Ever wonder where term "dog days of summer" originated...well I'll tell you...In ancient times, the un-obscured night sky enabled astronomers, scientists and common-folk alike to "draw" images in the sky by “connecting the dots” of stars - constellations. In part, culturally driven, different cultures saw and created different images.
They saw images of bears, (Ursa Major and Ursa Minor), twins, (Gemini), a bull, (Taurus), even dogs (Canis Major and Canis Minor).
The brightest star, other than the Sun, is Sirius, which is part of Canis Major (the big dog); which also happens to be the brightest star in the night sky. So bright in fact, the ancient Romans thought that the earth received heat from it.
In the summer
, Sirius, the “dog star,” rises and sets in conjunction with the sun. The ancients concluded that the heat from both the sun and Sirius together were responsible for the hot and sultry weather during late July and early August. Appropriately, they named the 20 days before the conjunction to 20 days after, “dog days” after the dog star.
, Sirius, the “dog star,” rises and sets in conjunction with the sun. The ancients concluded that the heat from both the sun and Sirius together were responsible for the hot and sultry weather during late July and early August. Appropriately, they named the 20 days before the conjunction to 20 days after, “dog days” after the dog star. 
It's damn HOT...hotter than its been in 134 years...thank God for A.C. Even so, Luna's enjoying every bit of summer! We had an early morning swim today.
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