Inside Iowa State: Iowa State University

February 27, 2004

Leap year prevents season confusion

Ron Nelson holding a Leap year birthday
cake

Ron Nelson, professor of mechanical engineering, was born 11 hours too soon to have a leap day birthday. He said he has wished he had a Feb. 29 birthday and agreed to help Inside wish a happy birthday to the five Iowa State employees whose birthdays come along once every four years. Photo by Bob Elbert, cake by ISU Dining, Central Baking.

by Karen Bolluyt
Each year without a leap day, our calendar falls .242199 days behind something that escapes ones notice in any given year.

But jump ahead 200 years. Without the leap year adjustments, Feb. 28 would become a good day to plant peas, potatoes and pansies. The calendar would say late February but the weather would say mid-April.

So, every four years we have a bissextile day, intercalated between Feb. 28 and March 1.

We have one this year, falling on a Sunday. What to do with the time?

Well, you could look up bissextile and intercalated and other words that do not often turn up in ordinary conversation.

According to ISU records, five faculty and staff have Feb. 29 birthdays. Despite considerable sleuthing, Inside was unable to identify any of them. Happy Birthday, whoever you are!