JOURNAL ARTICLE

Why We Have Leap Years.

  • Published In: Time.com, 2024. P. N.PAG 1 of 3

  • Database: Academic Search Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Kluger, Jeffrey 3 of 3

Abstract

The article explains the scientific and historical basis for leap years as a method to correct the discrepancy between the calendar year and the Earth's actual orbital period around the sun, which is approximately 365.24129 days. Ancient cultures, notably the Egyptians and Romans, recognized this drift and introduced extra days or months to realign the calendar with the seasons, crucial for activities like agriculture. The Gregorian calendar, established in 1582 by Pope Gregory XIII, refined this system by adjusting leap year rules to better match the solar year. The article also notes the cultural curiosity of being born on February 29, a date that occurs once every 1,461 days.

Additional Information

  • Source:Time.com. 2024/03, pN.PAG
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:History
  • Publication Date:2024
  • ISSN:2476-2679
  • Accession Number:175823756
  • Copyright Statement:Copyright of Time.com is the property of TIME USA, LLC and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Looking to go deeper into this topic? Look for more articles on EBSCOhost.