The month of August is historically known as the Dog Days of Summer which “refers to a period of particularly hot and humid weather occurring during the summer months of July and August in the Northern Hemisphere” (almanac.com) and dates back to ancient Greek, Roman & Egyptian traditional beliefs.
Astronomy even plays a role in deciphering when the “dog days” will be each year. Sirius the Dog Star, is a part of the constellation known as Canis Majoris and is associated with nearby Orion the Hunter.
Other than our solar system’s Sun, Sirius is the brightest star that we can see. When Sirius rises at dawn, that signals the beginning of the “dog days,” which were believed to be higher temps and more humidity.
(If you’ve read/seen Harry Potter, you might learn something about the character Sirius as well!)
As a part of this activity, we ask that you do several things:
- Take a picture of your dog in an ORK pet bandana, share with us or tag us on social media.
- See what else you can research and learn about the history of the Dog Days of Summer.
- Try to find Sirius the Dog Star in the night sky (If you need help locating it, there are several free apps to learn about stars and constellations).
Throughout month of August only, our pet bandanas will be on sale for $7!
