The main difference between a leap year is the number of days in February. In a leap year, unlike a normal year, February has twenty-nine days instead of the usual twenty-eight. There are different opinions as to whether a leap year can be called unsuccessful. Superstitious people fear its onset because they associate it with the beginning of a difficult period in life. This year, a person in all matters is accompanied by failures that cannot be avoided. But this is just one opinion.
Ancient legend about leap year
Leap years are considered bad for a reason. There is an old legend associated with it that reveals the origin story of this year.
Leap year is associated with the name of the angel Kasyan. The Lord trusted him with his plans and thoughts. But Kasyan could not resist the temptation and went over to the side of the dark forces. He was punished for his betrayal. For three years he was beaten for his anger and cowardice, and in the fourth year he descended to earth and harmed people in every possible way. Our ancestors believed that Kasyan could ruin their harvest and bring disease to their livestock.
It cannot be said unequivocally that a leap year is unlucky. Yes, more accidents are happening all over the world. But this can be explained quite simply: the statistics of accidents increases due to the fact that the leap year is one day longer. This is a logical explanation that is difficult to dispute. The number of months does not change, but one is added per day during which an accident, car accident or death of a person may occur.
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Signs
We have come down to many examples related to leap years. The most controversial of them is the sign according to which a marriage entered into this year will not be happy for the young. This superstition appeared for a reason. It has its own story. In ancient times, leap year was called the “Year of Brides.” The girl could choose her betrothed herself and woo him. According to the rules, the groom could not refuse, even if he was in love with another girl. Marriages were not based on mutual love. Because of this, the relationship was not happy and strong. Therefore, a prejudice has arisen that it is undesirable to hold a wedding this year.
In Orthodoxy, this sign is treated with skepticism. The wedding must be held according to the church calendar, to which leap year has nothing to do. This year is not bad for Muslims. There are no superstitions or omens in Islam.
People born in a leap year were perceived ambiguously by our ancestors. Someone believed that the baby had an unhappy fate from childhood. There is an opposite opinion, according to which the child is unique, different from other children. A happy and successful life awaits him; good luck will accompany him in all his endeavors.
People believed that a child whose birthday was on February 29th was endowed with esoteric abilities. He was born for a reason; he has a kind and bright mission on earth: to help his neighbors.
Signs of Fate cannot be ignored. If a person feels that he is endowed with a rare gift, he should use it for good purposes.
Prohibitions
There are many prohibitions that affect people's lives. They all boil down to the fact that you shouldn’t make big plans for a leap year. There is a high probability that they will not be implemented. What to avoid:
- You cannot start building a house, bathhouse, or cottage. It is believed that an accident may occur at a construction site that will prevent the work from being completed.
- Working with soil is dangerous for humans. It is better not to plant new plants, as they may not take root and die.
- Kasyan will jinx a person’s undertakings if he tells someone about his plans. You can only trust your closest family member or friend whose thoughts are pure.
- Ancestors advised to avoid long journeys. The journey will end poorly and will not bring the expected result.
- If there is a pet in the house, under no circumstances should you give it to anyone. Prosperity and good fortune will leave the house with him.
- Unfavorable period for starting your own business. Financial investments will not be successful, the person will lose a large amount.
- The place of work should be changed only if the person is confident that he will be able to realize himself in the new position. Otherwise, he will face problems at work.
- Women should not change their image. A new hairstyle and a change in hair color mean trouble. The fair sex will not be pleased with the changes that have occurred in her. She will feel stiff and tight for some time.
Many people want to understand when the leap year will occur. This desire is due to the desire to realize how dangerous the upcoming not 365, but 366 days. Moreover, it is generally accepted that the coming leap year threatens with numerous dangerous events and serious disasters. Is this situation really true? Should we indulge the many experiences that are created on the basis of superstition?
Some facts from history: how did leap year appear?
The leap year appeared thanks to the formation of the Julian calendar back in the 1st century BC. Thanks to numerous calculations, Alexandrian astrologers were able to determine the exact length of the astronomical year, which is 365 days and six hours. 
Julius Gaius Caesar, back in 445 BC, developed a calendar that he called the Julian. It should be noted that Julius Caesar is a famous emperor, dictator and commander, thanks to whom the history of the whole world has changed dramatically, including the emergence of leap years, which are even.
After it was possible to accurately determine the length of the astronomical year, it turned out that it was not clear what to do with six hours, because they could not be included in the total number of days. As a result, an extraordinary decision was made: three years were to consist of 365 days. These six hours had to accumulate over four years in order for the fourth year to become a leap year and have 366 days. Moreover, the increased number of days always falls in February: 28 days (non-leap) and 29 days (leap).
