Aug 1, 2018
Image: The position of Sirius - Wikipedia
The phrase refers to those "crazy, hazy, lazy days of summer" we in the northern hemisphere endure during the hot, hot months of July and August (January and February south of the Equator).
According to Wikipedia, the Romans referred to the dog days as di?s canicul?r?s and associated the hot weather with the star Sirius. They considered Sirius to be the "Dog Star" because it is the brightest star in the constellation Canis Major (Large Dog). Sirius is also the brightest star in the night sky. The term "Dog Days" was used earlier by the Greeks.
The Dog Days originally were the days when the star Sirius rose just before or at the same time as the sun (heliacal rising), which is no longer true, owing to precession of the equinoxes. The Romans sacrificed a red dog in April to appease the rage of Sirius, believing that the star was the cause of the hot, sultry weather.
Dog Days were popularly believed to be an evil time when "the Sea boiled, the Wine turned sour, Dogs grew mad, and all other creatures became languid; causing to man, among other diseases, burning fevers, hysterics, and phrensies." according to Brady’s Clavis Calendaria, 1813.
In Ancient Rome, the Dog Days ran from July 24th through August 24th, or, alternatively, from July 23 through August 23rd.In many European cultures (German, French, Italian) this period is still said to be the time of the Dog Days.
However, The Old Farmer's Almanac lists the traditional period of the Dog Days as the 40 days beginning July 3rd and ending August 11th, coinciding with the ancient heliacal (at sunrise) rising of the Dog Star, Sirius. These are the days of the year with the least rainfall in the Northern Hemisphere
Now from another point of view, the 1552 edition of the The Book of Common Prayer, says the "Dog Daies" begin July 6th and end August 17th.
But no matter WHEN the dog days of summer actually begin, enjoy yourself, keep cool, don’t get too much sun and enjoy that refreshing iced tea, lemonade, or anything to keep you hydrated in an enjoyable way.
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