BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — You may have heard about a stretch of days in summer known as “The Dog Days," we’re in the midst of those right now.
Have you ever wondered where the term comes from, and if it has anything to do with dogs?
Our favorite four-legged friends need to seek heat relief just as much as we do when the temperatures soar. But that’s not why this time of year is known as the “dog days of summer."
The expression actually has its origin…in the stars. The expression refers to the period from July 3 through 11, when Sirius, known as the “dog star” because it is the brightest star in the constellation Canis Major, rises in conjunction with the sun. Canis Major, in Latin, translates to “big dog."
The star is present in ancient astronomical records of the Greeks, Polynesians and several other cultures. The Egyptians even went so far as to base their calendar on when Sirius was first visible in the eastern sky, shortly before sunrise.
The ancient Greeks and Romans, among other cultures, also believed that heat from Sirius AND the sun caused these days to be the hottest. They even associated the dog days with drought, thunderstorms, bad luck, and other myths…including…mad dogs, as dogs seemed to suffer more from the heat than humans, and were at greater risk of ”going mad."
Today, the phrase no longer has a negative meaning, and just refers to the peak temperatures of late summer. So you…and Fido…can rest easy!
