Topic of the Month
February 2004


Q: When is the next leap year?
A: 2008

Bonus points: Who thought up the leap year concept and why is it necessary?
A: Roman priests and astronomers first introduced the
practice of adding leap years into the Julian calendar in 46 B.C.
They were close to perfecting the leap year timing but not exactly correct.
During Julius Ceasar's era astronomers tabulated a LEAP YEAR every three years. Eventually the error was realized by future astonomers who learned from observation that a new LEAP YEAR system was needed. Finally in 1582, Pope Gregory XIII, established the Gregorian Calendar and had LEAP YEAR occur every four years except in years that ended in 00, unless they were divisible by 400.
Leap years are a necessary part of the calendar, because it keeps the
calendar in line with the earth and the sun.
The earth takes 365.25 days to orbit the sun, actually 365.24219 days.

Congratulations to student members MEAGHAN F. in NY and KATIE D. IN KY who won the February prize drawing. A copy of The Encyclopedia of Science and Technology will be mailed directly to each of you!

Listed below are all the student members who responded correctly. Each will receive a certificate of participation in the mail. Students with a * by their name also answered the bonus point correctly.

AGNES K.IN CA*
ALEXIS K.IN VA*
AMY JUNGMIN P.IN CA*
APRIL K. IN CA
ASHLEY K. IN WA*
CHI H. IN MO*
CHRISTINE K. IN CA*
CONNIE P. IN NY*
CORINNE C.IN CA*
DEBORAH N. IN CA*
DIANA J.IN CA*
ERIKA G.IN CA*
FRANCISCA L. IN CA*
HELEN H. IN TX
HYE-IN C.IN NJ*
HYUNSOO C.IN NJ*
IVY H. IN WA*
JAE Y. IN CA*
JENNIFER I.IN CA*
JENNIFER K.IN NJ*
JULIE K. IN NJ*
KATIE D.IN KY*
KATHRYN T. IN VA*
KELLY B. IN PA*
KIM H. IN PA*
KUNJAL P. IN NY
MAUREEN Y.*
MEAGHAN F. IN NY
MINDY G. IN CA*
NICOLE F. IN NJ*
SALLY K. IN CA
SANNA R.IN VA*
SARAH J. IN CO
SUNG C. IN TX*
SYLVIA P. IN CA*