The reason we have a leap-year is that a year is really about 365 days, 5 hours, and several minutes long. These extra hours add up and we need to compensate for it every 4 years by adding another date. But if we always did that, we would compensate just a bit too much, so if a year ends in 00 it will NOT have a leap day UNLESS it is divisible by 400 (an example is the year 2000).
It would be interesting to be born on February 29. Your birthday comes only every 4 years. In Commonwealth Countries (such as the UK), on non-leap years your birthday is technically February 28, but in the USA they probably wouldn't let a 21 year old drink until March 1. Looking at the list of famous people whose birthday is February 29, not too many come up. Ja Rule turns 28 today.
Interestingly, on Apple's iCal calendar application, if I create an event on February 29 and tell it to repeat the event yearly, it does not show up again until 2012.
Still, the day usually only comes once every 1461 days so it is unique in its own way. For example, it is the one day in which it is considered acceptable for women to propose marriage to men.
So, have a happy leap day, and we'll revisit this subject in another 4 years.
2 comments:
Happy Leap Day.
one of my patients' birthdays is on a leap day, but our system still tells her correct age, which is good.
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