New Year's ball drop in
New York City

NEW YORK, NY - Well...2008 is in the books.

At the stroke of midnight, the famous New Year's eve ball ended its 70-foot drop in New York’s Times Square marking the start of 2009.

This year's ball was covered with 2,668 Waterford Crystal triangles lit by more than 32,000 LED lights.

Officials estimate more than a million people gathered in Times Square to celebrate the start of the new year.

The Clintons along with mayor Michael Bloomberg pushed the plunger starting the ball’s decent.

The ball weighed 11,875 pounds.

The first famous New Year's eve ball lowering was held at Times Square in 1907.