What are the Dog Days of Summer?

If you’re above the age of 20, you’ve probably heard the expression “the dog days of summer.” It’s a term that gets thrown around in these blazing summer months, but not many people know where the phrase actually came from or what causes the days to be so hot. But fret not, Jordan Air is here to explain!

Believe it or not, the “dog days of summer” meaning actually has nothing to do with dogs at all! Most people are under the impression that it has something to do with our furry friends being lazy bums and laying out in the summer heat -- Nope!

The phrase was actually coined from the Greeks and the Romans, who believed that the brightest star in the Canis Major constellation, Sirius (AKA the Dog Star), rose just before the sun in July, and was so bright that it must generate an extra amount of heat onto the earth. 

We know today that this obviously could not be true, because only the sun itself could generate the heat it takes to make such a noticeable impact on our planet. It has nothing to do with dogs or stars, and has everything to do with the tilt of the Earth.

In the summer, the tilt of the Earth causes the sun’s beams to hit the Northern Hemisphere at a more direct angle, and for a longer period of time. However, the Greeks and the Romans weren’t too far off about their Sirius theory, because the sun does actually occupy the same region of the sky as the star during these hot summer months of July and August.

If your home is struggling to make it through the Dog Days of Summer, you can trust Jordan Air with air conditioning repair and other HVAC services.

Visit our website to learn more: https://www.jordanairinc.com/