It's time to share some knowledge that has always been fascinating to me. This is the first leap year that I have been on my blog, therefore it's time for me to share the rules of the Julian Calendar.
Believe it or not there was a time when different groups of people were on different calendars. However, Julius Caesar being a genius he came up with the way most of the Western world has since ordered their days, weeks, months, years, leap years, decades, centuries, I think you get the idea. Nowdays we actually follow a modification of the Julian Calendar called the Gregorian Calendar.
The earth revolves around the sun at approximately a rate of 365.20 days per year. In order to solve this problem they put in place the leap year, every four years we get an extra day. However, since it isn't exactly .25 days extra rotation per year we have to adjust somewhere. Therefore we DO NOT have leap years on any years that are divisable by 100 that are not also divisble by 400, examples include 1900 and 2100, and by the same rule 2000 was a leap year. Confused yet?
So enjoy your leap year! If you are around in 2100 you won't be able to enjoy it...
Posted by 10lees at February 29, 2008 07:40 AMok i'm pretty sure that julius caesar did not come up with this... he probably had a few folks that gathered this information (in grueling fashion) and then reported to it the caesar who then mandated it and took credit for all of the work... hmmm?? hmmmmmm??? ;o)
anyway, i enjoy leap year b/c it feels like a day that's not supposed to be there. like that elusive extra day of the week we all wish we had. with 24 extra hours this year i'm bound to NEVER be late on a project again, right??!!
Posted by: dr gonzo at February 29, 2008 07:40 AMI think Feb 29th should always be a holiday - it's an extra day of fun times. Who do we petition for a new national holiday?
I am also sure that Julias Caesar wasn't the first person whom a Caesarian Section was performed on - but it was still named after him!
Posted by: 10lees at February 29, 2008 08:43 AMYou know why your G'pa didn't die on the 29th of February - that's RIGHT he wanted his passing to be celebrated more than every 4 years. Otherwise - zzzzzz - :) Love, Mom
Posted by: bevy at February 29, 2008 03:49 PM