Times Square New Year’s Eve ball drop will dazzle with 32,000+ LED lights

The countdown to New Year’s Eve is on and all eyes will be on New York City's dazzling <a href="http://inhabitat.com/nyc/times-square-ball-to-light-up-with-32256-green-leds-in-celebration-of-st-patricks-day/">Waterford Crystal Times Square ball drop</a> tomorrow night. A worldwide symbol of new beginnings, the mesmerizing Waterford Crystal-clad geodesic sphere boasts <a href="http://inhabitat.com/philips’-supe-efficient-ambientled-bulb-now-available-in-stores/" target="_blank">672 LED modules</a> totaling 32,256 Philips Luxeon Rebel LEDs. Thanks to the energy-efficient lights, the famous orb will be able to illuminate the night with billions of glittering color combos.

New Years Eve Times Square Ball

The <a href="http://inhabitat.com/nyc/2012-times-square-new-years-eve-ball-dazzles-with-philips-led-lights/" target="_blank">world-famous ball</a> that marks the change of the New Year in the United States is twelve feet in diameter, and a whopping 11,875 pounds.

The get its dazzling glittering effect, the surface of the ball is covered in 2,688 Waterford Crystal triangles, which reflect and refract light.

The crystals on this year’s ball are extra special, with intricate wedge cuts that create kaleidoscope patterned effect on the ball.

Behind the crystals are the <a href="http://inhabitat.com/sea-mirror-yann-kersales-dazzling-led-heliostat-installation-opens-in-sydney/" target="_blank">LED modules</a> affixed to the ball’s frame.

The energy efficient Philips Luxeon Rebel LEDs each have 12 red, 12 blue, 12 green and 12 white LEDS, making 8,064 of each color over the ball’s surface. Together, the LEDs can emit nearly endless colors- a palette of over 16 million colors and literally billions of patterns to enlighten the crowd of thousands that gather in Times Square to watch it first hand.

This year marks the 109 th <a href="http://inhabitat.com/nyc/phase-1-of-times-square-reconstruction-completed-in-time-for-new-years-eve/" target="_blank">New Year’s celebration in Times Square</a>, and the sixth year the ball has been made with energy efficient LED lights.