When is the next leap year? Why was the year called a leap year and why is an extra day needed every four years?

For most people who believe in omens, it is very important to know in advance all the most important information about a certain time period. In particular, this concerns the leap year of a particular year, since some warnings are associated with this situation. According to popular interpretation, it is during periods lasting not the usual 365, but 366 days, that one should be wary of various disasters, conflicts, wars and other misfortunes. This is probably why the question of whether 2019 is a leap year or not is considered so relevant.

Leap year concept

Anyone who truly believes in the destructive power of an extra day in February can breathe a sigh of relief - 2019 consists of a standard number of days (365).

For the first time, the very concept of a leap year appeared in the time of Julius Caesar. The great ruler ordered that the best astronomers of that time introduce the concept of the astronomical year and determine the number of days of which it consists. After some time, the result was ready - a year is formed from 365 days and 6 additional hours. It turns out that each subsequent period had to move forward 6 hours. To solve the problem of aligning time frames, it was decided to introduce the concept of a leap year - a period of time in which there will be 1 day more than in a standard year. Caesar liked this idea, and since then every fourth year has been considered “special.”

Since the last leap year was 2016, next time the same fate awaits 2020. On the one hand, there can be nothing wrong with an additional 24 hours a year, but on the other hand, it is impossible to imagine such a vast number of superstitions invented out of nowhere. What lies behind all these instructions and is it worth believing in them at all?

Signs about leap year

If we consider the situation from a logical point of view, the noted time period differs from the typical one by only 1 additional day. The people attach extreme importance to such an outcome. Previously, February 29 was called Kasyan's day - an unlucky day when various troubles happen to a person.

According to popular beliefs, you can’t start something new during a leap year, because you still won’t achieve the desired result. Any novelty in a given year becomes the cause of a negative outcome and adversity. In fact, during the 366-day period, you should not plan a wedding, move, change jobs, or even have pets. It is recommended to postpone this entire list of tasks until next year. Also, at this hour you should not start construction, go on long trips and cut your hair during pregnancy until the birth itself.

In fact, everyone decides for themselves whether to believe in the listed warnings. You shouldn’t take all the signs too seriously either, otherwise you’ll have to “walk on tiptoe” every 4 years of your life. It’s just that earlier, when people could not explain the cause of some cataclysm or misfortune, the leap year became the main culprit of all troubles. In reality, disasters happen all the time, don't they?

Leap year wedding

A separate topic for discussion is the ban on marriage in a year consisting of 366 days. According to signs, such a union will 100% turn out to be unhappy and will definitely fall apart in the future. For this reason, most modern couples who decide to legalize their relationship delay this process until a more standard time period.

In fact, such a sign is too contradictory. In the old days, leap year was called the period of brides. According to ancient custom, girls had the opportunity to woo the guy they liked, and the most interesting thing is that he could not refuse. Taking advantage of this opportunity, the most inconspicuous brides chose as their grooms the most wealthy and prominent gentlemen, with whom they were usually secretly in love. It was precisely because of the couple’s inequality that such unions very soon fell apart, since there was no happiness at all. Therefore, the belief arose that getting married during a leap year is a bad idea.

The clergy conducting the wedding ceremony insist that the well-being of the couple depends entirely on the newlyweds themselves. And neither Which a leap year or a wedding at the wrong time cannot disturb the harmony between the future spouses, if such exists.

What should we expect from 2019?

Since the period being described is not a leap year, even those who firmly believe in the signs associated with this time can breathe a sigh of relief - the coming 12 months will pass in relative calm. According to astrologers, in 2019 it will be possible to resolve many conflict situations, finally say goodbye to the crisis, and establish new contacts. This is connected with the mistress of the described period – the Yellow Pig, who is a symbol of friendliness, joy, tranquility and prudence.

In the love sphere, 2019 is considered an excellent period for starting a family, having a child, establishing a romantic connection or restoring friendships. Many lonely hearts will have a chance to find their destiny and find long-awaited happiness.

The stars indicate that 2019 is considered an ideal period for starting your own business or moving up the career ladder. The pig symbolizes self-confidence, determination and endless hope for the best. Those who demonstrate the noted qualities will be guaranteed good luck for the whole year. Many will be able to realize their own potential and reach their intended peaks. True, it should be understood that sooner or later the time will come when you will have to answer for every decision made, no matter what it is.