Thus, the tradition regarding a leap year, which should be every fourth year, has existed since 445 BC.
Algorithm for determining leap year.
So, in 1582, people began to follow the new Gregorian calculus, which only led to complex calculations. Now, in order to understand which year promises to be a leap year, you need to carry out serious calculations. This is due to the following nuance: scientists were calculating not the astronomical, but the solar period, which fell in the interval between the two spring equinoxes.
Scientific techniques made it possible to carry out special calculations. It turned out that every year the time shift occurs not at 6.00, but at 5 hours 48 minutes 46 seconds. Thus, a leap year must be a multiple of four, with a few exceptions. For this reason, calculations have become more difficult.
Ordinal numbers that ended in two zeros were considered non-leap numbers if they could not be divided by exactly four hundred.
Thus, two cases are assumed to allow the calculation of a leap year:
- The year number is divisible by 4, but cannot be divisible by 100.
- The sequence number can be divided by 400.
Taking into account the peculiarities of calculations, the transition of centuries ending in 00, in three cases out of four, should not be a leap year. 
What are the characteristics of a leap year?
Leap and non-leap years have important differences:
- The number of days in a leap year should be 1 more than in a regular year: 366, not 365.
- In February the 29th appears. Moreover, in non-leap years the number of days in February is 28.
- Based on popular beliefs, during a leap year, mortality, as well as the number of accidents of various types, increases.
In any case, popular beliefs say what should not be done during a leap year in order to avoid excessive risks.
What should you not do during a leap year?
- Carols should be abandoned. It is believed that people can attract increased attention from evil spirits to themselves.
- You can't talk about plans. Otherwise, your luck will run out.
- A pregnant woman should not have her hair cut, especially if she is expecting a baby during a leap year. Otherwise, the baby will be born weak.
- In a leap year, you cannot invite guests when the baby’s first tooth appears. This is demonstrated by concern for the baby's health.
- During a leap year, you cannot sell pets or livestock. Otherwise people will face poverty.
- You can't get divorced during a leap year.
- Frequent job changes are prohibited.
- You cannot exchange housing.
- You cannot build a bathhouse.
Despite numerous prohibitions and warnings, a leap year is distinguished only by an additional day. Each person can independently decide whether to believe folk signs and how to live a leap year.
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.
My God, what a boom! Everyone just says: the terrible leap year is coming, you can’t get married, open a business, you can’t do this, you can’t do that...
But it’s not for nothing that psychologists write - our thoughts are material. Of course, if the majority of the planet’s population thinks that some very bad year is coming, it will come! And he won’t even be shy! Why should “he” worry, everyone is waiting for “him”.
I would like to note that A leap year differs from all others by only one day - February 29. It is known that there are Julian and Gregorian calendars. The Julian calendar was introduced into circulation by the Roman Emperor Julius Caesar in 46 BC. Julius Caesar reformed the old Roman calendar, which by that time was very chaotic and complex. The new calendar was solar and distributed the solar year into calendar days and months. But since the solar year is not divided into an even number of days, the leap year system was adopted, which “caught up” with the length of the solar year.
Also, for the Gregorian calendar, additional measures were needed to calculate exact dates, because and it could not be absolutely accurate, since in principle it is impossible to accurately divide the solar year into the number of days.
For this purpose, not only leap years were introduced, but also, a kind of non-leap centuries. It was decided that those centuries that are not divisible by 4 without a remainder would be simple and not leap centuries, as is the case in the Julian calendar. That is, the centuries 1700, 1800, 1900, 2100 and so on are simple, that is, in these years there is no insertion of an additional day in February. And therefore, in these centuries, the Julian calendar goes one more day ahead.
By now, a difference of 13 days has accumulated between the two calendars, which will increase by another day in 2100. By the way, this difference is precisely the reason why in the Russian Orthodox Church the main holidays are celebrated 13 days later than in the Western Church and in some Orthodox churches.
It turns out that the leap year is a completely human invention necessary for calculating exact astronomical dates. And there is absolutely no mysticism here. But, unfortunately, many prejudices and superstitions constantly complicate the lives of many people.
For example, the fact that you can’t have a wedding or get married in a leap year. There are no favorable or unfavorable days or years for marriage. After all, you must admit, if a leap year were somehow unfavorable for the church from the point of view of marriage, then this would certainly be reflected in the church canons. But nothing like this can be found anywhere. This means that this superstition has nothing to do with the true state of affairs. After all, if young people love each other, what does this have to do with dates? How will they be able to reflect their destinies? Think...
There is another superstition associated with leap year. It says that more people die in a leap year than in other years. This can only be assumed if a large number of people die on February 29th. This reasoning has no basis. If we touch upon statistical data, approximately the same number of people die in leap years as in others, and the mortality rate depends on completely different factors.
