2016 is a leap year with 366 days instead of the usual 365. Leap year has been proposed to keep the calendars in sync. 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? Here are a few facts you may not have known about the leap year.

1. A leap year is a year with 366 days instead of 365 as usual. An extra day in a leap year is added in February - February 29 (leap day).

The extra day in a leap year is necessary because it takes just over 365 days to complete one revolution around the Sun, or rather 365 days, 5 hours, 48 ​​minutes and 46 seconds.

Humans once followed a calendar of 355 days with an extra month of 22 days every two years. But in 45 B.C. 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 as 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 introduced 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 a leap day

3. February 29 is considered the only day when a woman can propose marriage to a man. The tradition began in 5th century Ireland when Saint Brigid complained to Saint Patrick that women had to wait too long for a proposal from worshipers.

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 offered her a silk dress to soften the 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 can propose to any man she likes on February 29th.

She also made it 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 fans in advance, a woman was supposed 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.

5. One in five couples in Greece avoid getting married on a leap year, as it is believed to bring bad luck.

In Italy, it is believed that in a leap year a woman becomes unpredictable, and at this time there is no need to plan important events. So, according to the Italian proverb "Anno bisesto, anno funesto". (“Leap year is a doomed year”).

6. The chances of being born on February 29 are 1 in 1461. Around the world, about 5 million people were born on a leap day.

7. For many centuries, astrologers believed that children born on a leap day have unusual talents, a unique personality, and even special powers. Among the famous people born on February 29, one can name the poet Lord Byron, the composer Gioachino Rossini, the actress Irina Kupchenko.

8. In Hong Kong, the official birthday for those born on February 29th is March 1st in normal years, while in New Zealand it is February 28th. If you time it right, then traveling from one country to another, you can celebrate the longest birthday in the world.

9. The city of Anthony in Texas, USA is the self-proclaimed "leap year capital of the world." A festival is held here every year, where those who wish from all over the world, born on February 29, gather.

10. The record for the largest number of generations born on a leap day belongs to the Keogh family.

Peter Anthony Keogh was born February 29, 1940 in Ireland, his son Peter Eric was born February 29, 1964 in the UK, and his granddaughter Bethany Wealth was born February 29, 1996.

11. Karin Henriksen from Norway holds the world record for having the most children on a leap day.

Her daughter Heidi was born on February 29, 1960, her son Olav on February 29, 1964, and her son Lief-Martin on February 29, 1968.

12. In the traditional Chinese, Jewish and ancient Indian calendar, 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 in a leap year.

Since ancient times, a leap year has always been considered difficult and bad for many undertakings. In folk beliefs, the 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 entrusted all plans and intentions. But then he went over to the side of the Devil, telling him that God intends to overthrow all satanic power from heaven.

For betrayal, God punished Kasyan, ordering him to be beaten on the forehead with a hammer for three years, and in the fourth year he was released to the ground, where he committed unkind deeds.

There are many signs associated with a leap year:

First, you can't start anything on a leap year. This applies to important matters, business, major purchases, investments and construction.

• A leap year is considered extremely unlucky for marriage. Since ancient times, it was believed that a wedding played on a leap year would lead to an unhappy marriage, divorce, infidelity, widowhood, or the marriage itself would be short-lived.
• Such a superstition may be due to the fact that in a leap year, girls could woo any young man they liked who could not refuse an offer. Often such marriages were forced, and therefore family life was not set.
• However, it is worth treating these signs wisely and understanding that everything depends on the spouses themselves and on how they build relationships. If you still planned a wedding, there are several ways to mitigate the "consequences":
• Brides are advised to wear a long wedding dress that covers the knees to make the marriage last.
• The wedding dress and other wedding accessories are not recommended to give to anyone.
• The ring should be worn on the hand, not the glove, as wearing the 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 to eat from this spoon.

What can not be done in a leap year?

• In a leap year, they 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 in an animal or a monster can take on the personality of evil spirits.
• Pregnant women should not cut their hair before giving birth, as the child may be born unhealthy.
• In a leap year, you should not start building a bathhouse, which can lead to ailments.
• In a leap year, it is not recommended to tell others about your plans and intentions, as luck may turn away.
• It is not recommended to sell or exchange animals and you should not drown kittens, as this will lead to poverty.
• You can not pick mushrooms, as it is believed that they all become poisonous.
• In a leap year, there is no need to celebrate the appearance of the first tooth in a child. According to the sign, if you invite guests, your teeth will be bad.
• You can not change jobs or apartments. According to you, the new place will turn out to be bleak and restless.
• If a child was born in a leap year, he should be baptized as soon as possible, and godparents should be chosen among blood relatives.
• Elderly people should not buy things for the funeral in advance, as this can hasten death.
• You can’t get divorced, because in the future you won’t be able to find your happiness.

