A leap year occurs every four years to ensure that our calendar remains in sync with astronomical realities. This is important for keeping on schedule the beginning of spring and other seasonal events.
A normal year is 365 days, but the actual time it takes Earth to orbit the Sun (one solar year) is about 365.2422 days. To compensate for this difference, an additional day is added every four years. Although this is not a perfect solution, since a solar year is not exactly 365.25 days, it is still a viable way to keep the calendar within an acceptable range of accuracy.
This rule is behind a “leap year”
The rule for leap years in the Gregorian calendar used today is: A year is a leap year if it is divisible by 4. Unless the year is at the end of a century (e.g. 1900), then it must be divisible by 400 to be a year leap year.
For the year 2024, this means it is divisible by 4 without having a century at the end, so it is a leap year. Previous leap years were 2012, 2016 and 2020, future ones are 2028, 2032 and 2036.
Leap years are rich in myths and superstitions
There are several myths and legends surrounding leap years. Many of them have to do with superstitions and special events associated with this extra day (February 29). here are some examples:
- Wedding Customs: There is a superstition that leap years bring bad luck to women, especially when it comes to marriage. Some cultures believed that women should court men during a leap year or that it was bad luck to get married during a leap year.
- Leap Year Babies: There is a superstition that children born on February 29 (the extra day in leap year) have special abilities or guardian angels. In some cultures this date is considered a good luck date.
- Unlucky days: In some cultures, February 29 is considered an unlucky day or a day when unusual things can happen.
- Construction and business projects: Some people avoid starting large construction projects or doing important business deals during a leap year because they believe it brings bad luck.
Many of these myths are based on traditions, traditional customs and local legends and have no scientific basis. Today, leap years are generally considered normal years. Superstition has its place in folklore.