JACKSON, Wyo. — It’s currently the “dog days” of summer and although the term is bounced around a lot, what does the phrase actually mean and what does it have to do with dogs?
According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, the phrase is a reference to Sirius, the dog star, and the brightest star visible from any part of the Earth.
Sirius is a part of the constellation Canis Major, “the Greater Dog.” In the summer, Sirius rises and sets with the sun.
“On July 23, specifically, [Sirius] is in conjunction with the sun, and because the star is so bright, the ancient Romans believed it actually gave off heat and added to the sun’s warmth, accounting for the long stretch of sultry weather,” states the almanac. They referred to this time as “dies caniculares,” or “dog days.”
For the Egyptians, the rising of Sirius, known to them as Sothis, coincided with the Nile River’s flood season. The star was used as a “watchdog” ahead of the season, says the almanac.
The dog days of summer are the 20 days before and 20 days after the alignment of Sirius and the Sun, July 3 to Aug. 11.
While the ancient theories surrounding the star and its impact on weather are not rooted in science — the heat of summer is related to the tilt of the Earth — the phrase is popular in pop culture and referenced in literature, music, movies and advertising campaigns (queue Florence + The Machine, Dog Days Are Over).
In Jackson Hole, the meaning might ring true, “medium to long-range models are hinting that we could experience our hottest temperatures of the summer so far during the second half of next week and into the weekend of July 22 to 23 as high pressure strengthens across the Western U.S.,” according to Buckrail Meteorologist Alan Smith. Check out the full weather report by Smith, here.
Even though the term doesn’t relate to dogs lying around in the summer heat, we love our furry friends at Buckrail. Submit photos of your dogs during the dog days of summer for a chance to be featured in an upcoming SNAPPED, much like our powder hound series from the winter.