A leap year, or it is also called the word "leap year", causes a lot of rumors and superstitions, which boil down mainly to the fact that this year is unhappy and promises only one negative event. In this article, we will discuss how true these opinions are.

A bit of history

The word "leap" came to us from the Latin language, that is, it is of ancient origin, and its literal translation sounds like "second sixth".

According to the Julian calendar, the Earth goes through its cycle in 365.25 days, while every year the day shifted by 6 hours. Such an error could well confuse ancient men, and in order to avoid this, it was decided that after every fourth year another day would be added to the annual cycle. Accordingly, this year will include 366 days, and they will be added in the shortest month - February, it will consist of 29 days. For distinction, he was called a leap.

In Ancient Russia, in turn, there were many legends about the emergence of leap years, and each of them was already perceived as necessarily unlucky. The legends about the arrival of the new calendar and the leap year in it in Russia were also reflected in the Saints. So, February 29 is dedicated to the memory of St. Kasyan, and among the people he is called Kasyanov Day. Several legends and apocrypha are dedicated to this day (stories that are not recognized by the church as confirmed and consistent with what we know about God). But it sheds light on the origin of the bad reputation of the leaps.

According to this legend, Kasyan appears to the common people not as a man, but as an angel, moreover, a fallen one, who was once tempted by Satan, as a result of which he fell away from God. However, in the future, he realized how wrong he was, repented and begged the Creator for mercy. Taking pity on the traitor, God, before taking him back, put His angel to him. The celestial shackled Kasyan and, by order from above, beat him on the forehead with a metal hammer for admonition for 3 years, and released him on the fourth.

The second legend about Kasyan

According to the second story Kasyan- this is a person, and Kasyanov's day is the date of his name day. However, according to legend, that man systematically drunk dead for three years in a row, but on the fourth he came to his senses, brought repentance, gave up addiction, turned to repentance and became a saint - he acquired the Holy Spirit. Therefore, the people considered, it is fitting for them to celebrate their day so rarely - only on February 29th.

The third legend about Kasyan

This legend is dedicated to St. Kasyan traveling the earth and Nicholas the Wonderworker, well known to Christians. And then they meet a man along the way. He asked them for help as his wagon became bogged down in the mud. Kasyan replied to this that he was careful not to ruin his clean riza, and Nikolai, not afraid of dirt, immediately helped. The saints returned to the Kingdom of God, and the Creator noticed that Nicholas's robe was dirty and asked him what it was about.

The Saint told him what had happened on the way. Then the Lord noticed that Kasyan's clothes were clean, and asked the question: did they not travel together? Kasyan replied that he was afraid to stain his clothes. God understood that Cosmas was cunning, and arranged in such a way that his name day is celebrated with him once every 4 years. And Nikolai's namesake for his meekness - twice in 365 days.

Anyway , whatever it may be, the leap was recognized as bad. Therefore, the Russian superstitious people tried to somehow protect themselves from this day.

1. I tried to finish all the important things before the 29th of February.
2. Some did not dare to leave the house.
3. On February 29, if the sun came out, it was called Kasyan's Eye or Kasyanov's Eye. Then they tried not to fall under the sun, so that the saint would not… jinx them! And he did not bring suffering and disease to the poor person.

As in ancient times, in today's world, superstitions and omens often come across that do not define leap years of the 21st century from the best side. We list some of them:

Why is a leap year considered bad?

Such an attitude is quite understandable: the appearance of the 29th day in February characterizes the whole year differently from others, psychologically distinguishes it from among the others. This can be important for a person who is unsure of their abilities. It will be much easier for him, referring to this special period, to refuse something new than to expend energy for self-development or the start of some business.

For the same reason, it will be easier not to get pregnant, so as not to give birth later, because the fear that the birth will be difficult increases, the baby may be born painful. And if not, then suddenly his life will be bleak or hard.

See our resourceful people and the threat in the very name of the leap year, saying that it “mows down” people, in other words, takes them away, leads to death. Therefore, the holiday is met with apprehension (or, conversely, on a special scale - you never know who will die ...). This is a very common belief that tries to infiltrate the statistics. It is becoming accepted that the death rate increases every 4th year. At the same time, the statistics themselves do not confirm these data in any way.

