Times Square Ball, New Year's Eve ball drop in Times Square, Manhattan, United States

This illuminated sphere descends from the roof of One Times Square each year and features thousands of LED bulbs and crystal panels. It forms the centerpiece of the New Year celebration on Broadway, where streets and plazas fill as the final seconds of the year pass.

Adolph Ochs, owner of The New York Times, commissioned sign designer Artkraft Strauss to build the first ball, lowered on December 31, 1907 to welcome 1908, after fireworks displays at One Times Square since 1904. The drop was suspended for the 1942–43 and 1943–44 New Year's Eves because of wartime blackouts during World War II. The ball has been redesigned repeatedly, from a 1.5 m wood-and-iron sphere lit by 100 bulbs to the 3.81 m Constellation Ball debuting for 2025–26.

Every December 31st, one million people gather in Times Square while millions worldwide watch live broadcasts of performances, countdowns, and the midnight ball descent.

Visitors should reach the plaza on the morning of December 31st, as surrounding streets close throughout the day and security checks limit access. There are no public restrooms in the barricaded sections, so planning ahead is important for the long outdoor wait.

The sphere remains on the building throughout the year and is removed only for maintenance, with testing conducted in the days before December 31st. During its descent, it changes colors through a computer-controlled lighting program that illuminates the crystal faces in different patterns.