Support Us Button Widget

Answered: Why there is a Leap Day every four years

This extra day is added to the calendar every four years to keep it synchronized with the Earth’s revolutions around the sun, so we want to know what you’re going to do with the extra time.

A view of the skyline up close during golden hour from a rooftop bar.

Relish this Leap Day — the next one won’t be until 2028.

Photo by ATXtoday

Leap Day is upon us, Austinites.

Every four years, we experience a leap year with ~366 days instead of the usual 365. Well, 365.25 days, to be more accurate.

Astronomically long story short — this extra day is added to the calendar every four years to keep it synchronized with the Earth’s revolutions around the sun. Without leap years, our calendar would gradually fall out of sync about one-quarter of a day behind the solar year.

Basically, without it, our current calendars would be off by ~501 days — so Feb 28, 2024, would actually be July 13, 2025, or the middle of summer, according to the handy time calculator. Pretty weird, huh?

So what do you plan to do with these extra 24ish hours this year? Tell us here for a chance to be featured in an upcoming newsletter.

More from ATXtoday
SXSW has fun in store for everyone, whether or not you have a badge this year.
Maximize your Rodeo Austin experience with these insider tips.
Texas Performing Arts is raising the curtain with 11 shows, including premieres like “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” and returning favorites like “Beetlejuice.”
The clocks will “spring forward” this weekend, allowing Austinites to make the most of their evenings.
It’s the SXS-Best time of year in Austin, and SXSW 2026 is going to look a bit different this time around, so buckle in and let us help you plan.
Diablo Hot Chicken will start as a food truck serving the beloved Nashville dish, incorporating Mexican chile into the recipe.
If you don’t have coffee already in hand, consider this your sign to grab some.
Over 160 local musicians will show up to represent the Live Music Capital of the World, and we’ve rounded them up in one easy-to-use guide for you.
Help us create a growing guide to small businesses by submitting your favorite local makers, restaurants, and professionals, and sharing this page with a friend.
Bookmark this guide for a curated list of events taking place each month that we’re most looking forward to.