And that's not all, of course. As soon as you hear about the coming of such a terrible time, you will no longer want to live. In fact, time is in our hearts, souls, whatever. We build our own destiny, our own world. We either move forward and enjoy the new day, or we are afraid, without knowing what.
Let this year be the happiest, because we will live one more day! And how much can you do in 24 hours! Good luck to you, dear friends! And don't believe prejudices.
The coming year 2016, designated in the Chinese calendar as the year of the Fire Monkey, is a leap year. Since ancient times, it was believed that a leap year brings misfortune and suffering. Is it really?
The main difference between a leap year and the rest is the number of days in the year. There are 366 of them, that is, one day more than in normal years. Where did he come from?
The tropical year does not last exactly 365 days, but 365 plus another 5 hours and 48 minutes. Over the course of four years, the extra days accumulate.
The term "leap year" first began to be used in the Roman Empire and was introduced by Julius Caesar.
In Latin it was called “bissextus”, in Greek it was pronounced “vissextus”, in Rus' - “visokos”. We added an extra day to the month of February. Later, February 29 received the name “Kasyanova Day”,
in honor of a saint who was famous for his bad character. 
By the way, in the Jewish calendar a leap year is the year
to which the month is added rather than the day. The 19-year cycle includes 12 common years and 7 leap years.
By the way, in Europe, until the 17th century, the “extra” day was considered non-existent; no transactions were concluded on this day
so that later there is no confusion in the papers, there are no problems with debt collection, etc.
February 30
From February 29th everything is clear: it is the 60th day of the leap year in the Gregorian calendar. There are 306 days left until the end of the year. But it turns out there have been cases in history when... February 30 appeared on the calendar!
February 30 is a real calendar date!
According to the Gregorian calendar, February has 28 days (in a leap year - 29 days). However, three times in February there were 30 days (two of them supposedly).
February 30, 1712 in Sweden
In 1699, the Kingdom of Sweden (which at that time included Finland) decided to switch from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar. However, the Swedes did not move the calendar forward by the 11 days accumulated by that time, but decided to make the transition gradually, skipping leap years for 40 years, that is, all these years after February 28 should have gone to March 1, and every 4 years they are one day would be closer to the Gregorian calendar. Thus, 1700 was a non-leap year in Sweden.
However, despite the adopted plan, 1704 and 1708 were leap years. Because of this, for 11 years the Swedish calendar was one day ahead of the Julian calendar, but ten days behind the Gregorian calendar. In 1711, King Charles XII decided to abandon the calendar reform and return to the Julian calendar. To achieve this, two days were added in February in 1712 and thus in Sweden in 1712 it was February 30th. Sweden finally switched to the Gregorian calendar in 1753 in the usual way for all countries - the day following February 17 was declared March 1.
February 30 in 1930 and 1931 in the USSR
In 1929, it was proposed to introduce a Soviet revolutionary calendar in the USSR, where each week would have five days (five days), and each month would last 30 days or exactly six weeks. The remaining 5 or 6 days became the so-called “monthless vacation.”
Leap year myths
It just so happened that since ancient times various disasters, catastrophes, illnesses and pestilence have been attributed to the leap year. However, scientists believe that the cause of human fears is in themselves, in human psychology. After all, in nature there is no such thing as a “leap year” - people invented it. And all the popular beliefs associated with it have no scientific basis. It has long been proven that leap years are no different from ordinary years in terms of the number of natural disasters or “man-made” disasters.
Leap years have their own sad records.
For example, on February 2, 1556, a severe earthquake occurred in China, which killed 830 thousand people. And on July 28, 1976, an earthquake in East China claimed 750 thousand lives. About 100 thousand people became victims of a powerful earthquake in Ashgabat in 1948, and in 1988, 23 thousand people died from this natural disaster in Armenia.
In 1912, the Titanic sank. Leap years also include the crash of the French airliner Concorde, the sinking of the Russian submarine Kursk, and much more.
But other natural disasters and human “creations” do not fall under the magic of leap years. A massive volcanic explosion in Indonesia in 1815 killed 92,000 people. The disastrous flood that occurred in 1887 in China on the Yellow River claimed the lives of 900 thousand people. The worst cyclone in the history of recording meteorological observations in 1970 in Bangladesh took the lives of 500 thousand people...
And many such examples can be given. The years 1905, 1914, 1917, 1941, which saw the most terrible and bloody upheavals in the history of the last century, were not leap years.
So maybe it’s not about the magic of numbers at all? The only ones who truly "suffer" are born on February 29, after all, they have to celebrate their birthday once every four years.
For those interested, read in detail about all the signs and beliefs of a leap year and debunking myths about leap years: