- A Leap Day, February 29, is added to the calendar during leap years. This extra day makes the year 366 days long – not 365 days, like a common year.
- Leap days are needed to keep our calendar in alignment with the Earth's revolutions around the Sun. Without an extra – or intercalary – day on February 29 nearly every four years, we would lose almost six hours every year. After only 100 years, our calendar would be off by approximately 24 days in relation to fixed seasonal days days like the vernal equinox or winter solstice.
- Roman general Julius Caesar implemented the first leap day in his Julian Calendar, which he introduced in 45 BCE (Before Common Era). A leap day was added every four years. At the time, leap day was February 24, and February was the last month of the year.
- It is still associated with age-old customs, folklore and superstition. One of the most well-known traditions is that women propose to their boyfriends, instead of the other way around.
Leap Days 2016 – 2032
| Year | February 29 – Day of the Week |
|---|---|
| 2016 | Monday |
| 2020 | Saturday |
| 2024 | Thursday |
| 2028 | Tuesday |
| 2032 | Sunday |
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