Neil deGrasse Tyson Explains Why We Have Leap Days

What’s going on with Leap Year? Neil deGrasse Tyson and comedian Chuck Nice explain why we sometimes have that extra day in February.

Learn about the rotation and orbit of the Earth and how our orbit isn’t exactly 365 days. What is the difference between the Gregorian and Julian Calendar? We take a trip back to 1582 to find out why The Pope took out 10 days of October. Plus, find out why 2000 was such a special leap year.

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Science meets pop culture on StarTalk! Astrophysicist & Hayden Planetarium director Neil deGrasse Tyson, his comic co-hosts, guest celebrities & scientists discuss astronomy, physics, and everything else about life in the universe. Keep Looking Up!

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00:00 - Introduction
00:30 - Why Do We Have a Leap Day?
2:54 - What Do You Do With The Extra Six Hours?
4:13 - The Gregorian Calendar & Problems with The Julian Calendar
9:21 - Why the 2000 Leap Year Was Special
11:36 - The Magic of New Years

[StarTalk]

Does your birthday fall on a Leap Day?!

[kevinflick]

With Chuck's spot-on comedic touch & Neil's and incredible understanding of how astrophysics, you guys have the most entertaining and informative science show on YouTube.

[Nunya_Bidnez]

We love you Chuck. The Universe would not be the same without you.

[davidjames]

Science wasn't anywhere this interesitng or cool when I was in school. Chuck is quick to pick up on all the nuances and Neil is beyond an great explainer! Thanks so much.

[GleN]

I once flew from San Fran to Frankfurt on December, 31st. The flight is 11 hours, guess what we fellow travelers celebrated New Years 10 times, each time the new hour

[masheldon]

I was just talking about the abbreviated October of 1582 yesterday! Excellent timing!

[sandrataylor]

I just learned something new and I'm 67. Who says you can't teach an old dog a new trick, because Neil just taught me something. Thanks, Neil!

[Divemaster]

If Neil was my science teacher in high school I would never miss a day.

[stringtheory]

Chuck and Neil has such great chemistry

[davidletarte]

omg chuck always cracks me tf up, "this is rome!"

[ShawnRavenfire]

Another interesting fact. England, being a Protestant country, did not adopt the Gregorian calendar until more than a hundred years later, which meant that in the American colonies, the date skipped ahead eleven days, which is why George Washington's Birthday is celebrated on the 22nd, despite him being born on the 11th.

[rodgar]

what i love about this is that in Futurama they added this fact and that's why even though Fry got frozen at midnight of new year's eve, he woke up at like 6 pm 3 thousand years later.

[dilanabey]

It's my son's 4th/1st bday this leap day! I'll have to show him this (maybe on his 2nd bday though...)

[ggp]

Thank you for your Intelligence, humor and down to Earth reasoning.

[LHSlash]

I know exactly why we have Leap Days. I'm still watching. Because it is so great and I end up still learning something new. Always keep learning

[Person_]

I love this show, just wanted to say that, peace out

[unarealtaragionevole]

The 24 hr straight celebration we had on New Year's 2000 was something truly special. For those around to remember it, the hour by hour massive fireworks and celebrations was incredible, and then they cut them all into like a 4 hour feature film of nothing but grand was something truly amazing.

[jennifertehanisarreal]

Came for Neil’s Star Talk and stayed for Chuck! They’re so great together!!! 👏🏼 👏🏼 👏🏼 🪐 💫 we need them on prime time television - so funny and educational. We need more of this. Awesome content.

[rashidxd]

In Persian calendar (Solar Hijri) which is the most accurate calendar that predates the Gregorian calendar, the first day of the new year (called Nowruz) happens on the first day of spring (21st March). I love the calendar mainly because of two reasons:

1) The first day of spring gives the vibes of a new earth, you see birds singing, flowers blooming, and you see everyone is happy with the big celebration (Nowruz). The alignment of the New Year on the first day of spring is quite underappreciated. (BTW, Nowruz was celebrated thousands of years ago on the first day of spring, long before the Solar Hijri calendar.

2) One of its greatest contributors of the calendar is Omar Khayyam, I love Omar Khayyam because he was not a theist despite being surrounded by theologians (his lack of belief is quite clear in his poetry if you can understand Persian, and that's something I personally admire). His poetry is legendary if you know Persian. Once translated though, it does not carry the same weight at all. He was an astronomer besides being a mathematician and a poet.

Now that I live in the west, I don't get anything close to the New Year vibe I used to get. But that's a compromise for having freedom of belief here for me ;)

[facespaz]

This was so funny and informational, thanks guys!