The annual countdown to the new year will include a new, much larger ball to drop in Times Square.

Weighing 12,350 pounds and measuring 12.5 feet in diameter, the ninth iteration of the New Year’s Eve Ball is the largest yet. It also features 5,280 Waterford crystals and LED pucks — nearly twice as many as the previous ball.

The Constellation Ball, which sits atop One Times Square before the countdown begins on Dec. 31, is the first to feature circular crystals. That marks a departure from the triangular-shaped design introduced in 1999.

For the first time ever, the revamped centerpiece will also be open for public viewing. New Yorkers will soon be able to purchase tickets to a wraparound viewing deck and even submit personal messages that will be translated into Morse code and displaye

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