Leap Years comes every fourth year. February, which is usually 28 days, consists of 29 days in a leap year (29 days in February). When this happens, that year is called Leap Year and this day (29 February) is called Leap Day. Leap year is also called leap year in Hindi and this year there are 366 days instead of 365. You must be wondering how this happens and why a day is added in February itself?

Actually, it takes 365 days and 6 hours for the Earth to make a full orbit of the Sun. So these 6 hours become 24 hours in four years, making it 1 leap day. If we do not add this extra day every fourth year, then every year 6 hours will be removed from the calendar and then every 100 years, only 24 days will disappear from the calendar. That is why one day is added in February every fourth year. One reason for adding this extra day in February itself was that there are 30 and 31 days in the remaining months of the year. February was just 28 days, with the possibility of one day being added.

This is how leap years look

According to the Gregorian calendar, that year is considered a leap year only after completing three things -

That year should be completely divided by 4. The year should be divided by 100, but it will be a leap year only if the year is divided by 400. It means 2000 and 2400 leap years, while 1800, 1900, 2100, 2200, 2300 and 2500 leap years are not.

Children born on this day are called lepers

Children born in a leap year are called Leaplings or Leapers. The probability of a child being born on leap day is one in 1,461. There are about 5 million Leaplings worldwide. Some people believe that children born on this day own unusual talents, personalities, and special powers. They usually celebrate their birthday on 28 February or 1 March.