diff --git a/README.md b/README.md index 1f2b938..a63dc0f 100644 --- a/README.md +++ b/README.md @@ -5,3 +5,4 @@ calendars from major cultures. Currently, the following calendars are supported: * [French Republican Calendar](frcal/README.md) +* [Julian Calendar](jcal/README.md) diff --git a/jcal/README.md b/jcal/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..8832258 --- /dev/null +++ b/jcal/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,32 @@ +# Julian Calendar + +![demo](demo.png) + +## What is this? + +The [Julian calendar][0] is a calendar introduced by Julius Caesar in 46 BC. A +reformed version, the [Gregorian calendar][1], forms the basis of civil calendar +in most countries. + +Julius Caesar (with aid of Sosigenes of Alexandria) introduced this calendar to +replace the earlier Roman calendar, which required manual addition of leap +months to keep it in synchrony with the seasons. Unfortunately, it had leap +days every four years without question, resulting in the average year having +365.25 days. However, the actual tropical year is roughly 365.2422 days, +resulting in the Julian calendar gaining a day every 129 years. This means +that seasons drift, starting earlier and earlier in the year. + +In 1582, Pope Gregory XIII decided to fix this drift by reducing the number +of leap days, motivated by a desire to keep the March equinox on March 21st, +since that value was hardcoded in the calculation for the date of Easter. To +achieve this, he made years divisible by 100 but not by 400 non-leap years, +resulting in 97 leap years every 400 years, resulting in the Gregorian calendar. +To bring the equinox back in alignment, October 5th to October 14th in 1582 +were deleted. The result is the Gregorian calendar. + +This website extends the Julian calendar indefinitely into the future for +reference reasons. Note that in the 20th and 21st centuries, the Julian +calendar is 13 days behind the Gregorian calendar. + +[0]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julian_calendar +[1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gregorian_calendar diff --git a/jcal/demo.png b/jcal/demo.png new file mode 100644 index 0000000..8f90541 Binary files /dev/null and b/jcal/demo.png differ