Why does the month of February have 29 days every 4 years?

Almanac

Today is 29th February and thus we can say that it is the leap day of 2024 or in fact, the day which comes to us every time. Leap yearBut do you know what it is The reason or origin of having 29 days in the month of February every four years.,

It is a curiosity that arouses the interest of many people, and although you may know that it has its origin in roman eraYou might not know the reasons due to which it was decided that every four years there was a leap year and that was the month of February in which one more day was added. We explain everything to you below.

Why does the month of February have 29 days every 4 years?

The month of February 2024 ends with a day that reminds us that it is a day Leap year, something we know happens every four yearsWithout thinking about when it was determined the calendar was set up that way.

However, we must keep in mind that since ancient times, humanity has tried to synchronize its time measurement systems with celestial cycles. solar yearWhich is the time taken by the Earth to complete one revolution around the Sun, It’s not exactly 365 days., but approximately 365.242190 days or exactly, 365 days, 5 hours, 48 ​​minutes and 56 seconds. so To compensate for this discrepancy and avoid progressive changes in the seasons, the concept of leap years was introduced.

Historical origin of leap year

The history of leap years dates back to the Julian calendar, which was established by Julius Caesar in 46 B.C., Under the advice of the Alexandrian astronomer Sosigenes, Caesar reformed the Roman calendar to better reflect the actual length of the solar year. It was decided that, every four years, an extra day would be added to the shortest month, February, resulting in a year of 366 days.

4 year rule

The general rule is simple: Every year that is divisible by 4 is a leap year, However, There are exceptions to maintain calendar accuracy.

A year that is divisible by 100 is not considered a leap year, unless it is also divisible by 400. For example, the year 1900 was not a leap year, but the year 2000 was.

Origin of the name “leap year”

As for why it is called a “leap year”, it has to do with the fact that the term “Leap” comes from the Latin “bis sextus dies ante calendus Marti”., meaning “repeated twice on the sixth day before the calendar of March.” This is how the ancient Romans referred to this extra day, which they added every four years to their Julian calendar, established by Julius Caesar. The Romans did not count the days of the month from 1 to 31, but used three reference dates: the calendar (the first day of the month), the nonce (the fifth or seventh day depending on the month) and the ides (the thirteenth or fifteenth day). . , depending on the month). so, February 24 was the sixth day before March in the calendar, and in leap years, an extra day was added. Between 24 and 25 February, called the “bis sixth”, i.e., the “second sixth” before the calendar day of March. Over time, this name was applied to the entire year including the extra day.

astronomical implications

The need for an extra day every four years is due to alignment with the tropical or solar year. If we didn’t adjust the calendar, we would have an error of about six hours every year.Which would mean that after 100 years, the weather would change by about 24 days relative to the calendar.

Curiosities in leap year

The extra day in February has had interesting effects on culture and society. For example, There is a tradition in Ireland that women can propose marriage during leap years For men, by reversing the traditional roles. Additionally, people born on February 29, known as “Leap Day”, celebrate their birthday annually or every four years, depending on personal preference.

On the other hand, there are some beliefs that indicate a leap year In some places they are considered to bring bad luck While there are those who believe exactly the opposite and consider February 29 to be a special day that brings good luck and opportunities. And in the legal field, there are countries where the age of majority for “leap” years is celebrated on March 1, as in non-leap years.

We can say that the leap year which comes every four years and is marked on this day, February 29, is still A simple solution to a complex astronomical problem. Although adding a day every four years may seem like an arbitrary measure, it is the result of centuries of observation and adjustment to synchronize our calendar with the rhythms of the universe.