In the Gregorian calendar, every four years, there is an additional day that is added. It is February 29, also known as leap day, since it appears in the years that have this name.
Leap is a name that comes from the Latin ‘ante diem bis sextum Kalendas Martias’, which means ‘sixth day before the calends of March’ and over time it ended up being shortened to ‘bis sextus’, leap year in our language.
Why do leap years exist?
The rotation of the Earth on the Sun does not last exactly 365 days, and to make the solar calendar coincide with the astronomical calendar, a new day must be incorporated.
@radionacionalco ????Do you know what a leap year is or why they exist? We tell you the curiosities behind a leap year!???? ????Few people have been born on the additional day of a leap year, regarding 2024, which will have 29 days in February. Do you know any? Tag her! ???? #2024 #leapyear2024 #curiosities ♬ original sound – Radio Nacional de Colombia
It takes the Earth 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes and 56 seconds to orbit our star, a figure that is rounded up to 6 hours each year. This time is accumulated and added to the calendar every four years, until a new day is formed: February 29.
Why February 29?
In Ancient Rome it was discovered that the calendar was not completely synchronized with the solar year. Therefore, Julius Caesar asked the astronomer Sosigenes to help him create an alternative to the Roman calendar that accurately represented the rotation of the Earth. In this way the Julian calendar appeared.
Leap is a name that comes from the Latin ‘ante diem bis sextum Kalendas Martias’, which means ‘sixth day before the calends of March’, that is, February 24, and over time it was shortened to ‘bis sextus’. ‘, leap year in Spanish.
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Due to some flaws in its structure, Pope Gregory XIII decided, through a papal bull, to “perfect” the calendar. This, called the Gregorian calendar, was introduced in 1582 and continues to this day.