Have you noticed that 2016 is a Leap Year? I just did and decided to
find out exactly what a leap year is. I thought the following
information extremely interesting.If we didn’t have leap years, our seasons wouldn’t be correct and in synch. The reason is the Earth’s orbit around the sun. Our calendars use a precise 365 days when, in fact, the Earth takes approximately 365.242199 days to travel around the sun. In addition, the time it takes Earth to revolve once, which we call a day, is not exactly 24 hours—but closer to 23 hours, 56 minutes and 4 seconds.
Every four years, the extra time is added as February 29th.
Last June, according to NASA, we were given an extra leap second to account for the gradual slowing of the Earth’s rotation due to the gravitational war among the Earth, moon and sun. NASA explains that a day lasts 86,400 seconds, but the mean solar day – the average length of a day, based on how long it takes Earth to rotate – is about 86,400.002 seconds long.
So, enjoy the extra day the Earth and sun has given you!
Linda Nightingale
Love For Sale
Coming Soon Gambler's Choice
My girls just asked me why we had Leap Year the other day- now I can share your answer :) Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThis IS interesting!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing.
PamT
So..it's LEAP into 2016? Yikes! Better get busy!
ReplyDeleteOkay, does that mean I have an extra day to do what every I want? Like take the whole day and do recreational reading? Wouldn't that be great? Marking it on my calendar for February 29th. LOL
ReplyDeleteAs a leap year baby, I get a real birthday this year!! Whoot!! As someone born on this day I can tell you growing up was a pain. Every start of a new school year, while working in the classroom, the teachers who'd obviously been going over their student records would announce to the entire class that we have a leap year baby! I had kids two years younger who knew my birthday in elementary school... Good part is I'll be 15 this year
ReplyDeleteGreat post.
Nice post, leap year's kinda get a bad rap, I think. I like them. Susan, I can't imagine being a leap year baby and what a pain it must have been. I only know one other person who's a leap year baby. There couldn't be that many of you born on that one day in 4 years.
ReplyDeleteInteresting. My grandson's birthday is February 29. Nice to know why.
ReplyDeleteThanks everyone for your comments. Susan and Barbara, I don't know any leap year babies--well, not until now. I like the being 15 this year! Happy Leap Year All! I guess that does give us one day to just do whatever we wish!
ReplyDeleteGreat explanation. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteIt has always amazed me that engineers are able to calculate lengths of time on an astral level like you pointed out: "..the Earth takes approximately 365.242199 days to travel around the sun." I mean, HOW DO THEY DO THAT?! :-) Really interesting, Linda.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to the extra day. That extra second last year didn't really do me much good. BTW - awesome trailer.
ReplyDeleteHa, very interesting. I had no idea, and now I know. :) Great post.
ReplyDeleteI need like an extra YEAR to catch up on all my responsibilities, not just an extra day. Any way you could swing that, Linda? ;)
ReplyDelete*sigh* I guess I'll take what I can get.
Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for a really interesting article, Linda. I could actually use some extra hourse every day!
ReplyDeleteLove your trailer and what a lovely cover picture. (Anything with a horse makes me smile!)