Why February Only Has 28 Days
As many of you know February is the shortest month of the year, and this has caught some curiosity as well as frustration for some throughout the years. While it may seem arbitrary, there actually is a reason behind this and it comes from ancient history, astronomy, and being able to align time better.
The origins of February’s unusual 28 days trace back to the early Roman calendar, which originally consisted of only ten months. January and February were later added, and the calendar needed to align with the lunar cycle as well as the solar year. Roman leaders actually considered even numbers unlucky, so the months were adjusted to have odd numbers of days. February, unfortunately, was left with the remaining days, making it the shortest month of the year.
In 45 BCE the Julian Calendar was introduced and this became more structured under Julius Caesar. This was aimed to synchronize the calendar with earths orbit around the sun, which takes around 365.25 days. In order to account for the extra quarter day that happens each year, leap year occurs. Leap year, then adds an extra day of February every four years, so normally it does only have 28 days but gains one more day during leap years.
Beyond February’s history, it also has cultural significance. February has many meaningful observances, such as Black History Month, Presidents’ Day, as well as Valentine’s Day. For many around the world, February also represents change, going from winter to slowly getting ready for spring in March. It is a time for us to continue pushing through and knowing that warmer days are ahead.
Overall, February is the true definition that length does not determine importance. Having only 28 days, reminds us of how much effort was put into measuring time accurately while still balancing tradition and superstition. Although February has the shortest days in the month, it’s still a part of our calendar and helps to keep our lives in order.
Resources:
University of Reading, Curious Kids: why is February shorter than every other month?
