In New York City's Times Square New Year's Eve celebration, the Ball takes 60 seconds to descend.
The descent begins at 11:59 p.m. on December 31 and ends exactly at midnight, marking the start of the new year. The modern Ball is a geodesic sphere covered with Waterford Crystal panels and illuminated by thousands of LED lights.
The first Times Square Ball was lowered in 1907 to celebrate the new year. The tradition continued through many design changes, including larger illuminated versions introduced in later decades. The event is often called the ball drop, although the object is technically lowered rather than simply released.
The celebration was interrupted in 1942 and 1943 because wartime blackout restrictions prevented the usual illuminated ceremony. The Ball later returned, and the descent remains one of the world's most recognizable New Year's Eve broadcasts.