of the Equinox 'Henge' Effect in U.S. Cities

<img alt="The sun creates a 'Chicagohenge' effect in Chicago, as the sun rises and falls straight down streets such as Kinzie and Madison one or two days each year, as seen here on Sept. 22, 2017." src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/2000x1289+0+0/resize/2000x1289!/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fd0%2Fbf%2F0231db284eae8d5b61ff0eab3ab4%2Fgettyimages-1170783240.jpg" /><p>The fall equinox, which arrives on September 22, 2026, in the U.S., is associated with shorter days and the opportunity to observe the alignment between Earth and the sun. This phenomenon is a contemporary reflection of ancient practices that marked celestial changes.</p><p>(Image credit: Bilgin S. Sasmaz)</p><img src="https://media.npr.org/include/images/tracking/npr-rss-pixel.png?story=nx-s1-5973179" />