Reflecting on the Tech Behind One of the Most Iconic Celebrations

For many, the New Year is a time of renewal and fresh starts, allowing us to turn the page and begin our next lap around the sun on the right foot. That said, the holiday is also steeped in traditions—for instance, the Times Square celebration, where a massive ball is slowly dropped to signify the countdown until the calendar officially shifts from one year to the next.

This tradition has a fascinating history, based mainly on the technology of the times.

Times Square’s Ball Has Locomotive and Nautical Roots 

For many years, “midnight” was a much more subjective term, with no standardized system to keep everyone’s timekeeping consistent. 

Back then, the New York Times offices resided in Times Square (hence the name) and would launch fireworks and pyrotechnics at midnight to commemorate the new year. These celebrations proved short-lived, as city officials shut down the practice after just a few years in 1907.

Not wanting to give up on their new tradition, the publisher of the Times—Adolph Ochs—commissioned Ukrainian immigrant metalworker Jacob Starr to conceive of and create a new, safer display.

Fittingly, Times Square’s Ball was Fashioned After Time Balls

Time balls were a longstanding invention that enabled ships to synchronize time at sea. Starting in 1818, these time balls—lit orbs descending at one o’clock each afternoon—allowed captains to adjust their chronometers accurately.

Thanks to the increasing spread of electric lighting, the Times time ball (which Starr fashioned out of iron and wood, weighing a hefty 700 pounds and measuring about five feet in diameter) was initially illuminated by 100 25-watt bulbs and maneuvered via manual pulling based on a stopwatch’s count. Despite the ball’s popularity, it would be decades until all American homes abandoned gas lamps and candles as a primary light source.

Incidentally, the railroad industry's establishment of standardized time zones across North America in 1883 allowed different areas to track the exact stroke of midnight more precisely. It wasn’t until 1918 that time zones were written into federal law via the Standard Time Act.

How the Tech of the Times Square Ball Has Changed Over the Years

Since the first ball drop, numerous additional designs have been utilized.

1. The first ball, the one designed by Jacob Starr, was lowered for a total of 12 years, and was initially accompanied by waiters in the eateries of Times Square wearing top hats that featured “1908” constructed of tiny bulbs that could be turned on at the appropriate time.
2. In 1920, a new ball was constructed out of wrought iron that weighed 400 pounds in total. By then, the New York Times had moved out of Times Tower, but the tradition continued. The ball drop was only skipped in 1942 and 1943 to comply with the wartime dimming of lights as a precaution against enemy bombers.
3. 1955 saw another new ball, made from aluminum, that weighed a relatively scant 150 pounds. In 1961, the Times finally sold the Tower to developer Douglas Leigh, who then sold it to Allied Chemical for use as a showroom. It was then leased to Alex M. Parker, who purchased it outright in 1973.
4. From 1981 to 1988, the ball was fitted with red bulbs and a green stem in conjunction with the “I Love New York” campaign, allowing New York City to highlight another Big Apple. The tower changed hands numerous times throughout the decade.
5. A more traditional design was again adopted in 1989, returning the ball to its original white hue.
6. 1995 saw another upgrade, adding an aluminum skin to the ball and decking it out with rhinestones, strobe lights, and computerized controls… ending the tradition of manually lowering the symbolic orb each year. This ball was only used for three years, being lowered one final time in 1998 to herald in 1999. Lehman Brothers purchased the property in 1995, adding the infamous billboards, and real estate management and investment firm Jamestown L.P. has owned the building since 1997.
7. In 2000, the new millennium saw another updated ball, combining more traditional materials with advanced lighting courtesy of Waterford Crystal and Philips Lighting.
8. For the 100th anniversary of the ball drop, a new Centennial Ball was crafted in 2007 with LED lighting that improved its energy efficiency, brightness, and the range of colors that could be used. Since then, a permanent ball has been installed to be admired all year, weighing just under six tons and spanning 12 feet in diameter.

Numerous patents related to the ball drop have also been filed, including one for the display that counts down the seconds and activates noisemakers, lights, and confetti cannons. Other patents include the mechanism for illuminating the ball itself and the laser-light show that projects holographic images toward the ball.

As Technology Improves, this Symbol of Renewal Will Almost Assuredly Reflect That

With about a billion people tuning in and watching the ball descend each year, this is one tradition we can confidently say will last for many more years. Time will only tell how technology can help make these celebrations bigger and brighter than ever.

Happy New Year from all of us at iTSTL!