ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Zoroastrian calendar

The Zoroastrian calendar is like a big calendar that people in the Zoroastrian religion use to keep track of time. It works differently than the calendar that most people use because it has twelve months, just like our calendar, but each month is shorter.

But here's the tricky part: the Zoroastrian calendar doesn't add an extra day every four years like our calendar does with leap years. Instead, they periodically add a whole month to their calendar to make up for the difference between their shorter months and the actual length of a year.

The Zoroastrian calendar starts on the spring equinox, which is when day and night are about the same length. This marks the beginning of the first month, called Farvardin. Each month is named after the Babylonian and Persian gods.

Now, let's talk about the days of the week. The Zoroastrian calendar has seven days, just like ours, but the names are different. They are named after the seven planets in our solar system: Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, and Saturn.

People in the Zoroastrian religion use this calendar for important religious events and celebrations, like the feast of Nowruz, which celebrates the new year on the spring equinox. It's also used to determine when to perform certain religious ceremonies, such as weddings or funerals.