Mushrooms can not be collected either, and even more so they can be eaten or sold to people. No, not so as not to get poisoned, but so that with the “bad earth” a person does not get “something bad”.

It is believed that a leap year entails cataclysms in nature and all sorts of disasters: drought, floods, fires.

What years are leap years

In the last century, as well as in the present, such calendar periods also terrified. A list of them can be seen in the image or found on the Internet. Also, the year 2000, the same millennium, in turn was a leap year, opening a whole millennium.

Despite the fact that with the development of technology, information has become more accessible and it has become possible to learn more and expand one's horizons, getting rid of primitive fears, many continue to anxiously expect a leap year, internally setting themselves up for problems and troubles, and when they come (if they come), this is perceived as doomed: well, it's a leap year... An extra day in February. Deadly!

There are special calendars that indicate exactly when the leap year occurs. It is enough to carefully look at the table and find (or not find) the actual numbers there. It is enough to know at least one leap year, after which, through elementary arithmetic, it will be possible to calculate them yourself. Let's say you're interested in leap years in the 21st century. Find a calendar and view it. Knowing that 2016 is a leap year, it is easy to understand that the next one will come in 2020.

If you trust the statistics, a very small number of all catastrophes and misfortunes falls on leap years. The superstitions that exist today can be interpreted by the fact that people who were closely following the misfortunes and misfortunes that occurred at leap years, communicated an exaggerated meaning to what was happening only because of the unflattering reputation of the latter. Persons who extremely trust superstitions about leap years would like to wish to pay more attention to positive events and changes. And then, perhaps, there will be a list of good and joyful signs restoring the reputation of the leaps.

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 with 366 days instead of 365 as usual. An extra day in a leap year is added in February - February 29 (leap day).
The extra day in a leap year is necessary because it takes just over 365 days to complete one revolution around the Sun, or rather 365 days, 5 hours, 48 ​​minutes and 46 seconds.
Humans once followed a calendar of 355 days with an extra month of 22 days every two years. But in 45 B.C. 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 as 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 introduced 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 - leap day

3. February 29 is considered the only day when a woman can propose marriage to a man. The tradition began in 5th century Ireland when Saint Brigid complained to Saint Patrick that women had to wait too long for a proposal from worshipers.
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 offered her a silk dress to soften the 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 can propose to any man she likes on February 29th.
She also made it 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 fans in advance, a woman was supposed 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. One in five couples in Greece avoid getting married on a leap year, as it is believed to bring bad luck.
In Italy, it is believed that in a leap year a woman becomes unpredictable, and at this time there is no need to plan important events. So, according to the Italian proverb "Anno bisesto, anno funesto". ("Leap year is a doomed year").

February 29

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

11. Karin Henriksen from Norway holds the world record for having the most children on a leap day.
Her daughter Heidi was born on February 29, 1960, her son Olav on February 29, 1964, and her son Lief-Martin on February 29, 1968.
12. In the traditional Chinese, Jewish and ancient Indian calendar, 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 in 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 folk beliefs, the 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 entrusted all plans and intentions. But then he went over to the side of the Devil, telling him that God intends to overthrow all satanic power from heaven.
For betrayal, God punished Kasyan, ordering him to be beaten on the forehead with a hammer for three years, and in the fourth year he was released to the ground, where he committed unkind deeds.
There are many signs associated with a leap year:
First, you can't start anything on a leap year. This applies to important matters, business, major purchases, investments and construction.
Also, in a leap year, it is not recommended to change anything, as this will not bring the desired result and can even become disastrous. During such a period, you should not plan to move to a new house, change jobs, divorce or marriage.

Is it possible to get married or 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 on a leap year would lead to an unhappy marriage, divorce, infidelity, widowhood, or the marriage itself would be short-lived.
Such a superstition may be due to the fact that in a leap year, girls could woo any young man they liked who could not refuse an offer. Often such marriages were forced, and therefore family life was not set.
However, it is worth treating these signs wisely and understanding that everything depends on the spouses themselves and on how they build relationships. If you still planned a wedding, there are several ways to mitigate the "consequences":
Brides are advised to wear a long wedding dress that covers the knees to make the marriage last.
The wedding dress and other wedding accessories are not recommended to give to anyone.
The ring should be worn on the hand, not the glove, as wearing the 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 to eat from this spoon.

What can not be done in a leap year?

