What illuminated object descends in Times Square at midnight on New Year's Eve?
Answer
The Times Square Ball
The illuminated object that descends in Times Square at midnight on New Year's Eve is the Times Square Ball.
The tradition began on December 31, 1907, when a time ball lowered from the flagpole atop One Times Square to mark the arrival of 1908. The event was organized by newspaper publisher Adolph Ochs and designed by electrician Walter F. Palmer. A fireworks display had previously been used, but city officials stopped permitting it.
The ball has been redesigned several times. The modern version is a geodesic sphere covered with Waterford Crystal panels and illuminated by LEDs. Its size and weight have changed over the years, and the current ball is far larger than the original.
The descent lasts 60 seconds and ends at midnight Eastern Time. A common mix-up is calling it a New Year's “star”; it is officially the Times Square Ball, and the celebration is commonly known as the ball drop.