February 29

The February 29 is the sixtieth day of the year of the Gregorian calendar and only exists in leap years. From this date there are 306 days left to end the year.

A year is a leap year if it is a multiple of 4, with one important exception: if it is a multiple of 100 (that is, if it ends in 00), it will only be a leap year if it is also a multiple of 400. Examples:

• Yes. were bisyths 1600 and 2000 (and it will be 2400, 2800, 3200,...).
• No. were bisytos 1700, 1800, 1900 (and neither will be 2100, 2200, 2300,...).

The last leap year was 2020, the next one will be 2024.

The last day of meteorological winter in the Northern Hemisphere in leap years. it is also the last day of meteorological summer in the southern hemisphere in leap years.

In the Roman calendar the leap day, which was added to the calendar every four years, was not February 29 but February 23, since this was the sixth day before the Kalends of March. Thus, there were two February 23rds, the first was "the sixth day before the Kalends of March" and the next day was "the bi-sixth day before the Kalends of March."

It is calculated in this way: a normal year of the Gregorian calendar counts 365 days when in reality there are exactly 365 days, 5 hours with 48 minutes and 56 seconds (365.25 days). These hours are rounded up to 6, which makes every four years (leap year) add up to a total of 24 hours (one day).

Events

• 1504: in Jamaica, Christopher Columbus takes advantage of his Almanach Perpétuum(from Abraham Zacuto), who predicted a lunar eclipse tonight, to convince the natives to provide him with supplies.
• 1704: In North America, French and native forces attack and destroy the people of Deerfield (Massachusetts), killing 100 men, women and children.
• 1712: In Sweden, this day was followed by 30 February, as a strategy to abolish the Swedish calendar and return to the Julian calendar (the Gregorian is currently used).
• 1720: In Sweden, Queen Ulrica Leonor abdicates for her spouse, Federico de Hessen.
• 1912: The moving stone of Tandil (in the province of Buenos Aires, Argentina), falls and is destroyed in three pieces, probably in an act of vandalism.
• 1916: In South Carolina, the minimum age of workers in factories, mills and mines rose from 12 to 14 years.
• 1940: the film What the wind took get eight Oscar prizes.
• 1952: Heligoland Island is returned to the German authorities.
• 1960: in Morocco, an earthquake amasses the city of Agadir.
• 1964: in the United States, President Lyndon Johnson announced that a plane (the Lockheed A-12) has been developed, capable of flying more than 3200 km/h to more than 20 km.
• 1964: at the door of his parents' house in Buenos Aires (Argentina), Raúl Alterman (32), a member of the Communist Party, is shot dead in an anti-Semitic attack in retaliation for the capture of the Nazi criminal Adolf Eichmann on the outskirts of Buenos Aires in 1960.
• 1988: In Cape Town, South Africa, the white government stops Archbishop Desmond Tutu along with a hundred clerics during their protests against the state brakes imposed on anti-apartheid organizations five days earlier.
• 1996: In Arequipa, Peru, Faucett Flight 251 crashes a few minutes away from landing due to an impact on the ground without loss of control, leading to one of the worst accidents of commercial aviation in the country.
• 2000: last day of the 20th century
• 2004: In Haiti, a coup d ' état defeats President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, who is sent out of the country.
• 2008: first European day of rare diseases
• 2012: The works for the Tokyo Skytree are finished.
• 2020: signing the peace agreement between the Taliban and the United States, ending the second war in Afghanistan, which began in 2015 and was in turn the direct continuation of the first war in Afghanistan that began with the US invasion in 2001.

Births

• 1468: Paulo III, Italian potato (f. 1549).
• 1528: Alberto V de Baviera, noble German (f. 1579).
• 1528: Domingo Báñez, dominico, philosopher and Spanish theologian (f. 1604).
• 1572: Edward Cecil, noble English (f. 1638).
• 1692: John Byrom, British poet (f. 1763).
• 1764: Paul Erman, German physicist (f. 1851).

