What is the name of the New Year's Eve ball traditionally dropped in New York's Times Square?

The Times Square Ball is the illuminated ball traditionally lowered at midnight in New York City.

The modern ball is a geodesic sphere covered with Waterford crystal panels and LED lighting. It is raised to the top of One Times Square before the ceremony and descends during the final minute of December 31. The event's name often leads people to picture a small object, but the current sphere is a large engineered installation designed for public viewing and television broadcasts.

The first ball used in the Times Square tradition descended in 1907. The ceremony was suspended during some wartime years, when New York observed a quieter midnight because of blackout restrictions, and it later returned in updated forms.

The ball is not the same object as the illuminated New Year's decorations used in other cities. Its identity is specifically tied to Times Square, while the crystal and lighting design have changed through successive versions.