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The Great Staycation!
The Great Staycation!
Spring break is just around the corner. Some people may be headed off to far away places, while many of us will be stuck at home...or are we? Just because someone may not have a budget to travel, doesn't mean they still can't explore some exciting low-cost ideas that are within driving distance to our own homes. Explore the itinerary below for this year's great 2020 Staycation! Click here for the actual document below in order to access the other outside links.
Latching, Landing, Leaping into Leap Year
Latching, Landing, Leaping into Leap Year
By: Sarah S.
Have you ever wondered why there are leap years? Also, why do they only occur roughly once in every four years? This February 29th, 2020, we have a leap day, which means that we have about 366 days this year. The reason why we have a leap day is to make sure that the calendar days stay with the Earth’s movement around the sun. You may think that a year is 365 days, but actually, it's 365.2422 days to be exact. According to history.com, “Over decades and centuries that missing quarter of a day per year can add up. To ensure consistency with the true astronomical year, it is necessary to periodically add in an extra day.”
Have you ever wondered why there are leap years? Also, why do they only occur roughly once in every four years? This February 29th, 2020, we have a leap day, which means that we have about 366 days this year. The reason why we have a leap day is to make sure that the calendar days stay with the Earth’s movement around the sun. You may think that a year is 365 days, but actually, it's 365.2422 days to be exact. According to history.com, “Over decades and centuries that missing quarter of a day per year can add up. To ensure consistency with the true astronomical year, it is necessary to periodically add in an extra day.”
There are those who believe that leap years are exactly every four years, but that isn’t exactly true. According to the Gregorian calendar, Gregory was even more precise and figured out that a leap year can be evenly divided by four, and that year isn’t a leap year if it can be divided by 100 unless it’s also divisible by 400. For example, 2020 can be divided by four evenly (2020/4=505).
There are those who believe that leap years are exactly every four years, but that isn’t exactly true. According to the Gregorian calendar, Gregory was even more precise and figured out that a leap year can be evenly divided by four, and that year isn’t a leap year if it can be divided by 100 unless it’s also divisible by 400. For example, 2020 can be divided by four evenly (2020/4=505).
This may be surprising, but it states in earthsky.org that if there was no such thing as a leap year, eventually February would be the summer month for the Northern Hemisphere. To be specific, for the Earth to revolve completely around the sun, it takes 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, and 45 seconds. Therefore, we need to add an extra day some years because those extra seconds, minutes, and hours will build up, making it necessary to make up for that day to keep up with the alignment with the Earth and sun.
This may be surprising, but it states in earthsky.org that if there was no such thing as a leap year, eventually February would be the summer month for the Northern Hemisphere. To be specific, for the Earth to revolve completely around the sun, it takes 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, and 45 seconds. Therefore, we need to add an extra day some years because those extra seconds, minutes, and hours will build up, making it necessary to make up for that day to keep up with the alignment with the Earth and sun.
However, some people are against the idea of leap year because they use a different type of calendar. For example, some people use a world calendar that was created by Elisabeth Achelis, which consists of 364 days. In such a set up, each day would land on the same day every year. This means, that for instance, if you had a birthday on Wednesday, it would always be on a Wednesday every year.
However, some people are against the idea of leap year because they use a different type of calendar. For example, some people use a world calendar that was created by Elisabeth Achelis, which consists of 364 days. In such a set up, each day would land on the same day every year. This means, that for instance, if you had a birthday on Wednesday, it would always be on a Wednesday every year.
Nevertheless, if we were to not have a leap year, not only would the rotation of the Earth and sun be inaccurate, but the seasons would also be messed up. Spring won’t be green, summer wouldn’t be hot, fall won’t be filled with the warm colored leaves, and winter may not be white and cold! If there was no such thing as a leap year, February 29th, 2020, would be July 15th, 2021.
Nevertheless, if we were to not have a leap year, not only would the rotation of the Earth and sun be inaccurate, but the seasons would also be messed up. Spring won’t be green, summer wouldn’t be hot, fall won’t be filled with the warm colored leaves, and winter may not be white and cold! If there was no such thing as a leap year, February 29th, 2020, would be July 15th, 2021.
To sum it up, leap years are necessary because we need to keep in balance with the actual rotation of the Earth and the sun. What were your plans this Leap Day, February 29th?
To sum it up, leap years are necessary because we need to keep in balance with the actual rotation of the Earth and the sun. What were your plans this Leap Day, February 29th?
Did you know?
Did you know?
- This leap year, Feb. 29th, Olive Garden gave four free desserts to those who have a birthday on a leap day to make up for each of the lost birthdays years prior.
- There is one in 1,461 chance of being a leap day baby.
- Women often choose this day to propose to men.
- The Julian calendar didn't necessarily fix the leap year problem.
- A community on the Texas-New Mexico border calls itself the "leap year capital of the world."
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