Leap Day 2024

Every four years, our calendar presents us with an additional day known as Leap Day. This day falls on the last day of February and is written as 29th February. A year with a Leap day is called a Leap year, with 366 days instead of the usual 365 days.

The calendar we use, called the Gregorian calendar, is the one that includes Leap years. This calendar is based on the time it takes for the Earth to orbit once around the sun, which is approximately 365 days and 6 hours. As we celebrate the arrival of the New Year on the 365th day, it’s worth noting that the remaining 6 hours of that day add up to an extra day after four years. This day is added every four years to account for this fractional part of a day.

This practice makes sure that our calendar year stays closely aligned with the astronomical year. Without Leap Day, the seasons would gradually drift out of sync with the calendar, creating confusion. 

The tradition of Leap Year was started by Julius Caesar in 45 BCE. Leap Day has held cultural significance in various traditions and folklore worldwide. People born on Leap days are called Leaplings. A town in the USA named Anthony is called the “Leap Year Capital of the World.” It hosts a festival every Leap Year to celebrate this unique day.

Leap Day plays a crucial role in aligning our calendar with the Earth’s orbit. The last Leap Day occurred in 2020, and the next will arrive in 2028.