what is the ball drop on

The Times Square New Year’s Eve ball drop happens at midnight Eastern Time (12:00 a.m. ET) on New Year’s, with the ball starting its 60‑second descent at 11:59 p.m. from the top of One Times Square in New York City.

What “the ball drop” is

• The ball is a large, illuminated time ball mounted on a pole atop One Times Square in Manhattan. It is the centerpiece of the New Year’s Eve celebration there.

• The phrase “ball drop” refers specifically to the 60‑second descent of this ball that marks the final countdown to the new year.

When it happens

• The ball is raised into position around 6 p.m. ET on December 31, and remains lit through the evening.

• At exactly 11:59 p.m. ET, it begins to drop; it reaches the bottom at 12:00 a.m. ET, signaling the start of the new year.

Where it happens

• The ball drop takes place in Times Square, located along Broadway and Seventh Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, New York City.

• The ball itself is on the roof of One Times Square, at the intersection of Broadway and 43rd Street.

How to watch it

• You can watch in person from viewing areas along Broadway and Seventh Avenue around Times Square, which typically open mid‑afternoon on December 31.

• It is also broadcast live on major TV networks and via official online livestreams so people worldwide can see the ball drop at midnight Eastern Time.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.