The Times Square Ball descends once during the final countdown at New Year’s Eve in New York City.
The ball begins its descent at 11:59 p.m. and reaches the bottom of its pole at midnight. The one-minute drop creates a visible countdown for the crowd gathered in Times Square and for viewers watching broadcasts around the world. Its arrival at the bottom marks the start of the new calendar year.
The first ball drop took place in 1907, and the event has since become a defining image of New Year’s Eve. The current ball is much larger and more technologically advanced than the original, with illuminated crystal panels and programmable LED lighting.
The ceremony is sometimes confused with the earlier numerals or hourly countdown elements shown during the broadcast. Those features do not mean the ball itself drops repeatedly. The signature ball descent is the single final drop immediately before midnight.