4. There have been 7 different New Year’s Eve Balls
The Times Square ball has changed drastically since its 1907 debut. The original ball was just 700 pounds, had a five-foot diameter, and was covered in 100 twenty-five watt light bulbs. It was constructed out of iron and wood. In 1920, a new ball made entirely out of wrought iron replaced the original. A lightweight version made of aluminum came in 1955 and was used through the 1980s, when the ball was decked out in red bulbs and given a green stem to look like an apple.
A few more different balls were used throughout the 1990s and early 2000s. The current ball was first used in 2009. Today, the ball weighs 11,875 pounds, has a 12-foot diameter, is covered in 2,688 Waterford crystals, and is lit up by Philips Luxeon LED lights. Learn more about each of Times Square’s New Year’s Eve balls here!