- The year 2024 is a leap year, which happens every four years and adds one day to the calendar.
- This means that February 2024 will have 29 days rather than the usual 28.
What exactly is a leap year?
- A leap year has 366 days, one more than the standard 365 days, with the extra day added to February.
- The extra day compensates for the extra time it takes the Earth to complete its orbit around the Sun.
The Reason for the Leap Year Introduction
- Astronomical foundation: The Earth orbits the Sun in about 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, and 46 seconds.
- Time Adjustment: To match this duration, an extra day is added every four years, bringing the total extra time to nearly six hours every year.
Historical Context
- Julian Calendar: Developed by scholars under Julius Caesar in 46 BC, the Julian calendar was the first to introduce the concept of leap years.
- Pope Gregory XIII changed the calendar in 1582 by skipping 10 days to remedy accumulated inconsistencies.
Calculation of a Leap Year
- Gregorian Calendar Regulations: The leap year does not occur exactly every four years. Years ending in 00 are not considered leap years unless they are divisible by 400.
- Following this criteria, the year 1900 was not a leap year, but the year 2000 was.
Source: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/how-to/2024-leap-year-what-is-leap-year-why-it-comes-in-february-and-how-its-calculated-here-is-all-you-should-know/articleshow/106445410.cms#:~:text=Due%20to%20the%20Earth's%20orbit,alignment%20with%20the%20changing%20seasons.&text=As%20we%20enter%202024%2C%20an,making%20it%20a%20leap%20year.