2019 will not be significantly different from 2018 or 2017, because it has a standard number of days - 365. Simply put, in the period described, you can safely get married, move to a new place of residence, travel, make unconventional decisions and not be afraid of bad influences from outside. A small clarification - every year, whether it is a leap year or not, brings with it not only joy and carefreeness, but also life’s adversities and difficulties. To cope with any adversity, it is enough to always remain in a good mood and illuminate this world with a radiant smile.

Did you know that not every 4th year is a leap year? Why is a leap year considered unlucky, and what signs are associated with it?

What does leap year mean?

1. A leap year is a year in which there are 366 days, rather than the usual 365. An additional day in a leap year is added in February - February 29 (leap day).
An extra day in a leap year is necessary because a full revolution around the Sun takes a little more than 365 days, or rather 365 days, 5 hours, 48 ​​minutes and 46 seconds.
People once followed a 355-day calendar with an additional 22-day month every two years. But in 45 BC. Julius Caesar, together with the astronomer Sosigenes, decided to simplify the situation, and the Julian 365-day calendar was developed, with an extra day every 4 years to compensate for the extra hours.
This day was added in February because it was once the last month in the Roman calendar.
2. This system was supplemented by Pope Gregory XIII (who introduced the Gregorian calendar), who coined the term "leap year" and declared that a year that is a multiple of 4 and a multiple of 400, but not a multiple of 100, is a leap year.
So, according to the Gregorian calendar, 2000 was a leap year, but 1700, 1800 and 1900 were not.

What are leap years in the 20th and 21st centuries?

1904, 1908, 1912, 1916, 1920, 1924, 1928, 1932, 1936, 1940, 1944, 1948, 1952, 1956, 1960, 1964, 1968, 1972, 1976, 1980, 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020, 2024, 2028, 2032, 2036, 2040, 2044, 2048, 2052, 2056, 2060, 2064, 2068, 2072, 2076, 2080, 2084, 2088, 2092, 2096

February 29 is leap day

3. February 29 is considered the only day when a woman can propose marriage to a man. This tradition began in 5th century Ireland when St. Brigid complained to St. Patrick that women had to wait too long for suitors to propose.
Then he gave women one day in a leap year - the last day in the shortest month, so that the fair sex could propose to a man.
According to legend, Brigitte immediately knelt down and proposed to Patrick, but he refused, kissing her on the cheek and offering her a silk dress to soften her refusal.
4. According to another version, this tradition appeared in Scotland, when Queen Margaret, at the age of 5, announced in 1288 that a woman could propose to any man she liked on February 29.
She also made a rule that those who refused had to pay a fine in the form of a kiss, a silk dress, a pair of gloves or money. To warn suitors in advance, the woman was required to wear trousers or a red petticoat on the day of the proposal.
In Denmark, a man who refuses a woman's marriage proposal must provide her with 12 pairs of gloves, and in Finland - fabric for a skirt.

Leap year wedding

5. Every fifth couple in Greece avoids getting married on a leap year, as it is believed to bring bad luck.
In Italy, it is believed that during a leap year a woman becomes unpredictable, and there is no need to plan important events at this time. So, according to the Italian proverb "Anno bisesto, anno funesto". (“A leap year is a doomed year”).

Born on February 29

6. The chances of being born on February 29th are 1 in 1461. Around the world, about 5 million people were born on Leap Day.
7. For many centuries, astrologers believed that children born on Leap Day have unusual talents, a unique personality and even special powers. Among the famous people born on February 29 are the poet Lord Byron, composer Gioachino Rossini, and actress Irina Kupchenko.
8. In Hong Kong, the official birthday for those born on February 29 is March 1 in normal years, while in New Zealand it is February 28. If you time it right, you can celebrate the longest birthday in the world while traveling from one country to another.
9. The town of Anthony in Texas, USA is the self-proclaimed “Leap Year Capital of the World.” A festival is held here every year, where those born on February 29 gather from all over the world.
10. The record for the largest number of generations born on a leap day belongs to the Keogh family.
Peter Anthony Keogh was born on February 29, 1940 in Ireland, his son Peter Eric was born on February 29, 1964 in the UK, and his granddaughter Bethany Wealth was born on February 29, 1996.



11. Karin Henriksen from Norway holds the world record for giving birth to the largest number of children on a leap day.
Her daughter Heidi was born on February 29, 1960, son Olav on February 29, 1964, and son Lief-Martin on February 29, 1968.
12. In the traditional Chinese, Jewish and ancient Indian calendars, not a leap day is added to the year, but a whole month. It is called the "intercalary month". It is believed that children born in a leap month are more difficult to raise. In addition, it is considered unlucky to start serious business during a leap year.

