Dog Days and Astrology

Renowned throughout the world and keenly observed within the fields of astrology and astronomy, Dog Days take in the hottest days of the summer. It's really no wonder that the activity of the Dog Star, Sirius, is such a closely watched stellar event.

Ancient astrology became a marker for this time of year, because it was extremely important to recognize the nearby Dog Star constellation's arrival. Why?

Imagine a sleeping desert with oblique sunrays and golden colors.

Now imagine the Nile River nestled in its glorious delta terrain. It's springtime and the expected blessing of her overflowing waters fills hearts with gratitude. She is ready to give life.

In ancient days, night skies measured by carved rocks or exotic temples, or Pyramids were a gage to spot the arrival of the Dog Star Sirius. Similar markers are found all over the world.

It was a time when astrology intertwined with astronomy. It was the most wondrous point of the year, when a goddess named Isis became the celestial idol of the showy night skies.

Through time, Isis and the astrology sign of Virgo became one in the same. Virgo's placement in the Canis Constellation is often highlighted with a canine companion. Tying into the Dog Star imagery, all are within an opulent stellar arrangement of God's sky.

Yes, this could easily be experienced as a religious event, and so it was. The Niles River overflowing represented the bequest of fertility and survival. Ceres is another name for this deity of the Dog Star constellation, Sirius. Notice the likeness in these two star names?

The brightest star viewable in the nearby Milky Way, is Sirius A. Sirius B is smaller and is 300 times harder than a diamond. Combined star systems of Sirius A and Sirius B, pairing in differently orbiting companion pathways, radiate intense magnetic storms. Such colossal magnetic storms happen within the area of the Canis Constellation (where Sirius is located) approximately every fifty years.

However, on a yearly basis, folklore has it that dogs often act strangely during this time. Stagnancy, and heat mark the sultry period from early July through around August 12. Virgo astrology also begins in August.

A more contemporary belief amongst cosmologists is that malevolent entities visit our planet during the July, August months. On stagnant, hot summer days, these unwelcome visitors add to the discomfort of the extreme heat with their malevolent activities.

Perhaps a simpler understanding, ancient priests watched the Temple of Isis in Denderah Egypt. They tracked the arrival of the Canis (Sirius) constellation. Goddess of fertility, Isis, (or Virgo or Ceres) stands as a regal statue awaiting the event. A brilliant jewel on her forehead magically lights up just at the arrival of Sirius overhead in the distant night.

A blue cast denotes our neighboring larger Dog Star. It is much larger than our Sun, and the closest such star viewable from Earth by the naked eye. Astrology and astronomy both started their primitive beginnings with these kinds of notable and important stellar events.