A leap year is a year in which an extra day is added to the calendar in order to synchronize it with the seasons. Since the tropical year is 365.242190 days long, a leap year must be added roughly once every four years (four times the fractional day gives ). In a leap year, the extra day (known as a leap day) is added at the end of February, giving it 29 instead of the usual 28 days. The leap year was introduced in the Julian calendar in 46 BC.
The year 2008 is a leap year. If you look at a 2008 calendar, you will see that February has five Fridays–the month begins and ends on a Friday. Between the years 1904 and 2096, leap years that share the same day of week for each date repeat only every 28 years. The most recent year in which February comprised five Fridays was in 1980, and the next occurrence will be in 2036. February 29, the leap day, has been associated with age-old traditions, superstitions and folklore.
Leap Year facts
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The original Roman 355 day calendar had an extra 22-day month every few years to maintain the correct seasonal changes.
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A year which is not a leap year is called a common year.
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A person born on February 29 may be called a “leapling”.
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In Scotland it is thought unlucky to be born on a Leap Year”s Day.
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If you were born today you would have you birthday every 4 years