Leap year: signs and superstitions

Since ancient times, a leap year has always been considered difficult and bad for many undertakings. In popular beliefs, leap year is associated with Saint Kasyan, who was considered evil, envious, stingy, unmerciful and brought misfortune to people.
According to legend, Kasyan was a bright angel to whom God trusted all plans and intentions. But then he went over to the side of the Devil, telling him that God intended to overthrow all satanic power from heaven.
For his betrayal, God punished Kasyan by ordering him to be beaten on the forehead with a hammer for three years, and in the fourth year to be released to earth, where he committed unkind deeds.
There are many signs associated with leap year:
Firstly, you can’t start anything on a leap year. This applies to important matters, business, major purchases, investments and construction.
It is also not recommended to change anything during a leap year, as this will not bring the desired result and can even be disastrous. During such a period, you should not plan to move to a new house, change jobs, divorce or get married.

Is it possible to get married on a leap year?

A leap year is considered extremely unlucky for marriage. Since ancient times, it was believed that a wedding played in a leap year would lead to an unhappy marriage, divorce, infidelity, widowhood, or the marriage itself would be short-lived.
This superstition may be due to the fact that in a leap year, girls could woo any young man they liked, who could not refuse the proposal. Often such marriages were forced, and therefore family life did not work out.
However, you should treat these signs wisely and understand that everything depends on the spouses themselves and how they build the relationship. If you do plan a wedding, there are several ways to mitigate the “consequences”:
Brides are advised to wear a long dress for their wedding that covers their knees to make the marriage last.
It is not recommended to give a wedding dress and other wedding accessories to anyone.
The ring should be worn on the hand, not the glove, since wearing a ring on the glove will cause the spouses to take the marriage lightly
To protect the family from troubles and misfortunes, a coin was placed in the shoes of the bride and groom.
The bride must keep the spoon from which the groom ate, and on the 3rd, 7th and 40th day after the wedding, the wife had to give her husband something to eat from this particular spoon.

What should you not do during a leap year?

· During a leap year, people do not carol at Christmas time, as it is believed that you can lose your happiness. Also, according to a sign, a caroler who dresses up as an animal or monster can take on the personality of an evil spirit.
· Pregnant women should not cut their hair before giving birth, as the baby may be born unhealthy.
· During a leap year, you should not start building a bathhouse, which can lead to illness.
· During a leap year, it is not recommended to tell others about your plans and intentions, as luck may change.
· It is not recommended to sell or exchange animals and kittens should not be drowned, as this will lead to poverty.
· You cannot pick mushrooms, as it is believed that they all become poisonous.
· During a leap year, there is no need to celebrate the appearance of a child's first tooth. According to legend, if you invite guests, your teeth will be bad.
· You cannot change your job or apartment. According to the sign, the new place will turn out to be joyless and turbulent.
· If a child is born on a leap year, he must be baptized as quickly as possible, and godparents must be chosen among blood relatives.
· Elderly people should not buy funeral items in advance, as this may hasten death.
· You can’t get a divorce, because in the future you won’t be able to find your happiness.

sharky:
03/25/2013 at 16:04

Why on earth is 1900 not a leap year? A leap year occurs every 4 years, i.e. If it is divisible by 4, it is a leap year. And no more divisions by 100 or 400 are needed.

It’s normal to ask questions, but before you assert anything, study the hardware. The Earth revolves around the sun in 365 days 5 hours 48 minutes 46 seconds. As you can see, the remainder is not exactly 6 hours, but 11 minutes 14 seconds less. This means that by making a leap year we add extra time. Somewhere over 128 years, extra days accumulate. Therefore, every 128 years in one of the 4-year cycles there is no need to make a leap year in order to get rid of these extra days. But to simplify things, every 100th year is not a leap year. Is the idea clear? Fine. What then should we do next, since an extra day is added every 128 years, and we cut it off every 100 years? Yes, we cut off more than we should, and this needs to be returned at some point.

If the first paragraph is clear and still interesting, then read on, but it will be more difficult.

