Can anyone explain to me why the hottest days of summer are called "the dog days of summer" ?

Answer 1

Your question made me search out the answer for myself. Thanks. I always wondered the same thing. Here is what I found:

The Dog Days of Summer - where 'dog days' term comes from - Brief Article
Parks & Recreation, August, 2001 by Michael R. Corwin
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 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" 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 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 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 this extra warm condition. Thus, the term "dog days of summer" was born.

Answer 2

They get their name because the period this occurs is often during the time the star Sirius, known as the Dog Star (and the brightest star of all as seen from Earth), both rises after, and sets before, the Sun and is hence lost in the latter's glare.

On an unrelated topic:
Indian summer (also called Old Wives' summer in the United Kingdom) is a name given to a period of sunny, warm weather in autumn, not long before winter. This time can be in late October or early November (Northern hemisphere) / late April or early May (Southern hemisphere), usually sometime after the first frost. It can persist for just a few days or weeks.

Answer 3

"dogs Days" (Latin: di?s canicul?r?s) are the finest, maximum sultry days of summer season. interior the northern hemisphere, they many times fall between early July and early September. interior the southern hemisphere they're many times between January and early March. the quite dates variety very much from region to region, reckoning on variety and climate. dogs Days could also outline a time period or adventure it is totally warm or stagnant, or marked by using boring lack of progression. The call comes from the historic perception that Sirius, also talked about as the dogs megastar, changed into in a roundabout way responsible for the nice and cozy climate.

Answer 4

They get their name because the period this occurs is often during the time the star Sirius, known as the Dog Star

Answer 5

Beacause Sirius 'The Dog Star' is at it's highest in the sky and is thought to add heat.

Answer 6

As a kid, I heard it was because of the incidence of rabid dogs during that period.

I don't know that this fits in with the life cycle of rabbies. That is I don't know if this has some basis in fact or is just folk lore.

Answer 7

it's the time of the year when sirius, the dog star, is most prominent

Answer 8

Because people like using tired old cliches that no longer hold any real meaning.

Answer 9

Because all a dog will do is lay there and pant.

Answer 10

i thought that was called indian summer?!?