MIT Henge


Created November 2007, updated a few times since then.

MIT Building 7 entrance, 77 Mass Ave.

Looking toward the sunset from 77 Mass Ave.

Building 7 lobby.

Sunset through the 77 Mass Ave. window.

The sun shining down the Infinite Corridor.

January 2012 Update

Slice of MIT article from 1/27/2012

November 2011 Update

Boston Globe article from 11/12/2011    As PDF

June 2011 Update

Slice of MIT article from 6/30/2011

A short video from MIT Multimedia

The Sky & Telescope web article of January 27, 2011    As PDF

Full Sky & Tel article from November 2003 (PDF)

January 2011 Update

Pictures from January 30, 2011
Pictures from January 31, 2011

Main Section

When I first started researching MIT Henge, I was frustrated by having to search for the information in different places. So I decided to centralize everything that I found in one place, this web page. After building the page in 2007, I realized that I didn't have any pictures of the outside of the building or of the horizon where the sun was setting. I have tried to add those pictures now, in January of 2011.

Twice a year, the sun aligns with the Infinite Corridor at MIT at sunset. Since the orientation of MIT does not line up with the winter or summer solstice, there are two dates during the year that this happens, around January 30 and November 11. By coincidence, these dates are near the Cross Quarter days of Samhain and Imbolc (Groundhog Day). As a side note, for Boston, Groundhog Day is the first day on which the sun has not set by 5:00 PM, so it is still daytime at the end of the work day.

The best technical details are here: This paper by Alan Eliasen

Other information is here:

The MIT Planning Office web page, updated for 2012

The CAES page

The complete prediction table by Ken Olum

Stuart Goldmans 2003 article from Sky & Telescope (pdf)

A November 2005 email from Alan Eliasen

Wikipedia article about the Infinite Corridor

A YouTube video

For a Google Maps satellite picture of the location in question, click here

What does the planetarium program XEphem say about where the sun is? Note that the lat-lon is generic Cambridge.

At 16:20:10 PM on 11/11/07 xephem gives the following values using the coordinates 42:22:01, 71:06:22, elevation 6.1 meters, temp 10.0 C, pressure 1010 mB.

RA 15:06:09.27, Dec -17:28:11.0, Az 245:44:33, Alt 0:41:09, rise 06:29, set 16:27

For some information on atmospheric refraction, see: this web page

For information on safe solar observing, see: Fred Espenaks solar eclipse web site at NASA.
Scroll down to the section on "Safe Eclipse Viewing and Photography".

If your interest in MIT Henge extends to sundials, investigate the North American Sundial Society
or the Sundial mailing list

Will it be clear? Look at the Clear Sky Clock.

Sunrise and sunset from Time and Date . com

Sunrise, sunset and sunpath from GAISMA

Sun and moon data from The U.S. Naval Observatory

Pictures from Sunday, November 11, 2007


All images Copyright 2007 by Richard Koolish

Kresge Auditorium at MIT

A friend suggests forming the MIT Henge Society 

> Dick,
> 
> How about creating a charter for the MITHenge Society? Here's a draft  
> to spur you on:
> 
> 
> The MITHenge Society (MITHS) is dedicated to the betterment of  
> mankind through a deeper understanding of the MITHenge phenomenon.
> 
> Documentation
> - Measure the azimuth of the Infinite corridor
> - Measure the elevation to the horizon
> 
> Theoretical
> - Examine the effect of atmospheric refraction
> 
> Publication
> - Videos of sun moving by
> - Web page to contain above
> - Real-time video of the next event on the Web
> 
> Preservation
> - Work with MIT and the City of Cambridge to maintain a clear view of  
> the horizon
> 
> Social
> - Examine the causes that lead technically minded persons to find  
> this phenomenon fascinating
> 
>