Year

The year is a <a href="/facts/Unit_of_time/L9ShSGBv">unit of time</a> based on the roughly 365⁠1/4⁠ days taken by the <a href="/facts/Earth/HLLmDfj0">Earth</a> to revolve around the <a href="/facts/Sun/CadPCVHh">Sun</a>. The modern <a href="/facts/Calendar_year/rTxJRSwA">calendar year</a>, as reckoned according to the <a href="/facts/Gregorian_calendar/axJfTXV1">Gregorian calendar</a>, approximates this cycle.
The term 'year' is also used to indicate other periods of roughly similar duration, such as the roughly 354-day cycle of twelve of the Moon's phases (see <a href="/facts/Lunar_calendar/llUN81gP">lunar calendar</a>), as well as periods loosely associated with the calendar or astronomical year, such as the <a href="/facts/Seasonal_year/M3wsKbnE">seasonal year</a>, the <a href="/facts/Fiscal_year/qcR3PIXe">fiscal year</a>, the <a href="/facts/Academic_year/arRuHvr3">academic year</a>, etc.
Due to the Earth's <a href="/facts/Axial_tilt/kt7KwL3v">axial tilt</a>, the course of a year sees the passing of the <a href="/facts/Season/20vCqJWN">seasons</a>, marked by changes in <a href="/facts/Weather/f0qzFRVV">weather</a>, the hours of <a href="/facts/Daylight/G4GSx61M">daylight</a>, and, consequently, <a href="/facts/Vegetation/nAHr9kjk">vegetation</a> and <a href="/facts/Soil_fertility/E7ofTY0f">soil fertility</a>. In <a href="/facts/Temperate/6WPypCzC">temperate</a> and <a href="/facts/Subpolar_climate/xW83IXdL">subpolar</a> regions around the planet, four seasons are generally recognized: <a href="/facts/Spring_(season)/3UWDpVmx">spring</a>, <a href="/facts/Summer/v3DY22Uq">summer</a>, <a href="/facts/Autumn/Rk9KKsS2">autumn</a>, and <a href="/facts/Winter/kSp26z8R">winter</a>. In <a href="/facts/Tropics/Iv1es8Ih">tropical</a> and <a href="/facts/Subtropics/gK0KyFUD">subtropical</a> regions, several geographical sectors do not present defined seasons; but in the <a href="/facts/Tropics/Iv1es8Ih">seasonal tropics</a>, the annual <a href="/facts/Wet_season/k3xU5RU4">wet</a> and <a href="/facts/Dry_season/jjdnthUQ">dry seasons</a> are recognized and tracked.
By extension, the term "year" can also be applied to the time taken for any <a href="/facts/Astronomical_object/BCHLa0Q2">astronomical object</a> to revolve around its <a href="/facts/Primary_body/PzvXx42a">primary</a>, as for example the <a href="/facts/Timekeeping_on_Mars/kgbNvgkK">Martian year</a> of roughly 1.88 Earth years.
The term can also be used in reference to any long period or cycle, such as the <a href="/facts/Great_Year/K3G58lR7">Great Year</a>.

Year open-in-new

Year