A leap year is a special year that has 366 days instead of the usual 365 days. This extra day is added to the month of February, making it 29 days long instead of 28.
Leap Year
Why do we have leap years?
The Earth takes about 365.25 days to go around the Sun. That extra 0.25 day (or 6 hours) adds up every year. After four years, we get an extra day (6 hours × 4 = 24 hours). So, we add February 29 every 4 years to keep our calendar in line with the Earth’s orbit.
When is the next leap year?
- 2024 – Thursday, February 29
- 2028 – Tuesday, February 29
- 2032 – Sunday, February 29
Not all years divisible by 4 are leap years. If a year is divisible by 100, it is not a leap year unless it is also divisible by 400.
For example:
- 1900 – Not a leap year
- 2000 – Yes, a leap year