Those Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days
When you think about the “dog days of summer,” does your mind conjure images of listless, panting canines who laze around in the sweltering heat?
If so, you may be surprised to learn that the phrase’s original meaning had nothing to do with dogs or even summer’s lazy days.
Siriusly, Folks
Instead, the days refer to the Dog Star, also known as Sirius, the brightest star in the constellation Canis Major. In fact, Sirius is so bright that ancient civilizations thought the Earth received heat from it.
To the ancient Greeks and Romans, the “dog days” occurred whenever Sirius appeared to rise alongside the sun – an approximately 40-day period beginning in late July for the Northern Hemisphere. They believed that heat from the two stars combined to create the hottest time of the year. (They also believed that drought and disaster were bound to ensue.)
Dog Days of Winter?
According to the Old Farmers’ Almanac (the unofficial authority on all things folklore and weather-related), the dog days now span from July 3 to August 11 – several weeks earlier than they did for ancient peoples.
That’s because a wobble in the Earth’s rotation shifts the position of the stars in the night sky. So the dog days of ancient Greece are not the dog days of today.
Of course, the Earth’s rotation will continue to wobble. Thousands of years from now, folks may refer to the “dog days of winter,” being so cold that dogs laze around the fire, trying to stay warm.
Some Like It Hot
When it comes to delighting in the season, we could all take a tip from our canine friends. We invite you to enjoy the following video clip, compliments of Waggle TV:
Sources:
Featured Image: Adobe, License Granted
National Geographic
Wilstar
Old Farmers’ Almanac