Leo von Klenze.

• 1784: Leo von Klenze, German architect, painter and writer (f. 1864).
• 1788: Martin Zurbano, a Spanish military officer (f. 1845).
• 1792: Gioacchino Rossini, Italian composer (f. 1868).
• 1808: Charles Pritchard, British astronomer (f. 1893).
• 1808: Hugh Falconer, British geologist (f. 1865).
• 1820: Lewis Swift, American astronomer (f. 1913).
• 1836: Alfred Charles Chabert, French botanist (f. 1916).
• 1840: Theodor Leber, German ophthalmologist (f. 1917).
• 1844: Henry Somm, painter, cartoonist and French cartoonist (f. 1907).
• 1856: Joan Vila Cinca, Catalan painter (f. 1938).
• 1860: Herman Hollerith, American statistician, inventor of the tabulator machine (f. 1929).
• 1864: Adolf Wölfli, American painter and painter (f. 1930).
• 1864: Alice Davenport, American actress (f. 1936).
• 1864: Abraham Quintana, an Argentine politician (f. 1902).
• 1868: José Ramón Lomba de la Pedraja, Spanish professor (f. 1951).
• 1868: Heinrich Claß, a German politician (f. 1953).
• 1872: Kazimierz Bein, Polish ophthalmologist (f. 1959).
• 1884: Frederick Grace, British boxer (f. 1964).
• 1888: Carles Pi i Sunyer, Spanish politician (f. 1971).
• 1888: José Pemartín Sanjuán, Spanish politician (f. 1954).
• 1892: Augusta Savage, American sculptor (f. 1962).
• 1892: Ana María Ibars Ibars, a Spanish writer (f. 1965).
• 1896: Morarji Desai, Indian Prime Minister (f. 1995).
• 1896: William A. Wellman, American filmmaker (f. 1975).
• 1896: Louis Fischer, American journalist (f. 1970).
• 1904: Jimmy Dorsey, director of American band and musician (f. 1957).
• 1904: Francisca Mateos Rodríguez, Spanish teacher (f. 2004).
• 1908: Balthus, Franco-Polish artist (f. 2001).
• 1908: Dee Brown, American writer (f. 2002).
• 1908: Manuel Rosas Sánchez, Mexican footballer (f. 1989).
• 1908: Roberto Gil, Argentine journalist (f. 1981).
• 1908: Robert Pearce, American fighter (f. 1996).
• 1912: Taiichi Ohno, Japanese industrial engineer (f. 1990).
• 1912: Rufino Martos Ortiz, a Spanish painter (f. 1993).
• 1916: Dinah Shore, American actress and singer (f. 1994).
• 1916: Olga Luzardo, a Venezuelan journalist (f. 2016).
• 1920: James Mitchell, American actor (f. 2010).
• 1920: Howard Nemerov, American poet (f. 1991).
• 1920: Roman Piña Chan, archaeologist and Mexican anthropologist (f. 2001).
• 1920: John Chaney, American basketball player (f. 2004).
• 1920: Michèle Morgan, French actress (f. 2016).
• 1920: Beltrán Urenda, Chilean politician (f. 2013).
• 1920: Arthur Franz, American actor (f. 2006).
• 1924: Andrzej Maria Deskur, Polish Cardinal (f. 2011).
• 1924: Carlos Humberto Romero, Salvadoran president (f. 2017).
• 1924: Pierre Sinibaldi, footballer and French coach (f. 2012).
• 1924: Gunnar Johansson, soccer player and Swedish coach (f. 2003).
• 1924: Agustín Hernández Navarro, Mexican architect (f. 2022).
• 1924: Angel Pardo, Spanish hysterist (f. 1995).
• 1924: Vladimir Kriuchkov, Soviet politician (f. 2007).
• 1924: David Beattie, a New Zealand politician (f. 2001).
