According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac – an annual publication containing a calendar for the coming year of statistical information as anniversaries, sunrises, sunsets, phases of the moon, astronomical or meteorological information, etc., we are in the middle of the Dog Days of Summer. July 3 to August 11 are the 40 days of Dog Days, although some of the hottest and humid days come after the 11th.
Dog Days, as it is called, is influenced by the rising of the Dog Star, Sirius. According to the Almanac, the bright Dog Star seen at sunrise really didn’t and doesn’t influence the weather, but “for the ancient Egyptians, Sirius appeared just before the season of the Nile’s flooding, so they used the star as a “watchdog” for that event. Since Sirius’ rising also coincided with a time of extreme heat, the connection with hot, sultry weather was made for all time: Dog Days bright and clear indicate a happy year. But when accompanied by rain, for better times our hopes are vain.”
Sirius is part of the constellation Canis Major the Greater Dog as seen portrayed in the library window. The Dog Star is our brightest star and can be seen as it ascends in the east before dawn on late summer mornings.
This star information in this first of the month article comes as August will be a pretty spectacular month due to the full moon on August 7, Canis Major constellation with the Dog Star during Dog Days until August 11, and last, but not least, the 2017 Solar Eclipse on August 21. (More on that event later)
Come in and check out the “star” titles selected plus 2017 Old Farmer’s Almanac website or the 2017 issue of the almanac, and the 25 new book titles that just arrived last week.
By the way, how much is the moon worth? One dollar, because it has four quarters. And, how does the man-in-the-moon cut his hair? Eclipse it!
Happy Reading!