New Year’s Eve Ball at Times Square

Times Square has been the cream of the cream of New Year’s Eve celebrations for more than a century.

Amid stringent security measures, hundreds of thousand of people gathered at Manhattan’s fabled Times Square late Monday (US Eastern time) to greet the New Year.

Over a billion people throughout the world wait for the famous ball top drop which began in 1904.

In the eve of 2008, people wear flashing 2008 shaped sunglasses, some with silver top hats, and others blow whistle as they settle down and wait for the ball to drop for the launch of 2008.

This is also the celebration for the 100th lowering of the ball which is made of 672 crystal triangles and weighs almost 500 kilos which is around twice as bright as the ball of the last years celebration. Mayor Michael Bloomberg will initiate its 60-second slide down from a 23.5 meter flagpole and at the strike of 12, fireworks will light up the sky and two tons of confetti will rain down the crowd.

Right now, CNN delivers a live telecast of the New York Time’s Square celebration.