Happy New Year to all family and friends!!No New years resolution this time, just stick to the one’s from last year (Sure you know why)!!
Just wanted to share the facts about the crystal ball that drops in Times Square. It’s the 100th anniversary of the ball drop and yes I have witnessed it one myself. Its madness I tell you to stand in queue to save the right spot for yourself, almost7 – 8 hours in advance not to mention in freezing temperatures. But well it has its own thrill and when you are there, the excitement is so high that you forget everything else.
So anyways, the crystal ball is light up on New Year’s Eve, and one minute before midnight the countdown starts, the ball begins its 77 foot descent down a poll on top of One Times Square, flashing all sorts of bright colors.
The concept is based on a time ball, an instrument used by sailors to set their chronometers, as accurate time keeping was essential for sailors so they could determine their longitude while at sea. The balls were typically dropped at 1 PM, and the time re-set was done upon the drop, not when it reached the bottom
Here’s some general info I found on the New Year’s ball, which debuted in 1907 I believe. The Ball gets an overhaul for the new millennium celebrations with a design from Waterford Crystal. It weighs 1070 pounds (485 kg), measures six feet (1.8 m) in diameter and installed with 504 crystal triangles, illuminated externally with 168 halogen light bulbs and internally with 432 light bulbs of clear, red, blue, green and yellow colors. There are strobe lights and mirrors to create bursts of excitement and special effects for the audience.
This year the ball was lit by LED lights provided by Philips instead of halogen bulbs for energy saving purpose.
No comments:
Post a Comment