New YorkTimes Square's New Year's Eve ball has 32,256 LED lightsComment
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At 11:59 p.m. tonight in New York City, the 12-foot ball that will begin its descent from atop One Times Square will be powered by 32,256 ultra-efficient LED light bulbs.
This year's New Year's Eve ball, twice the size of any prior one, weighs 11,875 pounds and is covered in 2,668 Waterford Crystals, according to the organizers' website. It can produce more than 16 million colors and billions of patterns that create a kaleidoscope effect.
The eco-friendly geodesic sphere will become a year-round attraction above Times Square, says Times Square Alliance President Tim Tompkins.
The 32,256 Philips Luxeon LEDs (light emitting diodes) are three times the number used last year. Still, the new ball is 10-20% more energy efficient than the 2008 one and 78% more efficient than the 2007 one. It consumes the same amount of energy per hour as two traditional home ovens.
In 1907, the New Year's Eve ball made its maiden descent and has been lowered every year since, except in 1942 and 1943 when the ceremony was suspended due to the wartime "dimout" of lights in New York City. The first ball, made of iron and wood, was 5 feet in diameter and weighed 700 pounds. It had one hundred 25-watt light bulbs.
Readers: What do you think of this year's ball?
Happy east coast new year! Apparently they time delay the times square ball so I will just have to wait my turn here on the left coast
ReplyDeleteJust witnessed Ball drop from Times Square courtesy CNN, 1 o'clock here. Looking at the many happy faces...Can't help but think I'm A no. 1.
ReplyDeleteJust watched the Times Square ball drop online and re-lived memories from New Years Eve 2004. *sigh*
ReplyDeleteMade it home in time to see the ball drop in Times Square. Another decade down the tubes.
ReplyDeletedick clark new years eve 2010
ReplyDeleteball drop live
insight bowl
watch the ball drop online 2010
after the thin man
times square live
college f...
Watching that creepy steampunk-meets-80s-video-art Times Square new years ball drop on ustream just really summed up my year.
ReplyDeleteI hate tape-delayed Times Square ball drop (ch 5 - Dick Clark). Kare-11 carried it live, kudos!
ReplyDeleteThen went back to watching that Food Network show. And then the new years Times Square ball-drop thing. Yay!
ReplyDeleteSo I heard that the Detroit Lions dropped the ball in Time Square tonight.
ReplyDeleteFirst time in my life I have watched the ball drop in times square.
ReplyDeleteThe Lauderdale-by-the-Sea ball dropping was decidedly less hi tech than Times Square. Loved it. Fireworks and all! :)
ReplyDeleteBall dropped. Times square is finally a man. Happy new year, tweeps
ReplyDeleteso i watched the ball drop n times square and now im going to bed... yes i know im lame but im tired
ReplyDeleteThey really do tell u 2 gets ta steppin once the ball drops...u see times square clear out? Ish was ridiculous last yr! (Rude po po lol)
ReplyDeleteYou know you've done New Year's in Times Square when you have official confetti from the ball drop swishing around in your champagne.
ReplyDelete