The Times Square ball's famous New Year's Eve descent is commonly called the Ball Drop.
The Ball Drop is the lowering of the illuminated Times Square Ball during the final minute of December 31. It reaches the base of the flagpole at One Times Square at midnight, visually marking the transition to January 1 for the assembled crowd and television viewers.
The first ball was lowered in 1907. The present tradition has used several successive balls, with later versions becoming larger, brighter, and more weather-resistant. The current design is covered with Waterford crystal panels and uses LED lighting capable of producing many color combinations.
The phrase “ball drop” can also describe other local countdown events, but capitalized references to the Ball Drop usually mean the New York City ceremony. It is not a ball being released to fall freely; it is lowered in a controlled descent.