Leap Day with the 77's Event Cache

An intercalary date added periodically to leap years in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. It is the 60th day of a leap year in both calendars, and 306 days remain until the end of the leap year. It is also the last day of February in leap years with the exception of 1712 in Sweden. It is also the last day of meteorological winter in the Northern Hemisphere and the last day of meteorological summer in the Southern Hemisphere in leap years.

What's with the Sweden and 1712 thing?  Interesting you should ask.  

Sweden has a curious history. Sweden decided to make a gradual change from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar. By dropping every leap year from 1700 through 1740 the eleven superfluous days would be omitted and from 1 Mar 1740 they would be in sync with the Gregorian calendar. (But in the meantime they would be in sync with nobody!)

So 1700 (which should have been a leap year in the Julian calendar) was not a leap year in Sweden. However, by mistake 1704 and 1708 became leap years. This left Sweden out of synchronisation with both the Julian and the Gregorian world, so they decided to go ‘back’ to the Julian calendar. In order to do this, they inserted an extra day in 1712, making that year a double leap year! So in 1712, February had 30 days in Sweden.

Later, in 1753, Sweden changed to the Gregorian calendar by dropping 11 days like everyone else.

In the Gregorian calendar (the standard civil calendar used in most of the world), February 29 is added in each year that is an integer multiple of four (except for years evenly divisible by 100, but not by 400). The Julian calendar — since 1923 a liturgical calendar — has a February 29 every fourth year without exception. (Consequently, February 29 in the Julian calendar falls 13 days later than February 29 in the Gregorian, until the year 2100.)

Here it is again, Leap Day.  Your chance to get that elusive find or add to that days totals that comes but once every four years.  And, GC HQ has confirmed it is a souvenir day. 

Join us at McDonalds, 2750  W 104th Ave, Federal Heights, CO, from 9AM to 10AM, Thursday, February 29th, for coffee, breakfast,  laughter, and geocaching camaraderie.  Small TBs for discovery or moving on are always welcome.  McDonalds sells food and beverages for your consumption, but purchase is not required to attend. Come on out, we love to see new cachers and seasoned cachers.  All are welcome.  The kids playground is open.