Here in Chicago, we have a special solar event twice a year aptly named ‘Chicagohenge’. It’s a special alignment of the sun and our beautiful, tall city buildings. For a week or so around the Spring and Fall Equinox (around March 21 and September 21 most years), the sun sets due east and west of the streets in downtown Chicago. Our perfect city grid creates a situation where the sunset is framed precisely between the tall buildings that line each side of the road. My husband Nick has photographed this phenomenon on a number of occasions. This is what it looks like.
This fleeting moment is just that, fleeting. It occurs on a small number of days each year, and if you miss it, you’re out of luck until the next equinox. Well maybe NOT! I have some exciting news. The rooftop of LondonHouse Chicago gives us another opportunity to catch a ‘henge’. This second henge happens roughly two weeks after the fall equinox (and about two weeks before the spring equinox) and during this time the angles are just right to discover an equally spectacular henge-y sunset from the rooftop of LondonHouse Chicago (LHon22). The hotel property is situated on the curved portion of Wacker Drive at the corner of Michigan Ave. And because of the way Wacker Drive curves along the river it just so happens when you reach the outdoor rooftop and look west, the sun sets directly between the buildings at the end of the Chicago River. The conditions have to be just right, but when the weather cooperates the result is simply breathtaking. Perhaps we should start to call these sunsets ‘LondonHousehenge’.
I’ve created content for LondonHouse Chicago for a couple of years now, and it’s a rewarding experience to keep finding new and exciting ways to photograph the property and everything it has to offer. This was by far one of the most invigorating moments I’ve ever had shooting the sun and skyline. The variety was vast; from pre-sunset through blue hour. The solar flares and dramatic contrast of the bright sun against the seemingly dark city buildings was an absolute treat to play with. I recently added a new lens to my collection (Nikor Zoom 28 – 300mm F/3.5-5.6) and it gave me great range without having to devote time to switching out lenses. The sunset happens quickly and every moment counts.
I hope you enjoy this photo set as much as I enjoyed creating it. Mark your calendar for next year and you too can enjoy this amazing solar alignment!
