The month of February 2024 is about to end this week but it is going to witness an extra day - a leap day. A leap day occurs in a leap year, which usually occurs every four years.
What is a leap year?
The concept stems from the fact that it takes Earth approximately 365.25 days (365 days and six hours) to complete one orbit around the sun. To accommodate this fractional time, an extra day is added to the calendar approximately every four years.
Source: nasa.gov
Why do we have leap years?
A year signifies the time it takes for a planet to orbit its star, while a day symbolises one full rotation on its axis. Earth's orbit around the sun takes roughly 365 days and 6 hours. By including a leap day every four years, we adjust for this additional time, ensuring our calendar remains synchronised with astronomical cycles.
When is the next leap year?
In 2024, leap day falls on Thursday, February 29. Following this, the subsequent leap years are forecasted for 2028, 2032 and 2036.
What happens when people are born on a leap day?
Individuals born on February 29 are affectionately referred to as Leaplings. Only approximately 5 million people worldwide share this unique birthday, with odds of being born on Leap Day standing at about 1-in-1,461, according to history.com.
Notable figures like actress and singer Dinah Shore, motivational speaker Tony Robbins, and hip-hop artist Ja Rule all celebrate their birthdays only once every four years.
Do other planets have leap years?
Leap years aren't exclusive to Earth. Every planet in the solar system experiences similar adjustments due to the misalignment between a planet's orbit around the sun (year) and its rotation on its axis (day). For instance, Mars encounters more leap years than regular years, according to NASA.
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