· In a leap year, they 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 in an animal or a monster can take on the personality of evil spirits.
· Pregnant women should not have their hair cut before childbirth, as the child may be born unhealthy.
In a leap year, you should not start building a bathhouse, which can lead to ailments.
· In a leap year, it is not recommended to tell others about your plans and intentions, as luck may turn away.
· It is not recommended to sell or exchange animals and you should not drown kittens, as this will lead to poverty.
· Do not collect mushrooms, as they are believed to become poisonous.
In a leap year, there is no need to celebrate the appearance of the first tooth in a child. According to the sign, if you invite guests, your teeth will be bad.
You can not change jobs or apartments. According to you, the new place will turn out to be bleak and restless.
· If a child was born in a leap year, he should be baptized as soon as possible, and godparents should be chosen among blood relatives.
· Elderly people should not buy things for the funeral in advance, as this may hasten death.
You can not get divorced, because in the future you will not be able to find your happiness.

Is 2019 a leap year or not? 2019 will not be a leap year. From year to year, the approach of the new year causes unrest among superstitious people. What will the upcoming 2019 year of the Pig be like, Leap year or non-leap year.

Interest is based on folk signs and superstitions associated with the addition of an additional February 29th. One day, February 29, is added to the calendar every four years. The previous Leap Year was 2016. When is the next Leap Year? The next one will be in 2020, four years from now.

Razgadamus considers it educational. How many days are in a leap year? A leap year (or popularly called Vysokosny) is considered every fourth year. Its duration is 366 days, one more than the duration of a common year, thanks to an additional day - February 29th. In normal, non-leap years, February has 28 days.

What years are leap years: calendar

Horoscope for every day

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Table of past years up to 2000

Table after 2000

How many days in 2019

You can get an answer to the question of how many days there will be in 2019, 365 or 366, by looking. If 2019 is not a leap year, then 2019 will be 365 days long.

2019 Leap year or not, worries superstitious people and is primarily of interest to those people whose birthday falls on February 29th. It turns out that those born in the Leap Year on February 29 have to celebrate their birthday every four years or postpone the celebration to March 1.

The leap year differs from the usual one in duration, it is longer by 1 day. But since ancient times, people have been afraid of the onset of such a four-year period, instilling fear of impending misfortune.

There are folk signs, according to which the arrival of the Leap Year means the onset of an unlucky period of time in the life of every person for four years.

Signs in Leap Year: Do's and Don'ts

Believe in omens or not? February 29 is popularly called Kasyan's Day (or Kasyanov's Day), and it is considered unlucky for the birth of a child.

• It is not advisable to plan the birth of a baby, but if pregnancy occurs, then the expectant mother will have to refrain from cutting her hair until the very birth.
• If the child was born on a Leap Year, the baptismal ceremony must be expedited so that the baby receives protection.
• You can’t start new business, any financial investment in business is doomed to failure.
• People who believe in omens advise not to sell or buy real estate in Leap Year, not to change their place of residence.
• According to signs, it is not recommended to have a pet.
• It is better to postpone the trip until better times.
• It is a very bad omen to plan a wedding in a Leap Year. The sign says that a marriage entered into in an unfortunate period of time will break up, the family will be haunted by misfortunes, illnesses, betrayal of spouses, evil fate.
• It is not recommended to change jobs, start making repairs in the house.

Our ancestors adhered to the rule that the unlucky year for marriage immediately follows the Leap Year and the ban on marriage remains for another year. If you believe you will accept, then after 2016 (it was a Leap year), the next 2017 is the year of the widow, the year of the widower is 2018.

2019 is the year of the widow or widower

The years of the widow and the widower are considered the first and second years after the Leap Year, the previous one was 2016. If you believe it, then 2017 is the year of the widow, the year of the widower is 2018, both dates are not suitable for a wedding. And couples who have scheduled a wedding in 2019 will be prosperous and well-being.

Our grandmothers did not get married, they were afraid to get a mystical curse on their family from the Higher powers and remain a widow or be among the dead.

Astrologers consider folk signs to be prejudices and remnants of the past, they recommend not to believe in such forecasts and not to follow them.

Priests advise to follow the call of the heart, start a family, marry in accordance with church canons and set a wedding date for 2019 without a doubt. According to - the year of the Pig - an animal symbolizing peace and harmony.

Widow years (list): 2001; 2005; 2009; 2013; 2017; 2021; 2025; 2029; 2033; 2037; 2041; 2045; 2049; 2053; 2057; 2061; 2065.

Years of the widower (list): 2002; 2006; 2010; 2014; 2018; 2022; 2026; 2030; 2034; 2038; 2042; 2046; 2050; 2054; 2058; 2062; 2066.

