Times Square will ring in 2026 with a dazzling new landmark tonight: the Constellation Ball, the largest and most technologically advanced ball in the history of the iconic New Year's Eve tradition that dates back to 1907.
A New Era for an Old Tradition
The ninth ball to grace One Times Square stands as a testament to both tradition and innovation. Measuring 12.5 feet in diameter and weighing just over 12,000 pounds, it surpasses all previous versions in size and spectacle. The ball features 5,280 circular Waterford crystals in three different sizes—1.5-inch, 3-inch, and 4-inch—marking a significant departure from the triangular crystals used since 1999.
This design shift isn't merely aesthetic. The circular crystals provide greater surface coverage and evoke celestial bodies, celebrating what organizers call infinite possibilities and the interconnectedness of humanity. Each crystal size features a unique design that embodies the ball's spirit of eternal positivity.
Technology Meets Tradition
Beyond its physical presence, the Constellation Ball represents a leap forward in interactive technology. It features state-of-the-art lighting, motion, and control systems, along with a signature sound system and interactive capabilities that previous balls lacked. Most impressively, its real-time audio system creates reactive and generative visual designs based on music or other audio input, making each moment of the celebration dynamically responsive to the energy of the crowd and performances.
The 2025-2026 crystals showcase three themed designs: "Infinite Joy," "Infinite Light," and "Infinite Beginnings." These themes set the tone for the celebration, though organizers will introduce an entirely new theme and crystal designs later in 2026.
America's 250th Birthday Celebration
This year's celebration carries special significance as it kicks off the United States' 250th anniversary year. To mark this milestone, the ball will display patriotic red, white, and blue lighting at the stroke of midnight. Following the traditional ball drop, a historic first will occur at approximately 12:04 AM when the ball will light up again in red, white, and blue, rise above illuminated "2026" numerals, and trigger the first-ever post-midnight confetti release with 2,000 pounds of patriotic-themed confetti.
Times Square is planning another historic moment: a second ball drop on July 3, 2026, to celebrate America's Semiquincentennial. This will mark the first time in history that the ball drops on a holiday other than New Year's Eve.
The Evolution of the Ball
The Times Square ball tradition began in 1907 when Jacob Starr, a Ukrainian immigrant and metalworker, and New York Times publisher Adolph Ochs created the first ball. After city officials banned the fireworks and explosives that had drawn crowds to the newspaper's skyscraper home, they needed a new way to mark midnight.
The original ball measured just 5 feet in diameter, constructed from iron and wood, and illuminated with 100 incandescent light bulbs. It was lowered by hand starting at one minute to midnight, a method used for many years. The tradition proved instantly popular, adapting the concept of "time-balls" that had been used in England since the 1830s at the Royal Observatory at Greenwich.
The ball has been updated seven times over the decades to reflect improvements in lighting technology. Each iteration has grown larger and more elaborate. The sixth ball, which just completed its final drop last year, contained over 32,000 LEDs and will be relocated to an exhibit in the new One Times Square museum alongside earlier balls and a recreation of the first ball.
How Tonight's Celebration Unfolds
The festivities begin at 6:00 PM ET when the Constellation Ball is raised to the top of the pole at One Times Square. Throughout the evening, revelers who arrived early in the afternoon will watch performances and count down to midnight. The Times Square Alliance offers a commercial-free webcast starting at 6:00 PM, featuring backstage access and interviews with performers.
At exactly 11:59 PM ET, the ball begins its 60-second descent down the 139-foot flagpole. As it glides downward, attendees and millions watching from home count down from 60. When the ball reaches the bottom at the stroke of midnight, 2026 officially begins with an eruption of cheers, music, and nearly three tons of confetti filling the air.
Viewing the Ball
The ball can best be seen along Broadway from 43rd Street to 50th Street, and along Seventh Avenue as far north as 59th Street. The sound system is set up in the Bowtie area where Broadway and Seventh Avenue cross, and video screens on One Times Square make the ball visible throughout the event space. Additional screens are positioned throughout the viewing areas.
For those unable to attend in person, multiple networks offer live coverage. ABC's "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest" runs through midnight with celebrity performances and the official countdown. CNN broadcasts "New Year's Eve Live" with Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen from Times Square. NBC presents "A Toast to 2025!" hosted by Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager.
Premium Ball Experience
Adding another innovative touch, One Times Square will offer a "Premium Ball Experience" attraction throughout 2026. This allows guests to remove one of the outgoing crystal panels from the ball to keep and install one of next year's crystals. Visitors can personalize their crystal with a Morse code message encoded via a flashing light sequence, an homage to the telegrams used by the Times' newsroom when it originally occupied the building.
A Global Tradition
What began as a creative solution to replace banned fireworks has evolved into one of the world's most recognized celebrations. The ball dropped every year since 1907 except 1942 and 1943, when wartime dimouts suspended the tradition. Even then, crowds still gathered in Times Square to greet the New Year with a minute of silence followed by chimes from sound trucks.
Tonight, as millions of eyes focus once more on the dazzling Constellation Ball, they'll witness not just the arrival of a new year but the continuation of a tradition that has united people across time zones and generations. At 11:59 PM, the ball will begin its descent, carrying with it the hopes, dreams, and resolutions of countless people ready to embrace 2026.