Urban canyon sunrise
This is the week when the sun rises directly in the middle of Baltimore's east-west street grid, popping up at the eastern end of east-west streets laid out according to the city's original 18th century street plan.
If the streets were built pointing exactly due east and west, this would occur on Sept. 23, the autumnal equinox. But the surveyors used magnetic north rather than true north. That skewed the street grid 3 degrees counterclockwise, according to Baltimore Streetcorner Astronomer Herman Heyn.
As a result, the street-canyon sunrises occur this week, a few days ahead to the equinox. The sunsets will occur late next week, just after the equinox.
It is a time when rush-hour drivers can find themselves heading directly into a blinding sunrise or sunset. But it's a nifty challenge for photographers. If you'd like to take a crack at a dramatic street-canyon sunrise or sunset shot, give it your best, then send the image to me at frank.roylance@baltsun.com and I will post the best ones.
The shot above was made during one of New York City's street-canyon sunsets.
