Welcome to Leap Day Eve! It happens every four years, and itâs an especially big deal for those who have a birthday on February 29thâŚ.because when they're 20âŚtheyâre fiveâŚor something like that. Much like the time change, many people wonder why we even bother with the whole Leap Year thing, but unlike the time change, there are actually a few good reasons why we do itâŚthis fromâŻProfessorâŻChristopher Sirola, from the University of Southern Mississippi School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences.âŻÂ
- The orbit of the Earth doesnât happen on an âeven numberâ of days, but rather 365.2422 daysâŚgive or takeÂ
- That means that a year is essentially 365 days and six hoursÂ
- If Leap Day wasnât observed, the whole birthday thing would be out the window for those select few born on the 29thâŚ.but thereâd be more impactful repercussions, tooÂ
- In just 40 years, the Earthâs seasons would be out of line by ten daysÂ
- In 700 years, the Northern Hemisphere âcould experience an Australian Christmas, with summer heat in DecemberâÂ
- Hunting season and other seasonal rituals and celebrations would need to be changed around, but everything would eventually get back to ânormalâ in another 700 years after the cycle is completedâŻÂ