Philips is lighting the famous Times Square Ball for the 11th year in a row. Each year, Philips showcases its commitment to sustainability on New Year’s Eve. In 2007-2008, Philips converted the Ball itself to all-LEDs. Last year, Philips replaced the 2010 numerals with LEDs. Here are some fun facts about this year’s Ball:
- It is made up of 32,256 light emitting diodes, each of which are digitally controlled to create visual effects.
- Per hour, it will consume the same amount of energy as two traditional home ovens would.
- It requires only 22 watts of power to operate.
- The lighting in the Ball has an expected life of 30,000 hours. (Balls of years past that were lit with incandescent and halogen bulbs had expected life spans of about 1,000 hours.)
The first Ball that was lowered in Times Square on New Year’s Eve was made of iron and wood. It weighed 700 pounds and was covered with 100 light bulbs. That was in 1907. The Ball is now composed of 2,688 Waterford crystal triangles, and it weighs 11,875 pounds! You can view a live feed of the preparations under way in Times Square at EarthCam.com.
Happy New Year from all of us at Pegasus Lighting!