Today is leap day, February 29, 2024, so what is all this talk about leap year and leap day? We all hear about it, but do we actually know what it is? A leap year is an adjustment to our calendar system to align it more closely with the Earth’s orbit around the Sun.
Typically, a year is considered to be 365 days. However, it actually takes the Earth about 365.24 days to complete its orbit. This extra 0.24 day accumulates over time, and to correct for this discrepancy, an extra day is added to the calendar every four years, making those years 366 days long. This additional day is February 29, marking a leap year.
The concept of a leap year dates back to the time of Julius Caesar in 45 BCE when the Julian calendar was introduced. The goal was to keep the calendar year synchronized with the astronomical year. Without this adjustment, seasons would gradually shift out of alignment with the calendar.
Today, February 29, 2024, celebrates such a leap year day, a rare and special occurrence that only happens once every four years. This system ensures that our calendar remains in alignment with Earth’s revolutions around the Sun, preserving the seasonal integrity throughout the years. So, there you have it. That’s what leap year is and how it came about!
