I used to think that “dog days” was a way of saying it was just too hot. Heat not fit for a dog or something like that. So imagine my surprise when I discovered it had nothing to do with the heat or even dogs for that matter. Well, not really.

The dog days, in fact, refer to the one to two month interval in which a particularly bright star known as Sirius, the Dog Star, or Alpha Canis Majoris, rises & sets with the sun, shining during the daylight hours & staying hidden at night.

The Dog Star, being the second brightest star that can be seen with the naked eye, did not escape the attention of ancient astronomers. Its annual disappearance from the night sky & the corresponding influx of heat initially led the ancient Greeks to blame the Dog Star for the sweltering weather, assuming that its brightness paired with the sun manifested in the hottest days of the year.

Assuming you are in the Northern Hemisphere & depending on your latitude the “dog days” begin roughly on July 3 and come to a close on August 11.

Remember to stay hydrated.

CEO Olivia ❤