Is it possible to get married in 2019 or get married? Can. Signs and superstitions are usually based on popular rumors, but in fact there is no confirmed data or real statistics about the years of a widow or widower.

How to determine Leap year: calculation

1. Determining a leap year or not is easier if the date of the previous one is known. Leap years repeat every four years.
2. You can calculate the leap year by knowing how many days in a year - 365 or 366.
3. A leap year if it is divisible by 4 without a remainder; if it can be divided by 100 without a remainder, it is a common year. But if it is divisible by 400 without a remainder, then it is a leap year.

What to expect from 2019

Due to the fact that 2019 will be a non-leap year and will be held under the leadership of the Yellow Earth Pig, astrologers give a peaceful forecast for all 365 days of 2019. The pig is a symbol of the future of 2019. this patient animal symbolizes well-being, peace, tranquility and wisdom.

The personal life of many single people will change in 2019, loneliness will end and there will be a happy opportunity to find a friend, meet a loved one. A favorable period is coming for the birth of children, the creation of a family union. Persistent and purposeful will accompany.

Astrologers say that there will be a chance to become happy in your personal life, achieve success in work, move up the career ladder, or open your own business.

The pig, as you know, belongs to animals with enviable perseverance, and those who show perseverance, diligence, take responsibility in difficult circumstances, are not afraid of difficulties, will be able to achieve what they want.

Folk signs for 2019, beliefs and forecasts of various astrologers agree on one thing - the year of the Pig, the beginning, middle, end and all 365 days - a favorable and successful period. No matter how many days there are in 2019, every day you need to strive for the intended goal, think positively, not paying attention to bad omens.

All life on Earth is determined by the proximity to the Sun and the movement of the planet around it and around its own axis. A year is the time during which our planet flies around the Sun, and a day is the time for a complete revolution around its axis. Of course, it is very convenient for people to plan their affairs by weeks, to count a certain number of days in a month or a year.

Nature is not a machine

But it turns out that for a complete revolution around the Sun, the Earth rotates around its axis not the full number of times. That is, there is not a full number of days in a year. Everyone knows that this happens 365 times and this corresponds. In fact, a little more: 365, 25, that is, an extra 6 hours accumulate in a year, and to be completely accurate, an extra 5 hours, 48 ​​minutes and 14 seconds.

Naturally, if this time is not taken into account, then the hours will add up to a day, those to months, and in a few hundred years the difference between the generally accepted and astronomical calendar will be several months. For social life, this is completely unacceptable: all holidays and memorable dates will be moved.

Such difficulties were discovered quite a long time ago, even under one of the greatest of them - Gaius Julius Caesar.

Caesar's order

Emperors in ancient Rome were revered on a par with the gods, had unlimited power, so they just remade the calendar with one order, and that's it.

In ancient Rome, the whole year was based on the celebration of calends, non and ides (as the parts of the month were called). In this case, February was considered the last. Thus, in a leap year there were 366 days, and the extra day was in the last month.

After all, it was quite logical to add a day in the last month of the year, in February. And, interestingly, not the last day was added, as it is now, but an additional day before the calendars of the month of March. Thus, in February there were two twenty-fourths. Leap years were appointed after three years, and the first of them happened already during the life of Caesar Gaius Julius. After his death, the system went astray a little, because the priests made a mistake in the calculations, but over time, the correct calendar of leap years was restored.

Now leap years are considered a bit more complicated. And this is due to those few extra minutes that are obtained by introducing a full extra day every four years.

New calendar

The Gregorian calendar, according to which secular society currently lives, was introduced by Pope Gregory at the end of the 16th century. The reason the new calendar was introduced is because the old timekeeping was inaccurate. By adding a day every four years, the Roman ruler did not take into account that in this way the official calendar would be ahead of the generally accepted one by 11 minutes and 46 seconds every four years.

At the time of the introduction of the new calendar, the inaccuracy of the Julian was 10 days, over time it has increased and is now 14 days. The difference increases every century by about a day. It is especially noticeable on the day of the summer and winter solstices. And since some holidays are counted from these dates, the difference was noticed.

The Gregorian leap year calendar is a bit more complex than the Julian calendar.

Structure of the Gregorian calendar

The Gregorian calendar takes into account the difference in the official and astronomical calendar of 5 hours, 48 ​​minutes and 14 seconds, that is, every 100 years one leap year is canceled.

