While meteorological spring is already underway, astronomical spring doesn't begin until the early morning of March 20, creating an opportunity to catch picturesque sunrises and sunsets right at home in Chicago.
Due to Chicago's mostly symmetrical street grid, sunsets and sunrises align with the grid twice a year when seasons change, for both the vernal and autumnal equinoxes, creating what is known as "Chicagohenge."
While the vernal equinox itself is just a brief moment, occurring at 4:01 a.m. on March 20, Chicago residents will have a few days in the equinox's aftermath to see the unique sights.
According to Adler Planetarium, Chicago's street grid lines up almost exactly with the cardinal directions of a compass, creating ideal conditions for clear sunset and sunrise views as seasons change.
Named after the historic Stonehenge monument, a sculpture similar to Stonehenge named "America's Courtyard" can be found on the right side of the planetarium when approaching the building.
According to the planetarium, the best times to view Chicagohenge for the vernal equinox come just after local sunrise and just before local sunset, with the views able to be seen by looking due east and due west, respectively.
Below are the sunrise and sunset times for this spring's Chicagohenge:
- Thursday, March 20: Sunrise at 6:53 a.m., sunset at 7:03 p.m.
- Friday, March 21: Sunrise at 6:51 a.m., sunset at 7:04 p.m.
- Saturday, March 22: Sunrise at 6:50 a.m., sunset at 7:05 p.m.
More information on Chicagohenge can be found here.
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