Holidays

Times Square Ball Drop

Holidays
Times Square Ball Drop
Rate this topic

Did you know? Calculations for the descent speed are adjusted for local wind speed and air density to ensure perfect timing. elaborate

Fact 1 of 18

18 facts about Times Square Ball Drop

  1. 1
    People think the ball is dropped by a person pulling a lever, but it is actually controlled by a highly precise computer system synchronized to the atomic clock.
  2. 2
    The very first ball used in 1907 was made of wood and iron and decorated with 100 little light bulbs.
  3. 3
    The Waterford crystal company creates a new design theme every year, such as the Gift of Wisdom or Gift of Happiness.
  4. 4
    The ball has a backup power system so that if the city loses electricity, the party doesn't have to stop.
  5. 5
    The ball drop is broadcast to over a billion people globally, which is a lot of eyes watching one shiny object.
  6. 6
    The ball has been dropped every single year since 1907, except for the two years during World War II.
  7. 7
    Calculations for the descent speed are adjusted for local wind speed and air density to ensure perfect timing.
  8. 8
    The crystal patterns on the ball are cut using light-refracting technology to maximize the brilliance of the lights inside.
  9. 9
    There was a time when the ball was lowered by a complex system of ropes and pulleys handled by six strong men.
  10. 10
    The ball uses a specific type of high-efficiency LED that was custom-engineered to withstand the vibrations of the massive crowd below.
  11. 11
    People sometimes think the ball is a giant disco ball, but it is actually a geodesic sphere structure.
  12. 12
    Before the ball drop, the New York Times newspaper used to celebrate New Year's Eve by setting off fireworks from the roof.
  13. 13
    The ball has been lowered by hand in the past, but it is now controlled by a computer system that synchronizes the drop with the official atomic clock.
  14. 14
    The ball uses over 32,000 LEDs that can create a color palette of more than 16 million vibrant colors.
  15. 15
    The very first ball drop in 1907 was made of iron and wood, weighing 700 pounds and decorated with 100 light bulbs.
  16. 16
    The modern ball is covered in over 2,600 Waterford crystal triangles, which are so fragile that technicians have to wear white cotton gloves just to handle them during the annual replacement process.
  17. 17
    The ball is so well-maintained that it actually has its own dedicated team of technicians who check the thousands of LED modules to ensure not a single pixel goes dark during the descent.
  18. 18
    During World War II, the ball drop was suspended for two years in 1942 and 1943 due to wartime dimout regulations, so revelers observed a minute of silence instead.
Keep exploring

More in Holidays

Christmas
Rate this topic
Holidays
Christmas

The tradition of putting up a Christmas tree was popularized in the United Kingdom by Prince Albert, who brought a fir tree from his native Germany to Windsor Castle in 1841. elaborate

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
Rate this topic
Holidays
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

The film was written by John Hughes and is based on his own short story Christmas '59, which was published in National Lampoon magazine. elaborate

Candy Canes
Rate this topic
Holidays
Candy Canes

While many believe candy canes were invented to look like a shepherd's crook to represent the Christmas story, there is no historical evidence to support this, and it is likely just a sweet folklore tale. elaborate

Christmas Trees
Rate this topic
Holidays
Christmas Trees

In the early 1900s, some people were so worried about the fire hazards of real candles on trees that they tried to use slices of raw potatoes as candle holders, hoping the moisture would keep the branches from catching fire. elaborate

Christmas Carols
Rate this topic
Holidays
Christmas Carols

In the 1600s, Oliver Cromwell and the Puritans banned the singing of Christmas carols in England, declaring them sinful and a distraction from religious devotion. elaborate

A Christmas Carol
Rate this topic
Holidays
A Christmas Carol

The term Merry Christmas was already well-known, but the popularity of A Christmas Carol helped make the phrase a standard holiday greeting in the Victorian era. elaborate