No One Told You About Leap Year? Let's Read & Understand!
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Leap year occurs every four years as we have an extra day in every fourth year of the western calendar.
The Earth completes its orbit around the Sun in 365 days and six hours. The extra six hours from four consecutive years are added to the leap year.
The upcoming leap day is February 29, 2024. The solar year or tropical year consists of 365 days, five hours, 48 minutes, and 46 seconds. Without the leap day, the standard calendar drifts away.
The calendar year is decided based on the days the Earth takes to complete one revolution around the Sun. The leap year is the fourth year of the calendar.
The Gregorian calendar also has leap years and was included by Pope Gregory XIII. Every 400 years, they take out three leap years.
People born on a leap day are known as leaplings. Julius Caesar was the first to introduce the concept of leap years and added it to the Julian calendar.
The Romans treated leap days as 'ante diem bis sectum Kalendas Martias,' which means that the leap day fell on the following sixth day before the first day of March (Kalends). People born on the leap day celebrate their birthdays a day earlier or a day later.
The only difference between an ordinary year and a leap year is the addition of one day, and feast days are celebrated in some cultures on leap day. The Julian calendar featured a 12-month, 365-day year, with an intercalary day inserted every fourth year.
Did you know that Julius Caesar reformed the historic Roman calendar that was not strictly solar or strictly lunar! Do you know anyone who eagerly waits for the year that is divisible by four? Well, that person most likely has had an important event on February 29!
Read on for interesting leap year facts about the Julian Year and how well the Gregorian Calendar achieves this calculation. Afterward, also check out what is the seventh month and 3200 years old tree.
Funny Facts About Leap Year
A solar year depends on Earth's orbit, which takes 365 days, five hours, 48 minutes, and 46 seconds. Leap day falls on February 29 every four years. The Leap cycle is followed every four years, and its origin can be traced back to Roman dates.
Below are a few fun facts about leap year.
- The people born on February 29, the leap year babies, are called leapers or leaplings.
- It is considered bad luck to get married in a leap year in Greece.
- The leap day is not considered a legal day.
- In many cultures, women were allowed to propose to their partners on February 29.
- In some countries, there is a fine on not accepting a proposal done on the leap day.
- The Swedish pocket calendar started including leap days in 2008.
- In Finland, the man needs to give fabric to the girl to make a skirt.
- Anthony of Texas and Anthony of New Mexico have declared themselves the Leap Year Capital of the World.
- Leap year originated from Catholic Church and medieval church. Pope Gregory XIII introduced leap years to the Gregorian Calendar.
- There is an exclusive club for people born on February 29. It is called the Honor Society of Leap Year Day Babies. It has over 11,000 members.
- In many cultures, people eagerly await the leap day as many festivities occur on this day.
- People that work on fixed wages usually work for free on February 29 as it is not counted.
Quotes About Leap Year
Below are a few quotes about leap years that will undoubtedly intrigue you.
'Happiest birthday leapers—realize this, leapers are exceptional gems, born in a leap year—and guess what? They age four times slower than everyone else! To my leapers, greater grace, more wins. All my love, Mercy Seaphrora IV.' ― Princess Dr. Mercy Uwakwe.
'So it was that on February 29, at the beginning of the thaw, this singular person fell out of infinity into Iping Village.' — H.G. Wells, The Invisible Man.
'Like leap-year day- nothing in itself, but a nudge jostling every other day.' — Michael Cisco.
'Every leap year I like to jump. It's a good way to get my daily exercise in every four years.' — Jarod Kintz.
Interesting Facts About Leap Year
Leap days have some good and some bad significance in various cultures. Below are some interesting facts about leap year.
The first leap year was introduced in 46 BC by Julius Caesar. It was known as the Julian Calendar and was followed by Rome's Church and civil society. It has been a part of the Roman calendar since then.
In colonial Massachusetts, the first arrest warrant was issued against people practicing dark magic on February 29, 1692. It was later known as Salem Witch Trials.
A parody newspaper is published in France on February 29 every year. It is called La Bougie du Sapeur.
On leap day, Rare Disease Day is celebrated all around the world.
In ancient Irish culture, women were allowed to propose to their partners on the leap day.
The first warrant was issued for the Salem Witch trials on February 29, 1692.
Truth About Leap Year
The truth about the leap year is that the leap year is just adjusting the 6 extra hours in one single year. Leap year was started by Julius Caesar.
It is important due to the Gregorian calendar and the orbit of the Sun. Without the leap day, the calendar and seasons will sync out.
Leap years are every four years and are divisible by four. The calendars will not align properly if we don't have leap years.
If we don't have leap years, our years will be off by five hours, 48 minutes, and 45 seconds. The people born on leap day, February 29, are known as leapling. Earlier it was known as Ladies Day or Ladies' Privilege.
This was because women were allowed to propose to men on this day. In many cultures, leap year is not considered lucky to get married. Some tragedies have happened during leap years like the sinking of the Titanic in 1912 and the burning of Rome.
Songs About Leap Year
Leap years have been part of our calendar for a very long time and were introduced by Julius Caesar. It was introduced in the Gregorian Calendar by Pope Gregory XIII.
Below is a list of songs about leap year.
- Leap Year Blues by Big Bill Broonzy
- A Strange Day by The Cure
- Jump by Van Halen
- Waiting for the Great Leap Forwards by Bill Braggs
- 29 by Ryan Adams
- Here Today by The Beach Boys
- Leap of Faith by Bruce Springsteen
- The Calendar Hung Itself by Bright Eyes
- Jumpin' Jack Flash by The Rolling Stones
- Another Day by Paul McCartney
- Kriss Kross by Jump
- Andra Day by Rise Up
- Yves LaRock by Rise Up
- Juicy J ft. Wale, Trey Songz by Bounce It
- I'll Tell My Ma by The Colonials
- The Irish Rover by the Colonials
- More and More of Your Amor by Nat King Cole
- Day to Day by Eulogies
- Waltz With Anna by The Brombies
- Patsy Fagan by Dessie O’Halloran and Sharon Shannon
- Within a Mile of Home by Flogging Molly
- A Pint for Breakfast by The Brombies
- Leaping Lizards by The Brombies
- Dream a Little Dream Of Me by The Mamas and The Papas
- Only Love Can Break Your Heart by Gwyneth Herbert
Information About Leap Year
Leap year is also known as an intercalary year or bissextile year. Leap year has one extra day than other years. Below is some information about leap year day.
The calendar year is decided based on the days it takes Earth to orbit around the Sun. The Earth takes about 365 days six hours to revolve around the Sun.
Our average year has 365 days, but we add one extra day to the fourth year to make up for the six hours. This extra day is February 29, and all leap years are divisible by four. The leap days are not considered legal days.
Three leap years are removed from this calendar for every four century years. Pope Gregory XIII added leap years to the Gregorian Calendar. It was initially introduced by Julius Caesar and was a part of the Julian years. The child born on leap day is called a leapling. Their first birthdays are celebrated with big feasts.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for about leap year then why not take a look at how many days are in February or when do the days start getting longer.
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Bachelor of Science specializing in Human Anatomy
Joan AgieBachelor of Science specializing in Human Anatomy
With 3+ years of research and content writing experience across several niches, especially on education, technology, and business topics. Joan holds a Bachelor’s degree in Human Anatomy from the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria, and has worked as a researcher and writer for organizations across Nigeria, the US, the UK, and Germany. Joan enjoys meditation, watching movies, and learning new languages in her free time.
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