The Earth goes around the Sun, but it takes a little more than 365 days. Imagine you’re on a bike ride, if your trip usually takes 365 minutes, sometimes it takes an extra minute or two. To keep things simple, we add that extra time every few years. That’s how we get leap years!
Why Not 366 Days All the Time?
If we had 366 days every year, our calendar would quickly get out of sync with the seasons. You’d be celebrating summer in winter, it would be a little confusing.
The Big Picture
The Earth takes about 365 and one-quarter days to go around the Sun. That’s why we have leap years, they help keep our calendar lined up with the real world.
Examples
- When you ride your bike around the block, it usually takes 365 minutes, but sometimes a little longer.
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See also
- How Does Neil deGrasse Tyson Explains Why Stars Twinkle Work?
- How Does a Day on Mars Compare to a Day on Earth?
- How James Webb Changed Astronomy?
- What is Earth?
- How the Movement of the Earth and Sun Cause the Days?