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What Causes a Year to Be 'Leap'?

Imagine the Earth takes a little longer than 365 days to go around the Sun. That extra time adds up over years, so we add an extra day every few years, that’s why Leap Year happens. It’s like giving the calendar a little nudge to stay in sync with the seasons.

Why We Need [Leap Years](/search?q=leap%20years) Every four years, we get an extra day on February 29th, which helps keep our [calendars](/search?q=calendars) matching up with how Earth moves around the Sun.

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Examples

  1. You have a birthday on February 29th, you only get to celebrate it once every four years.
  2. Without leap years, the start of spring would slowly shift later in the year over time.
  3. The extra day is like giving the calendar a little push to stay in sync with Earth’s motion.

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Categories: Science · Leap Year,Time Measurement,Earth's Orbit