In New York City's Times Square New Year's Eve celebration, the ball drops 70 feet from its pole.
The descent takes place on the roof of One Times Square shortly before midnight on December 31. The ball is lowered down a specially built pole in a descent lasting about 60 seconds, reaching the bottom as the new year begins. The first Times Square ball drop occurred in 1907, replacing fireworks used in an earlier celebration.
The modern ball is a geodesic sphere covered with Waterford crystal panels and illuminated by LEDs. Its appearance and technology have changed repeatedly: the original ball was made of iron and wood, while later versions became larger and more elaborate. The current ball is 12 feet in diameter and weighs nearly 12,000 pounds.
A common mix-up is confusing the ball's 70-foot drop with the building's height or the ball's diameter. The ball itself is 12 feet wide; 70 feet describes the vertical distance it travels during the countdown.