What object drops from One Times Square during New Year's Eve in New York City?

The object that drops from One Times Square during New Year's Eve in New York City is the Times Square Ball.

The illuminated ball descends a pole on the roof of One Times Square during the final minute before midnight. The tradition began in 1907, when the New York Times used a ball to mark the start of 1908 after fireworks restrictions affected the newspaper's celebration plans.

The ball has been redesigned several times. Earlier versions used iron, wood, aluminum, and incandescent bulbs; later versions incorporated crystal panels and LED technology. The current design is much larger than the original and is displayed at One Times Square during much of the year.

The event is often called the “ball drop,” but the object does not simply fall. It is lowered in a controlled descent, and the final moment is synchronized with the arrival of midnight in the Eastern Time Zone.