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$
The Dog Days of Summer $

We often hear the expression, "the dog days of summer" and most of us generally $
assume these to be the hottest and most humid days the summer season inevitably
brings. But how did this expression come to pass?

We have to look up in the night sky for the answer. In ancient times, people would
look up at the heavens and connect the stars much like a child would "connect the
dots" and develop a picture of various characters and images. Owing to cultural
differences, various groups saw different things but these images were to be called
constellations. Today's named constellations are based on European ancestors, and
were truly the starting block to the development of the field of astronomy.

One of the major constellations recognized is Canis Major, otherwise known as "the $
big dog." The brightest star within this constellation is Sirius. During the period know
as "conjunction," which is a fancy term referring to how two constellations are aligned 23+$+4-5($64-$6,*+$
as seen from the Earth, Sirius and the sun are perfectly aligned. The period of 20 days
before and 20 days after this conjunction is referred to as "the dog days of summer" 7.$+4($8-')$
and this translates roughly to a timeframe of July 3 to August 11, though this can vary.
Without getting too technical, over many, many years the alignment of stars and
!4,99$'(.(6$+4(*'$
constellations has shifted formation and this process, known as the "precession of the
equinoxes," accounts for the discrepancy of the exact days of this phenomenon. Since
!+'(.:+4;$
Sirius is an extremely bright star, (in fact it is twice the size of the sun and 20 times as
luminous) ancient follower's thought that its heat combined with the sun was causing
<4(=$54,99$>-3.+$
this extra warm condition. Thus, the term "dog days of summer" was born.
?@$6*+4$6*.:5$
The night sky tells stories about our history, and if you believe in the Zodiac and
astrology, our future as well. Has your agency held astronomy courses for kids to learn 8*A($(,:9(5B$
what the night sky holds? A good storyteller, with a basic understanding of astronomy,
could entertain kids for hours on end. A great way to encourage and explore a child's <4(=$54,99$'3.$,.)$
creativity is to let them find, draw, and name their own constellation, and invent a
story behind its origin. Even as an adult this would be a fun exercise. 0-+$C($6(,'=B$
So if you're looking for an idea to enhance your offering at one of your parks, why not <4(=$54,99$6,9A$
consider a little nighttime foray into the heavens? You might even find Canis Major
and Sirius. And best of all, this dog will never bark, bite or leave a mess in your park ".)$.-+$D,*.+E$
to cleanup.
%5,*,4$FGHIJ$
COPYRIGHT 2001 National Recreation and Park Association
COPYRIGHT 2001 Gale Group
$
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