• 1928: Gustavo Biosca, Spanish footballer (f. 2014).
• 1928: Seymour Papert, South African researcher (f. 2016).
• 1928: Bernat Capó García, Spanish journalist (f. 2017).
• 1928: Joss Ackland, British actor.
• 1928: Ivan Bogdan, Ukrainian fighter (f. 2020).
• 1928: Tempest Storm, American actress (f. 2021).
• 1932: Gene Golub, American mathematician (f. 2007).
• 1932: Masten Gregory, American Formula 1 pilot (f. 1985).
• 1932: Milner Cajahuaringa, Peruvian painter (f. 2017).
• 1932: Reri Grist, American soprano.
• 1932: Ricardo Ferré German, Spanish gynecologist (f. 2014).
• 1932: Antonius Geurts, Dutch penguinist (f. 2017).
• 1932: Hermann Weiß, German historian and writer (f. 2015).
• 1936: Alex Rocco, American actor (f. 2015).
• 1936: Ives Roqueta, politician, activist and French writer in the West (f. 2015).
• 1936: Marin Sorescu, poet, playwright, and Romanian novelist (f. 1996).
• 1936: Frederik Vanmelle, Belgian actor (f. 1985).
• 1936: Milton Bluehouse Mr., American politician (f. 2019).
• 1936: Henri Richard, Canadian ice hockey player (f. 2020).
• 1936: Jack Lousma, American aviation engineer.
• 1940: Bartolome I, Orthodox religious.
• 1940: Margit Carstensen, German actress.
• 1940: Harvey Jason, English actor.
• 1940: José Ramón Durand, Spanish basketball player (f. 2013).
• 1940: Ethel Gilmour, American painter (f. 2008).
• 1940: Yoshio Harada, Japanese actor (f. 2011).
• 1940: Deloris Perlmutter, dancer, choreographer and American model.
• 1944: Ene Ergma, Estonian politician.
• 1944: Dennis Farina, American actor.
• 1944: Paolo Eleuteri Serpieri, Italian historietist.
• 1944: Gilles Bensimon, French photographer.
• 1944: Josep Maria Baget Herms, Spanish journalist (f. 2004).
• 1944: Phyllis Frelich, American actress (f. 2014).
• 1944: Hanspeter Kraft, Swiss mathematician.
• 1944: Callum McCarthy, British economist and businessman.
• 1944: Sharon Hugueny, American actress (f. 1996).
• 1944: David Briggs, American musical producer (f. 1995).
• 1948: Juan Salgado Brito, Mexican politician.
• 1948: Ken Foree, American actor.
• 1948: Chung Un Chan, a South Korean politician.
• 1948: Xosé Deira, Spanish politician.
• 1948: Arthur Van de Vijver, Belgian cyclist (f. 1992).
• 1948: Yanti Somer, Finnish actress.
• 1948: Richie Cole, American musician (f. 2020).
• 1948: Hugh Thomas, British rider.
• 1952: Patricio Contesse, Chilean engineer.
• 1952: René Cortázar, Chilean economist.
• 1952: Tim Powers, American writer.
• 1952: Oswaldo Payá, a Cuban politician (f. 2012).
• 1952: Giovanni Fedrigo, Italian cyclist.
• 1952: Francisco Burillo Mozota, archaeologist and Spanish historian.
• 1952: Lucha Castro, Mexican activist.
• 1952: Kazuo Oga, director of Japanese art.
• 1952: Raísa Smetánina, Russian skier.
• 1956: Aileen Carol Wuornos, American serial killer (f. 2002).
• 1956: Alexandr Rogov, a Soviet penguinist (f. 2004).
• 1956: J. Randy Taraborrelli, biographer, American writer and journalist.
• 1956: Fuad Khoury, Peruvian public accountant.
• 1960: Cheb Khaled, Algerian singer.

