Today is Leap Day, and since I started writing in the first week of March in 2008 it’s the first Leap Day for Weakonomics. I’m not sure how I want to treat today but since Leap Day itself is quite fascinating let’s try learning more about it.
Most everyone knows from elementary school that Leap Day is a catch-up day because they year is not actually exactly 365 days. The planet takes just a little bit longer to go around the Sun. This is most often reported as taking 365.25 days. This is why every 4 years we have a catch-up day on February 29th. Leap Day always takes places on years divisible by 4 (2004, 2008, 2012…).
For kids this explanation is good enough. Actually for most everyone alive today except babies this explanation is sufficient. But those that live to the year 2100 will be confused when they don’t have a leap day.
That’s because the Earth’s orbit isn’t so mathematically sound as to actually result in 365.25 days. It’s actually 365.2425 days which is 365 days, 5 hours, 49 minutes, and 12 seconds. That’s difficult to keep up with but fortunately there is a solution to make sure we come out even. Every year divisible by 4 is a leap year except for years ending in 00 that aren’t divisible by 400. Examples include 1900, 2100, and 2200. We are special to have seen a leap year at the turn of the century because it won’t happen again until a period of time that goes beyond the time of Star Trek. For those that follow the best sci-fi franchise those events have only gone so far as 2387.
But Leap Day has more up its sleeve. Leap Day was initially designed to keep Easter aligned to a certain lunar period, that wasn’t the point of the new calendar but that was kept in mind. In the UK and Hong Kong someone born on a Leap Day legally turns 18 on March 1. But in New Zealand they get February 28.
Sadly, there aren’t many interesting events that occurred on 2/29 throughout history. The cartoon Family Circus debuted in 1960, so perhaps we’ll get lucky and today will be the last day of it too. There aren’t even that many interesting birthdays. The rapper Ja Rule does but he’s in prison so I doubt he’s going to get to celebrate much.
Perhaps the most interesting thing about February 29th is the fact that’s its not interesting at all. It’s more boring than most days.
But the Gregorian Calendar, which is what we use, isn’t the only calendar out there. In some form or another they all have to make adjustments. Many aren’t driven by Earth’s orbit and rotation but by seasons or lunar/astrological alignment. The Chinese and Hebrew calendars for instance have extra months in their adjustment years.
 By The Weakonomist |
The Weakonomist is the founder of Weakonomics. Clicking the picture of the puppy will tell you more about him. If you like what you're reading consider subscribing to the blog, following him on Twitter, and checking out the related posts below. Please consider a donation if you really enjoy Weakonomics. Also keep in mind that nothing I say can be construed as financial advice. |
