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Leap Years

All articles tagged with #leap years

science-and-technology1 year ago•8 min saved

"Unraveling the Quirk of Leap Years: A Guide to Maximizing Your Extra Day in 2024"

Leap years, which occur every four years, are a result of the Earth's orbit taking roughly 365.24219 days to complete, leading to the need for an extra day every four years to keep the calendar in sync with the solar year. The rules governing leap years are complex, with exceptions at the turn of centuries and the requirement for a year to be divisible by 400 to be a leap year. These adjustments are necessary to prevent the calendar from falling out of sync with the seasons due to the Earth's axial tilt, and to maintain accuracy in timekeeping.

via BBC.com|

#calendar #earths-orbit #gregorian-calendar

science-and-astronomy1 year ago•3 min saved

"Unraveling the Mystery of Leap Years: A 2024 Primer"

Leap years exist because it takes 365.2422 days for Earth to orbit the sun, resulting in a quarter-day discrepancy each year. An animation by planetary scientist James O’Donoghue illustrates this, showing that without leap years, the calendar would drift over time. The current leap year system, established by Pope Gregory, includes exceptions to maintain accuracy, such as skipping leap years divisible by 100 unless they're also divisible by 400. While some propose a new calendar without leap days, the current chaotic calendar has its merits, and for now, we get an extra day this year due to the leap year system.

via Vox.com|

#calendar #earths-orbit #leap-years

science-and-astronomy1 year ago•3 min saved

"The Significance of Leap Years: Unraveling Traditions, Superstitions, and Implications"

Leap years, with their extra day added to February every four years, help keep the 12-month calendar aligned with Earth's movement around the Sun. The concept dates back to ancient Rome, where a solar calendar was introduced by Julius Caesar and later refined by Pope Gregory XIII into the Gregorian calendar. Without leap years, the calendar would gradually fall out of alignment with the seasons. Other calendars, such as the Jewish and Islamic calendars, have their own methods of timekeeping. Astronomy, originating as a way to make sense of daily lives, exemplifies how humans found order in seemingly chaotic conditions, with ancient methods still persisting today.

via PBS NewsHour|

#ancient-rome #astronomy #calendar