Leap Day 2024: This year consists of 366 days, and hence, the month of February is having 29 days instead of 28 days.
This is a natural phenomenon which repeats every four years. This is the way to keep the calendars synchronised with the solar calendar.
This accounts for the fact that the earth takes 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes and 45 seconds to complete traveling around its own orbit.
Without the leap day – February 29 – the calendar will go out of synchronisation and ultimately, seasons will start a year earlier, and it will be completely out of alignment.
Interesting facts to know about Leap Day:
- Roman Dictator Julius Caesar established the Leap Day concept for the Julian calendar in 45 BCE. However, it was adopted on February 24 instead of February 29. Also, February was the last month in the Julian calendar.
- The Chinese people observe a tradition where an entire month is added to the calendar in places. It happened last in the year of 2015.
- In earlier times, Leap Day was observed as the special day for role reversal. It was celebrated as the day when women could propose to men instead of men expressing their affection for them. However, slowly the tradition dissolved, thanks to gender role dissolution.
- Babies born on Leap Day are referred to as leaplings or leap year babies. They usually observe their birthday on February 28 or March 1, during non-leap years.
- When considered the total population of the planet, the odds of being born on Leap Day are very significant. There is 1 in 1461 chances of a baby being born on February 29.
- There are two Leap Year capitals in the world – Anthony, Texas and Anthony, New Mexico. Lavish, multi-day celebrations are held in these places on every Leap Day.
