A leap year consists of 366 days, which is one day more than a typical year that has 365 days. The additional day is added to the month of February, making it 29 days long instead of the usual 28 days.
The concept of a leap year is rooted in the need to keep our calendar aligned with the Earth’s revolutions around the sun. The Earth takes approximately 365.2425 days to complete one full orbit around the sun. If we didn’t add the extra day every four years, our calendar would slowly drift out of sync with the seasons.
To determine whether a year is a leap year, we follow a few simple rules:
- If a year is divisible by 4, it is a leap year, unless:
- It is divisible by 100, in which case it is not a leap year, unless:
- It is divisible by 400, then it is a leap year.
For example, the year 2000 was a leap year because it is divisible by 400. Conversely, 1900 was not a leap year because, although it is divisible by 4 and 100, it is not divisible by 400.
Leap years play an important role in our calendars and help ensure that we remain in harmony with natural cycles. So, the next time February 29 rolls around, you can appreciate the extra day and how it fits into the intricate workings of time and our calendars!