This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

POLL: What You Did on Your Leap Day?

We get one extra day this year! What will you do with yours?

Happy Leap Day, everyone! This extra day in February comes around only once every four years. Here are a few fun facts about leap years thanks to BBC News.

1. One earth year is calculated to be 365.2422 days. Every four years, we bundle the four quarter days into one and get Feb. 29. However a quick formula makes up for how the extra quarter day isn't exactly a quarter and how we make up for it.

2. Christopher Columbus used leap day's lunar eclipse in 1504 to ward off the indigenous population in Jamaica. Columbus and his crew were stranded on the island for months when "relations with the indigenous population broke down and they refused to continue helping with food and provisions."

Find out what's happening in Syossetwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

How did he save himself and his crew? By telling the native chiefs God would punish them by turning the moon red and would forgive them if they cooperated. They did so just as the moon began to show again.

3. One story has Queen Margaret of Scotland created a law that fined men who turned down proposals from women in leap years.

Find out what's happening in Syossetwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

4. Are you a leap day baby? You have one in 1,461 chances to be born on a leap day.

What did you do with your extra day? Vote in our poll and tell us in the comments!

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?