WHY DO WE NEED LEAP YEARS?
Since it takes Earth
approximately 365¼ days to orbit the sun, an extra day’s worth of time
accumulates every four years. A leap
year, February receives an extra day to compensate for the difference between
the astronomical year and the calendar year.
Since it takes Earth approximately 365¼ days to orbit the sun, an extra day’s worth of time accumulates every four years. A leap year, February receives an extra day to compensate for the difference between the astronomical year and the calendar year.
 |
| Egyptian Calendar |
If
no adjustment were made, the calendar and the seasons would drift apart by 24
days every 100 years. The plan of adding a day every four years was devised by
the Egyptians. The Romans created a standard leap day, February 29, in 46 B.C.
 |
| Ancient Roman Calendar |
Adding
one day per four years didn’t perfectly correct the problem, however, because
Earth orbits in 11 minutes and 14 seconds less than 365¼ days. A correction, established in 1582, adds
a leap day only to century years divisible by 400. Thus 2000 was a leap year,
but 2100, 2200, and 2300 will not be.
Source:- National Geographic
Grewt
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