The English name is a calque of the Latin dies caniculares (lit. 'the puppy days'), itself a calque of the ancient Greek κυνάδες ἡμέραι (kynádes hēmérai). The Greeks knew the star α Canis Majoris by several names, including … See more

Sirius is by far the brightest proper star in the night sky, which caused ancient astronomers to take note of it around the world. In Egypt, its return to the night sky became known as a precursor to the annual flooding of … See more

Various computations of the dog days have placed their start anywhere from 3 July to 15 August and lasting for anywhere from 30 to 61 days. They may begin or end with the cosmical rising or heliacal rising of either Sirius in … See more