So how do you know which year is a leap year and which is not? Is there a system and algorithm for canceling an extra day? Or is it better to use

For convenience, such an algorithm is actually introduced. In general, every fourth year is considered a leap year, for convenience, years that are multiples of four are used. Therefore, if you need to find out whether the year of your grandmother's birth or the start of World War II was a leap year, you just need to find out whether this year is divisible by 4 or not. Thus, 1904 is a leap year, 1908 is also a leap year, but 1917 is not.

A leap year is canceled when the century changes, that is, in a year that is a multiple of 100. Thus, 1900 was not a leap year because it is a multiple of 100, non-leap years are also 1800 and 1700. But an extra day does not accumulate in a century, but in about 123 years, that is, again it is necessary to make amendments. How do you know which year is a leap year? If a year is a multiple of 100 and a multiple of 400, it is considered a leap year. That is, 2000 was a leap year, just like 1600.

The Gregorian calendar, with such complex corrections, is so accurate that there is extra time left, but we are talking about seconds. Such seconds are also called leap seconds, so that it is immediately clear what it is about. There are two of them a year and they are added on June 30 and December 31 at 23:59:59. These two seconds equalize astronomical and universal time.

How is a leap year different?

A leap year is one day longer than usual, it has 366 days. Earlier, back in Roman times, this year there were two days on February 24, but now, of course, the dates are counted differently. This year in February there is one more day than usual, that is 29.

But it is believed that the years in which there is February 29 are unlucky. There is a belief that in leap years the death rate rises, various misfortunes occur.

Happy or unhappy?

If you look at the mortality chart in the USSR in the second half of the 20th century and in Russia, you can see that the highest level was recorded in 2000. This can be explained by economic crises, low living standards and other problems. Yes, 2,000 was a leap year (since it's divisible by 400), but is that the rule? 1996 is by no means a record holder in terms of mortality; in 1995, which preceded it, the mortality was higher.

This indicator reached its minimum mark in almost half a century in non-leap years, but in 1986 the mortality rate was also low, much lower than, for example, in 1981.

Many more examples can be cited, but it is already clearly seen that mortality does not increase in “long” years.

If you look at the birth rate statistics, then you can’t find a clear relationship with the length of the year either. Leap years of the 20th century did not confirm the theory of misfortune. The birth rate both in Russia and in European countries is falling evenly. A slight rise is observed only in 1987, and then the birth rate begins to grow steadily after 2008.

Maybe a leap year determines some tension in politics or predetermines natural disasters or wars?

Among the dates of the beginning of hostilities, you can find only one leap year: 1812 - the war with Napoleon. For Russia, it ended quite happily, but, of course, it was a serious test in itself. But neither the year of the revolution of 1905 nor 1917 was a leap year. The year the Second World War began (1939) was certainly the most unfortunate year for all of Europe, but it was not a leap year.

In leap years, an explosion also occurred, but events such as the Chernobyl disaster, the tragedy in the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, volcanic eruption and other disasters happened in the most ordinary years. The list of leap years in the 20th century does not at all coincide with the mournful list of misfortunes and catastrophes.

Causes of misfortune

Psychologists believe that all statements about the fatality of a leap year are nothing more than superstition. If it is confirmed, they talk about it. And if it is not confirmed, they simply forget about it. But the expectation of misfortune in itself can “pull” trouble. It is not for nothing that often happens to a person exactly what he is afraid of.

One of the saints said: "If you do not believe in omens, they will not be fulfilled." In this case, it could not be more useful.

Leap year in Hebrew

The traditional Jewish calendar uses lunar months, which are 28 days long. As a result, the calendar year according to this system lags behind the astronomical one by 11 days. An additional month in the year is regularly introduced for adjustment. A leap year in the traditional Jewish calendar consists of thirteen months.

Leap years for Jews are more common: out of nineteen years, only twelve are common, and another seven are leap years. That is, the Jews have much more leap years than in the usual case. But, of course, we are talking only about the traditional Jewish calendar, and not about the one according to which the modern state of Israel lives.

Leap year: when is next

All our contemporaries will no longer face exceptions in the calculation of leap years. The next year, which will not be a leap year, is expected only in 2100, this is hardly relevant for us. So the next leap year can be calculated very simply: the nearest year that is divisible by 4.

2012 was a leap year, 2016 will also be a leap year, 2020 and 2024, 2028 and 2032 will be leap years. It is quite easy to calculate this. Of course, it is necessary to know this, but do not let this information scare you. And in a leap year, wonderful and joyful events happen. For example, people born on February 29 are considered lucky and happy.