So, in 100 years, 100/128 = 25/32 days of excess time accumulates (that’s 18 hours 45 minutes). We do not make a leap year, that is, we subtract one day: we get 25/32-32/32 = -7/32 days (that’s 5 hours 15 minutes), that is, we subtract the excess. After four cycles of 100 years (after 400 years), we will subtract an extra 4 * (-7/32) = -28/32 days (this is minus 21 hours). For the 400th year we make a leap year, that is, we add a day (24 hours): -28/32+32/32=4/32=1/8 (that’s 3 hours).
We make every 4th year a leap year, but at the same time every 100th year is not a leap year, and at the same time every 400th year is a leap year, but still every 400 years an extra 3 hours are added. After 8 cycles of 400 years, that is, after 3200 years, an extra 24 hours will accumulate, that is, one day. Then another mandatory condition is added: every 3200th year should not be a leap year. 3200 years can be rounded up to 4000, but then you will again have to play with added or trimmed days.
3200 years have not passed, so this condition, if it is made this way, is not yet talked about. But 400 years have already passed since the approval of the Gregorian calendar.
Years that are multiples of 400 are always leap years (for now), other years that are multiples of 100 are not leap years, and other years that are multiples of 4 are leap years.

The calculation I gave shows that in the current state, an error in one day will accumulate over 3200 years, but here’s what Wikipedia writes about it:
“An error of one day compared to the year of the equinoxes in the Gregorian calendar will accumulate in approximately 10,000 years (in the Julian calendar - approximately in 128 years). A frequently encountered estimate, leading to a value of the order of 3000 years, is obtained if one does not take into account that the number of days in the tropical year changes over time and, in addition, the relationship between the lengths of the seasons changes.” From the same Wikipedia, the formula for the length of a year in days with fractions paints a good picture:

365,2425=365+0,25-0,01+0,0025=265+1/4-1/100+1/400

The year 1900 was not a leap year, but 2000 was, and special, because such a leap year happens once every 400 years.

sharky:
03/25/2013 at 16:04

Why on earth is 1900 not a leap year? A leap year occurs every 4 years, i.e. If it is divisible by 4, it is a leap year. And no more divisions by 100 or 400 are needed.

It’s normal to ask questions, but before you assert anything, study the hardware. The Earth revolves around the sun in 365 days 5 hours 48 minutes 46 seconds. As you can see, the remainder is not exactly 6 hours, but 11 minutes 14 seconds less. This means that by making a leap year we add extra time. Somewhere over 128 years, extra days accumulate. Therefore, every 128 years in one of the 4-year cycles there is no need to make a leap year in order to get rid of these extra days. But to simplify things, every 100th year is not a leap year. Is the idea clear? Fine. What then should we do next, since an extra day is added every 128 years, and we cut it off every 100 years? Yes, we cut off more than we should, and this needs to be returned at some point.

If the first paragraph is clear and still interesting, then read on, but it will be more difficult.

So, in 100 years, 100/128 = 25/32 days of excess time accumulates (that’s 18 hours 45 minutes). We do not make a leap year, that is, we subtract one day: we get 25/32-32/32 = -7/32 days (that’s 5 hours 15 minutes), that is, we subtract the excess. After four cycles of 100 years (after 400 years), we will subtract an extra 4 * (-7/32) = -28/32 days (this is minus 21 hours). For the 400th year we make a leap year, that is, we add a day (24 hours): -28/32+32/32=4/32=1/8 (that’s 3 hours).
We make every 4th year a leap year, but at the same time every 100th year is not a leap year, and at the same time every 400th year is a leap year, but still every 400 years an extra 3 hours are added. After 8 cycles of 400 years, that is, after 3200 years, an extra 24 hours will accumulate, that is, one day. Then another mandatory condition is added: every 3200th year should not be a leap year. 3200 years can be rounded up to 4000, but then you will again have to play with added or trimmed days.
3200 years have not passed, so this condition, if it is made this way, is not yet talked about. But 400 years have already passed since the approval of the Gregorian calendar.
Years that are multiples of 400 are always leap years (for now), other years that are multiples of 100 are not leap years, and other years that are multiples of 4 are leap years.

The calculation I gave shows that in the current state, an error in one day will accumulate over 3200 years, but here’s what Wikipedia writes about it:
“An error of one day compared to the year of the equinoxes in the Gregorian calendar will accumulate in approximately 10,000 years (in the Julian calendar - approximately in 128 years). A frequently encountered estimate, leading to a value of the order of 3000 years, is obtained if one does not take into account that the number of days in the tropical year changes over time and, in addition, the relationship between the lengths of the seasons changes.” From the same Wikipedia, the formula for the length of a year in days with fractions paints a good picture:

365,2425=365+0,25-0,01+0,0025=265+1/4-1/100+1/400

The year 1900 was not a leap year, but 2000 was, and special, because such a leap year happens once every 400 years.