Why are the ‘Dog Days’ in August?

Hot. Steamy. Sultry. Whatever you say, it is August in Florida.

So you ever wonder why the local weather forecaster and baseball announcers refer to this time of year as the “Dog Days?” While it conjures a thought of dogs sleeping on a porch on a blistering day, the fault actually lies in the stars.

Sirius, the Dog Star, is located in the constellation Canis Majoris, “the Greater Dog,” and during this time of year it rises with our morning sun. Sirius is the brightest star in sky, so it has been part of folklore since the constellations were named.

– David Johnson, DJGroup