The dog days of summer are well underway. They were named by the ancient Greeks for that time of year when Sirius, or the Dog Star, began to rise with the sun, at least in the northern hemisphere. Early risers, those Greeks.
Sirius is easy to find. For one, it’s the brightest true star in the Northern Hemisphere. The belt of Orion is also easy to find—it’s three close stars all in a line. Extend that line to the first bright star and you found it—Sirius, sometimes called Orion’s Dog, in Canis Major. Orion’s other dog, represented by Canis Minor, is as shown. They are all chasing Lepus, the Hare. Their constellations are only called Major and Minor because of the brightness of their stars, not because Orion played favorites. If Orion had a favorite he never let on.
Siriusly
Circa 3000 BC the Dog Days began shortly after the Summer Solstice. Now some say it begins as late as mid-August. Don’t worry. I’m not going to get into the Earth’s nutation or forced precession. Along with rotation and revolution, the Earth does both.
The earliest Egyptian priests knew when Sirius rose in the early morning it was time to open the Nile’s flood gates to water the year’s crops. To them, Sirius was the star of Isis. The ancient Greeks as well as the ancient Romans also thought Orion’s Dog added heat to that of the sun. Now we know the latter is not true.
attribution: Getty Images
As every woozle knows, summer’s Dog Days are just made for lying around. It’s often hot enough that people pant like dogs. Summer also used to be thought of as the season for hydrophobia, aka, rabies. Remind your woozle of that the next time he has to go to the vet for his dreaded shots.
attribution: Getty Images
attribution:Getty Images
The obligatory pootie:
attribution: Getty Images
(I know I’ve posted this vid here before but a rerun seems appropriate.)
Let Hercules himself do what he may,
The cat will mew and dog will have his day.
--Hamlet
So what’s going on with your critters?
