A leap year is a year that has 366 days instead of the usual 365, with an extra day added to February (February 29). This adjustment occurs every four years to account for the additional 0.25 days in the Earth’s annual orbit around the Sun, ensuring our calendar remains aligned with Earth’s seasons.
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A leap year is a year with 366 days, occurring every four years, to keep our calendar in sync with the Earth’s orbit around the Sun. Normally, a year has 365 days, but the Earth’s orbit takes approximately 365.25 days. To compensate for the extra 0.25 days, one day is added to the calendar every four years, making February 29 the “leap day.” This adjustment ensures that seasonal events, like the equinoxes and solstices, happen around the same dates each year. Leap years are necessary to prevent our calendar from drifting over time, maintaining alignment with the Earth’s seasonal cycle.