In Times Square New Year's Eve celebrations, what object is lowered at midnight?

The object lowered at midnight during Times Square New Year's Eve celebrations is the Times Square Ball.

The tradition began on December 31, 1907, when the first ball descended from a flagpole atop One Times Square. Newspaper publisher Adolph Ochs introduced the event to attract attention to the building and mark the arrival of 1908. The first ball was made of iron and wood, decorated with electric lights, and measured about 5 feet (1.5 meters) in diameter.

The modern ball is a highly engineered geodesic sphere covered with Waterford crystal panels and illuminated by LEDs. Although people often call the event a “ball drop,” the ball is actually raised before the descent begins. The six-hour lowering ceremony has become one of the most recognizable New Year's Eve broadcasts worldwide.

The ball did not descend in 1942 or 1943 because wartime blackout rules prevented the usual public lighting in Times Square. The celebration continued with a moment of silence instead.