Tony Robbins.

• 1960: Tony Robbins, American writer and motivational speaker.
• 1960: Richard Ramirez, American serial killer (f. 2013).
• 1960: Karlos Santisteban, Spanish writer.
• 1960: Roberto Pumar, Argentine businessman.
• 1960: Luis Velozo Papez, Chilean surgeon.
• 1960: Scott Molina, American triathlet.
• 1964: Dave Brailsford, Welsh cyclist.
• 1964: Henrik Sundström, Swedish tennis player.
• 1964: Ola Lindgren, Swedish basketball player.
• 1964: Ion Imanol Rementeria, Spanish basketball player (f. 2022).
• 1964: Larisa Peleshenko, Russian athlete.
• 1964: Svilen Rusinov, Bulgarian boxer.
• 1968: Grillo Villegas, Bolivian musician.
• 1968: Chucky Brown, American basketball player.
• 1968: Luis Barroso Gómez, Venezuelan cyclist.
• 1968: Suanne Braun, South African actress.
• 1968: John Patrick, American basketball coach.
• 1968: Wendi Peters, English actress.

Pedro Sánchez.

• 1972: Pedro Sánchez, Spanish politician.
• 1972: Ruth Baza, Spanish writer and journalist.
• 1972: Antonio Sabato, Jr., Italian-American actor.
• 1972: Dave Williams, American singer, from the Drowning Pool band (f. 2002).
• 1972: Saul Williams, American singer and actor.
• 1972: Pedro Zamora, Cuban-American activist (f. 1994).
• 1972: Angel Castresana, Spanish cyclist.
• 1972: Magnus Kihlstedt, Swedish footballer.
• 1972: Joey Greco, American actor.
• 1972: Iván García, Cuban athlete.
• 1976: Ja Rule, rapper and American actor.
• 1976: Emilio Merchán, Spanish penguinist.
• 1976: Katalin Kovács, Hungarian penguinist.
• 1976: José Reginaldo Vital, Brazilian footballer.
• 1976: Vonteego Cummings, American basketball player.
• 1976: Milaim Rama, Swiss footballer-kosovar.
• 1976: Zoe Baker, British swimmer.
• 1976: Gábor Vincze, Hungarian Yudoca.
• 1980: Taylor Twellman, American footballer.
• 1980: Fernando Fayart, Argentine footballer.
• 1980: José Almaraz, Argentine footballer.
• 1980: Rubén Plaza, Spanish cyclist.
• 1980: Ivan Goi, Italian bike rider.
• 1980: Dalmata, Puerto Rican singer of reggaeton.
• 1980: Mijalis Murutsos, Greek taekwondista.
• 1980: Patrick Côté, Canadian fighter.
• 1980: Andreas Jakobsson, Swedish snowboarder.
• 1980: Ricardo Barroso Agramont, Mexican lawyer and politician.
• 1980: Natalia Cuello, Dominican basketball arbitra.
• 1984: Darren Ambrose, British footballer.
• 1984: Mark Foster, American singer, from the Foster the People band.
• 1984: Nuria Martínez, Spanish basketball.
• 1984: Kiyoe Yoshioka, Japanese singer.
• 1984: Cullen Jones, American swimmer.
• 1984: Ernest Bong, Vanuatuian footballer.
• 1984: Rakhee Thakrar, British actress.
• 1984: Rogerio Castro Vázquez, Mexican politician.
• 1984: Arnaud Valois, French actor.
• 1984: Olga Boladz, Polish actress.
• 1984: Ionuț Gheorghe, Romanian boxer.
• 1984: Brad Snyder, American swimmer.
• 1984: Stefano Pesoli, Italian footballer.
• 1988: Benedikt Höwedes, German footballer.
• 1988: Mikel Balenziaga, Spanish footballer.
• 1988: Fredixon Elvir, Honduran footballer.
• 1988: Fabiano, Brazilian footballer.
• 1988: Lena Gercke, German model.
• 1988: Mirzohid Farmonov, yudoca Uzbek.
• 1988: Luciano Cigno, Argentine footballer.
• 1988: Pauline Kwalea, Salomonian athlete.
• 1988: Hannah Mills, British sailor.
• 1988: Blaine Scully, American rugby player.
• 1988: Stefania Tarenzi, Italian footballer.
• 1992: María Guadalupe González Talavera, Paraguayan model, Miss Universe Paraguay in 2013.
• 1992: Saphir Taïder, Franco-Algiver footballer.
• 1992: Perry Kitchen, American footballer.
• 1992: Guido Herrera, Argentine footballer.
• 1992: Caitlin E.J. Meyer, American actress.
• 1992: Jawad El Yamiq, Moroccan footballer.
• 1992: Aleksandrina Naydenova, Bulgarian tennis player.
• 1992: Dennis Clifford, American basketball player.
• 1992: Yevhen Banada, Ukrainian footballer.
• 1992: Hsu Chia-Lin, Taiwanese taekwondista.
• 1992: Jessica Long, American swimmer.
• 1992: Dwight Ritchie, Australian boxer (f. 2019).
• 1992: Katie Stengel, American footballer.
• 1992: Eric Kendricks, American football player.
• 1992: Jessie Usher, American actor.
• 1996: Jaume Valens Cardell, Spanish footballer.
• 1996: Andrea Esteban Catalan, Spanish footballer.
• 1996: Aníbal Rosales, Venezuelan footballer.
• 1996: Sebastian Schmitt, German basketball player.
• 1996: Soya Takahashi, Japanese footballer.
• 1996: Shuta Doi, Japanese footballer.
• 1996: Reece Prescod, British athlete.
• 1996: Norberto Briasco, Argentine footballer.
• 2000: Ferran Torres, Spanish footballer.
• 2000: Armin Hodžić, Bosnian footballer.
• 2000: Alejandro Marcos López, Spanish footballer.
• 2000: Tyrese Haliburton, American basketball player.
• 2000: Jesper Lindstrøm, Danish footballer.
• 2000: Hugo Vetlesen, Norwegian footballer.
• 2000: Demi van den Wildenberg, a Dutch athlete.
• 2004: Lydia Jacoby, American swimmer.

