TOLEDO, Ohio — The month of August usually means sunflowers, swimming and more summer heat. Most people even refer to August as the "dog days" of summer. As popular as the saying is, the meaning behind it might not be what you think.
A popular thought is the dog days of summer came about by observing dogs and puppies being outside in the heat and panting. That, however, is not the case.
The meaning behind the dog days of summer actually relates to astronomy. In the constellation, Canis Major, there is a bright star called Sirius. Long ago, ancient Romans thought since Sirius was a bright star that it would give off heat. Thus, bringing peak heat into early August.
The Greeks also had a similar theory, noticing that Sirus, which ancient Greeks referred to as the "dog star" because it is the brightest star in the constellation Canis Major, seemed to rise next to the sun in late July. They thought the heat from the two stars combined to make the season so hot.
Canis Major, when translated from Latin, means the greater dog or big dog. The phrase dog days of summer became known as the 20 days before and 20 days after Sirius’ peak brightness. That means the technical dog days of summer would be July 3-Aug. 11.
Though the dog days of summer deal with the stars and not our furry friends, make sure to keep an eye on your four-legged companions on hot summer days. Monitor for symptoms of heat stress like excessive panting, and don’t leave pets in the car during the warm months.
