leapyear

A **leap year** is an extra year added to the Gregorian calendar every four years to account for the fact that a solar year is approximately 365.2422 days long, rather than the 365 days in a common year. This adjustment ensures that the calendar remains aligned with the Earth's orbit around the Sun, preventing a gradual drift of the calendar year relative to the seasons.

The Gregorian calendar, introduced in 1582, replaced the Julian calendar, which had an error of about three days per century. To correct this, the Gregorian calendar skips a leap year every century unless the century is also divisible by 400. For example, the year 2000 was a leap year because it was divisible by 400, while 1900 was not. This rule ensures that the leap year cycle remains accurate over long periods.

In a leap year, February has 29 days instead of the usual 28. This extra day is added to February to maintain the calendar's alignment with the seasons. Leap years occur approximately every four years, with the exception of years divisible by 100 but not by 400, as mentioned earlier.

Leap years have cultural, historical, and astronomical significance. They have been celebrated in various ways throughout history, including festivals and traditions. Additionally, leap years are associated with certain astrological and religious events, such as the equinoxes and solstices, which occur near the start of the year.

The concept of leap years helps maintain the accuracy of calendars, ensuring that holidays and astronomical events remain properly scheduled. Without leap years, the calendar would gradually shift, leading to misalignment with the natural cycle of the Earth.