Is 2024 A Leap Year? Next leap year, traditions, why we have them and what's a leap second?

This year will be a day longer than 2023 - by why do we have leap years?

Every four years we have a leap year - but why?

They make a year a day longer, are thought by some to be unlucky and if they didn't exist Britain's summer would eventually start in December - here's everything you need to know about leap years.

Is 2024 a leap year?

Yes, 2024 is a leap year so will be one day longer than usual, with February having 29 days instead of 28.

There's a February 29 every four years, so the last leap year was in 2020 and the next will be in 2028.

Why do we have leap years?

Because an astronomical year (the time it takes for the Earth to rotate around the Sun) is slightly longer than 365 days (it's actually around 365.25 days long) a leap year is required to keep the the seasonal year in synch with the Gregorian calendar that's the most common way of keeping track of time. Without leap years the seasons would very slowly move date.

Why is it called a leap year?

The terminology comes from the fact that on a normal year Christmas (or any other day) takes place one day of the week later than the year before - for instance Christmas Day was on a Sunday in 2022 then on a Monday in 2023. When there's a leap year it 'leaps' over a day, so in 2024 Christmas Day will be on a Wednesday.

What are the traditions of a leap year?

Marriage proposals

The most famous tradition on a leap year - although one that is increasingly outdated - is that February 29 is the one day when a woman can ask a man to marry her - rather than the other way around. It started in Ireland in the 5th century and in Scotland it's said that the proposing woman should wear a red petticoat to give fair warning.

Unlucky?

Some believe that leap years are unlucky, particularly being born on February 29 - somewhat akin to Friday 13.

In Scotland farmers often say that a leap year was never a good sheep year.

In Greece it's thought that those who get married in a leap year are likley to get divorced.

Special publication

In France satirical newspaper La Bougie du Sapeur is only published every four years on February 29.

What happens if you are born on February 29?

People born on a leap year are known as 'leaplings' or 'leapers' and tend to celebrate their birthdays on non-leap years on February 28 or March 1.

It could be argued that leapers only have a true birthday every four years, a technicality used in the comic opera 'The Pirates of Penzance', where a pirate's apprentice discovers that since he was born on February 29 he would need to serve the pirates for 88 years instead of the usual 21.

What is a leap second?

A leap second is when a second is added or taken away from the Coordinated Universal Time to take into account the difference between exact time as measured by atomic clocks and solar time which can vary slightly due to tiny changes in the the time it takes for the Earth to rotate. The last leap second was addded on December 31, 2016.

Due to issues with computers and other devices not adjusting correctly to the leap second it has been decided to abandon the practice by 2035.