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The “Dog Days” of summer arrived this past weekend.
For many of us, the term Dog Days conjures thoughts of hot nights, cool lemonade and fireflies dancing in the backyard. (Or perhaps muggy evenings, iced tea and mosquito bites at the lake – whatever the case may be.)
But what do “Dog Days” really mean?
The term is older than you might think.
Dog Days are from July 3 to August 11 each year. It’s a reference to the star Sirius (a.k.a. the Dog Star), which is in the constellation Canis Major (a.k.a. the Greater or Big Dog). During this time Sirius and the Sun are in the same region of the sky. Sirius is no lightweight star – it’s the brightest star you can see.
This conjunction of sun and star wasn’t missed by the ancient Romans and Greeks. They thought if you add a bright star like Sirius to the Sun, that means super hot weather. (The Latin term was dies caniculares, “dog days”.) Their scientific reasoning may have been off, but they weren’t wrong about the heat. This period tends to be – but not always – the hottest of the year.
The extra heat is due to the Earth’s tilt. During summer the planetary tilt means the Sun’s rays hit longer and at a more direct angle. This means longer and hotter days if you live in the Northern Hemisphere.
And no, this time of year doesn’t “drive dogs mad.” That’s an Old Wives’ Tale.
Funny thing is the Dog Days of Summer won’t even be an event one day. Because of the Earth’s wobbly rotation, the night sky changes. The Dog Days the Romans and Greeks experienced isn’t the same as today. In fact, one astronomer says in roughly 13,000 years, Sirius will rise with the Sun in winter!
So enjoy the Dog Days while they last. Have another glass of lemonade – you’ve got a few thousand years to burn!
Until next time,
Hugs and Pug Kisses,
Candy
Sources and Links:
Here’s why we call this time of year the ‘dog days’ of summer (nationalgeographic.com)
What Are the Dog Days of Summer? – Farmers’ Almanac (farmersalmanac.com)
Photo by Lucas Ludwig on Unsplash
