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What Are The Dog Days Of Summer?

We often hear about the dog days of summer but few know what the expression means. Some say that it signifies hot sultry days not fit for a dog, others suggest it is the weather in which dogs go mad.

But here come the Myth Busters to the rescue! In all reality, the Dog Days of Summer describes the most oppressive period of summer, between July 3rd and August 11th each year. But where did the term come from? And what does it have to do with dogs?

According to the Farmers' Almanac, the phrase Dog Days of Summer is actually a reference to the fact that, during this time, the Sun occupies the same region of the sky as Sirius, the brightest star visible from any part of Earth and part of the constellation called the Canis Major, or the Greater Dog. This is why Sirius is sometimes called the Dog Star. Hence the dog in the logo of the Sirius Satellite Network. Who knew?

Turns out that in the summer, Sirius rises and sets with the Sun. On July 23rd specifically, it is in conjunction with the Sun, and because the star is so bright, the ancient...