Deaths

• 468: Hilary, Italian Catholic Pope (n. ?).
• 1740: Pietro Ottoboni, Italian cardinal (n. 1667).
• 1868: Louis I of Bavaria, king of Bavaria between 1825 and 1848 (n. 1786).
• 1928: Armando Diaz, Italian military (n. 1861).
• 1932: Ramón Casas, a Spanish painter (n. 1866).
• 1940: Edward Frederic Benson, British writer (n. 1867).
• 1944: Pehr Evind Svinhufvud, Finnish president between 1931 and 1937 (n. 1861).
• 1960: Amadeo Sabattini, an Argentine politician (n. 1892).
• 1976: Paul Schallück, German writer (n. 1922).
• 1980: Yigal Alon, an Israeli politician (n. 1918).
• 1988: Beatriz Guido, Argentine novelist (n. 1922).
• 2004: Danny Ortiz, Guatemalan footballer (n. 1976).
• 2008: Janet Kagan, American writer (n. 1946).
• 2012: Davy Jones, American actor, composer and singer of The Monkees (n. 1945).
• 2012: José Luis Milá i Sagnier, aristocrat and Spanish lawyer (n. 1918).
• 2016: Hannes Löhr, footballer and German football coach.
• 2016: José Parra Martínez, Spanish footballer (n.1925).
• 2020: Luis Alfonso Mendoza, Mexican actor (n.1964)

Celebrations

• World Rare Disease Day.

Catholic saints list

• San Hilario(f. 468)
• San Osvaldo de Worchester, bishop, canon and monk (f. 992)
• Blessed Antonia of Florence, founder and Abbey (f. 1472)
• San Agusto Chapdelaine, priest and martyr (f. 1856)