A ball descends at midnight during the annual Times Square New Year's Eve countdown.
The Times Square Ball is lowered from One Times Square during the final minute of December 31. The descent traditionally begins at 11:59 p.m., and the ball reaches the bottom at midnight, signaling the start of January 1. The ceremony is watched by people in the square and by television audiences worldwide.
The first ball drop took place in 1907. Today’s ball is a geodesic sphere covered with Waterford Crystal panels and illuminated by LEDs. Its design and lighting have changed several times as technology and sponsorship arrangements evolved.
The object is often casually called the New Year’s ball, but it is not a clock or a star. The countdown takes place at One Times Square in Manhattan, while other cities may use different objects, fireworks, or local symbols for their own midnight traditions.