What is the name of the New Year's Eve ball used in Times Square since 2008?

The New Year's Eve Ball is the Times Square ball used in its current design since 2008.

The present ball was introduced for the 2008 celebration and is displayed annually above One Times Square. It is covered with Waterford crystal triangles and illuminated by energy-efficient LEDs. Its design uses thousands of crystals and a programmable lighting system capable of producing many color patterns during the countdown.

The ball's appearance has changed repeatedly since the first drop in 1907. Earlier versions used iron, wood, aluminum and incandescent bulbs, while later designs became larger and more technologically sophisticated. The current ball is about 12 feet in diameter and weighs almost six tons.

A common mix-up is calling the object the “Waterford Ball.” Waterford supplies the crystal panels, but the official generic name is the New Year's Eve Ball. It is lowered by a controlled mechanism during the final minute before midnight.