Happy Leap Day

On February 29, 2024 millions of “leaplings” from all over should get together and throw one mammoth party in celebration of their birthday. Because let’s face it, it only actually comes around every four years. 

If you have ever wondered what one does if born on leap day, it is as simple as picking a day. 

On non-leap years, those born on this unusual day have a choice for recognizing their birthday, so February 28 or March 01 usually serves as the date.

Leap day is such a mystery and it is the result of time that has accumulated as the Earth rotates around the Sun. 

It takes Earth approximately 365 days and 6 hours to make a full revolution around the Sun, so each year there are 6 hours which add up for four years until those hours equal a day and are basically used in the shortest month, which is February.

Leap day makes it possible for other yearly events and dates to occur on time such as the first day of Spring or the vernal equinox on March 21. It also makes our celebration of New Years at midnight instead of at 6:00 a.m. Without leap days our calendars would be off by 24 days in 100 years.

Speaking of calendars, we use what is called the Gregorian calendar which was developed in the 1500’s.

This calendar makes all years divisible by 4 leap years, but with the exception of centuries which must be divisible by 400 in order to be considered leap years. Meaning that the year 2000 was a leap year but the years 2100 and 2200 won’t be leap years. 

The next leap day will be in the year 2028.