When is the leap year 2016 and why do we have one?
26th February 2016
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This only happens once every four years, but why? We need an extra day in our modern (Invented by Julius Caesar over 2000 years ago) calendar to keep in alignment with the Earth's course around the sun.

We found some science stuff to help explain this further: According to Irv Bromberg at the University of Toronto, "the Gregorian calendar has a 400-year repeat cycle, in which every year number divisible by four (2016, for example) has a leap day appended to February, except if the year number is divisible by 100, in which case it is a leap year only if the year number is also divisible by 400."Got it?


...Well we also found out some fun trivia about leap years and leap days.

Funny traditions have appeared by people who see the day as a way to try out their luck.


Did you know...

The act of women proposing on a leap day is believed to date back to the 5th-century in Ireland by St Bridget complaining she and other women had to wait too long for their suitors to propose.

In Greece many engaged couples avoid getting married on a leap day because they believe it is bad luck to do so.

Russia farming folklore say that leap years are likely to bring bad weather and any seeds planted "will grow the wrong way"

Birthdays: How about been born on the 29th of February? These people are "leapings" or "leapers" the chances of being born on a leap day is one in 1,461. Some say that children born on a leap day have unusual talents and even special powers.

In Hong Kong the legal birthday of a Leapling is March 1st, while in New Zealand it is February the 28th. If you timed it just right, flying from one country to the other you could enjoy the worlds longest birthday!

So now you know all that, what are you going to do with your extra day this February?

...After 2016 the next leap year won't be until 2020!

About the Author

Alex M

Member since: 10th July 2012


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